INDUSTRY is something that has been at the beating heart of many Cumbrians in the south of the county for some time, especially shipbuilding.

Despite Cumbria having a notable reputation, and quite rightly, for natural beauty spots and tourist attractions that draw in millions from across the globe, shipbuilding, alongside nuclear energy, wind power, and factory production has been a key employer for many in Barrow as well as in West Cumbria.

The famous Barrow shipyard even celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

Back in January 1871, the directors of the fledgling Iron Shipbuilding Company met and sowed the seeds for a business which has grown from humble beginnings to become a key player in the UK’s defence and security industry.

The remarkable journey of BAE Systems has seen the shipyard forge a long-lasting and symbiotic relationship with the Royal Navy, delivering the Royal Navy’s first submarine, Holland 1, and their first fully nuclear-powered submarine, Dreadnought, as well as every key first-of-class ship since the Second World War.

At the heart of it all has been the trusted, dedicated and skilled colleagues working on submarine programmes, with tens of thousands having walked through the shipyard gates over the past century and a half.

Speaking about the anniversary, submarines managing director Cliff Robson said: “Barrow shipyard reaching its 150th anniversary is a fantastic achievement.

“It is testament to the talent, dedication and resilience our workforce has consistently shown down all the years.

“We should all be proud of what we have achieved throughout our long history.

“Taking inspiration from our past can stand the Submarines business in good stead for what is sure to be a challenging but exciting future.”

Looking ahead there is so much opportunity in the region to continue to prosper in industry as the submarine programme shows no signs of slowing down and the recent green revolution pledge made by the Government looks to play into the hands of the area.

Wind, tidal, and nuclear power are all forms of sustainable energy production are in abundance in south and west Cumbria, so there are promising signs ahead post-coronavirus.