Closed factory's £2m fund backs local projects

The Spot is one of the organisations awarded cash promised by GSK as part of its factory closure plan

A £2m fund set up by a pharmaceutical giant after it decided to close a factory has awarded cash to a charity-run park and a community space offering help to residents.

Last year, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) confirmed it would close its site at Ulverston, Cumbria, in a move affecting about 100 workers, but it vowed to make a £2m donation to the region.

A taskforce set up to distribute this money has now said the money will be awarded to a community space called The Spot and the organisation which runs Ford Park in the town.

Westmorland and Furness Council said it was "delighted" that two "very worthy" projects were being supported by the funds.

The Ulverston factory, which has been open since 1948, has most recently been producing the antibiotic Zinnat for the Swiss-owned firm Sandoz.

In 2021, GSK said the factory was likely to close in 2025 when its contract with Sandoz ceased. The decision was rubber-stamped last year.

The closure of GSK Ulverston was first suggested in 2021

When it confirmed the closure, GSK promised a £2m donation to the local area.

The charity which runs Ford Park said it would use the money it receives to build a new community building, allowing it to host "bigger events and fundraisers" along with educational visits.

"It will be a more accessible space than we currently have and will be a planet-friendly construction, complete with enough solar panels to cover the charity's energy need," a spokesperson said.

The Spot, a Community Interest Company (CIC) based at the The Old Auction Mart in the town, said the money would give it the ability to provide space for services such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and a new home for the food poverty group Ulverston Food Project.

The organisation said the money would help it build a place where people could "find support alongside the sort of uplifting, creative community activities that make Ulverston a great place to live".

Barrow and Furness Labour MP Michelle Scrogham, who chaired the taskforce responsible for awarding the money, said: "It has been very sad to see the site closing, but this investment will ensure that GSK's nearly 80 years in the town results in a lasting legacy."