Focus on Farnworth
JULY 2025
In Spring 2024, Farnworth was identified as part of the Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns Programme to support regeneration. Bolton Council was invited to create and submit a plan to the government for Farnworth’s £20 million endowment-style fund over ten years to 2034.
A Focus on Farnworth board of residents and professionals was created to advise the council on the creation of a Focus on Farnworth 10-year Plan and the prioritisation of the investments in the first three years which included Helen from Bolton CVS.
The proposal that was created focused on eight initial investment priorities for the first three years. Due to the huge interest from VCSEs who completed Expressions of Interest, there was clear evidence for a ‘Farnworth Fund’ to be included as one of the priorities. The Farnworth Fund is a proposal for a grants programme to distribute revenue and capital funding to VCSEs delivering programmes in Farnworth (aligned to the aims of the funding).
Following the pause, created by the general election, during the process of developing the proposal, the Focus on Farnworth Board did not receive the capacity funding it was expecting which made it difficult to communicate the process to the local community as there was no funding or capacity for events, communications, a website and or the planned social media campaign.
The Focus on Farnworth board developed the plans but had to wait until the new government was in place and had reviewed the programme. The government have now restarted the programme with a new name, Plan for Neighbourhoods, and new priorities. Information from the government about the Plan for Neighbourhoods can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plan-for-neighbourhoods-prospectus-and-tools/plan-for-neighbourhoods-prospectus#eligible-local-authorities
In light of these changes, the board are reviewing the submission developed last year and preparing an initial 4-year plan to be approved by the Council later in 2025.
Bolton CVS have a representative on the board and are excited by the possibility of long-term funding into the VCSE sector to support the community in Farnworth.
Please contact Helen, our Strategic Partnerships Manager, at helenc@boltoncvs.org.uk with any queries.
