A BARROW-based community organisation which branched out into Ulverston last year will receive a royal stamp of approval Friday during a visit from HRH The Prince of Wales.

The visit to Community Action Furness coincides with the organisation's tenth birthday.

Prince Charles will be given a guided tour of the new headquarters in Victoria Hall, on Rawlinson Street, which are being renovated into an Enterprise and Learning Centre. He will also meet leaders of the numerous projects set up by the community initiative since it was formed in 1993 following large-scale redundancies in the Furness peninsula.

CAF aims to provide training opportunities for young people in the Furness area to help them gain employment. Last year more than 400 youngsters took part in its 20 schemes on offer.

Chief officer Anne Diss said: "We are truly honoured and delighted that the prince with be visiting our Victoria Hall project. I must pay tribute to all the CAF project staff, our friends and supporters who have worked with me over the years and thank them for their massive contributions."

One of CAF's latest projects - Cycloan on Upper Brook Street, Ulverston - started in Barrow more than five years ago to encourage people to use an alternative form of transport bicycles.

The scheme, which hires out reconditioned bikes as well as running training workshops, proved so successful in Barrow a decision was made to expand into Ulverston last December.

Cycloan manager Steve Foden said: "The project has gone down really well in Ulverston and we expect it to be even busier when the tourist season starts. We have already got two youngsters on the training course and are planning to run courses for 11 and 12 year olds during the summer on cycle maintenance, road safety awareness and cycle handling skills."

Mr Foden said the Ulverston project was also hoping to secure funding to set up after-school clubs.

April 10, 2003 16:00