Ten-year £20m plan to boost town is revealed

A COMMUNITY-LED blueprint for the future of Jarrow, unlocking £20 million of Government funding to revitalise the town and create new opportunities for young people, has been unveiled.

- By CHRIS BINDING

The neighbourhood board of Jarrow Forward has crafted a ten-year regeneration strategy after gathering the opinions of over 1,000 residents and 500 young people, as well as community groups, businesses, schools, service providers and national funding bodies.

Project leaders say the plan mirrors the pride locals have for their town and their aspiration for rewarding local employment, cultural pursuits, leisure and sports facilities, shops and cafes, and activities that will motivate and empower young people to shape their own futures.

Acknowledging the difficulties in a town where one in three children lives in poverty, the plan proposes several ideas as part of efforts to instigate transformative change.