Barry Ingleton

"My life has shown me that past or current circumstances do not have to dictate your future opportunities and destinations; it has been my life's work to spread that message to those who believe otherwise". 

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Summary 

Barry is a believer in the power of community, an avid educationalist, and a mental health advocate. He has two children, which obviously mean the world to him, and they teach him something new every day. He is a lover of all things handcrafted and artistic, a wannabe chef, and a fan of Liverpool football club since 1989. A reader of religious history and theology and founder of Synolos CIC, which supports some of the most disadvantaged young people in West Oxfordshire.

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Early life 

Barry was born in 1980 in the seaside town of Margate, Kent. In the early 1980s, his family moved to Christchurch, where they spent time enjoying the beautiful landscapes of Dorset. Life changed in the mid-1980s, and Barry moved many times during his early years, residing in a number of temporary accommodations with his family due to the lack of opportunities for permanent social housing. The 1980s were tough times for many, especially those at lower income levels. However, Barry had the privilege and joy of having parents who cared for him, loved him, and did everything they could to encourage him. Barry believes these difficult times with housing and constant school changes shaped him as an individual, giving him a strong sense of fairness, community spirit, and perspective on the things that are important while also knowing the importance of living within your means and not overstretching yourself financially. It also showed him that hard work isn't always the only thing that you need for success; you also need a bit of luck and a starting opportunity, both of which can come from external sources and can be created by working smartly with unlimited passion and determination.

 

In 1990, after changing schools over a dozen times, Barry settled down in Petersfield, Hampshire, until leaving home in 1999, at the age of 18, to study furniture design at Rycotewood College, Thame, Oxfordshire. West Oxfordshire would later become his home, one that he feels he will never willingly leave.

 

A move to West Oxfordshire

After getting married in 2002, Barry moved to Witney from Didcot in 2003, and then later moved to Carterton in 2019. After an unsettled housing situation growing up, West Oxfordshire soon became Barry’s home. It is where his roots became very deep; it's where his two children have played, been schooled, lived, and thrived. West Oxfordshire is also the place of choice where Barry built his dream, putting skills and knowledge to use to create an educational experience for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. ​

 

Career change

After a career change in his early 20s, Barry moved from being a bespoke furniture maker and designer to working in education. Barry has spent the last 20 years supporting some of the most disadvantaged young people in Oxfordshire and West Oxfordshire, and since 2012, he has dedicated his career to building Synolos for many young people in West Oxfordshire who display so much potential but lack opportunities.

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2018: A bold advocate for mental health with a personal touch

One of Barry's most personal achievements is being a spokesperson for those living with a mental health condition. Barry has been open about his past struggles; in 2018, Barry posted an awareness post on Facebook for people to open up and talk about mental health struggles. This post received comments and messages of support from all around the world, with over 800+ direct messages from many people he did not know, with many saying the post helped them think about speaking out with others and asking how they could support others struggling. Barry has spoken boldly many times on BBC Oxford Radio to build awareness of the importance of talking and being open to breaking down the stigma of mental health illnesses.

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2019: An idea for increasing mental health support in West Oxfordshire

With the evidence of sadness and frustration that was evidenced by the feedback Barry had received from his mental health Facebook post in 2018, Barry set about creating a community-based approach that he would develop as CEO of Synolos to support those living with mental health issues of any age in a preventative and long-term manner. This whole project was due to be launched in October 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed it back. The project is due for a formal launch in March 2023, with a commitment to opening a support centre by September 2024.

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Barry's political home​

A stable political home has always been hard for Barry to define and find, naturally coming from a Labour background and a very anti-Conservative influence from personal and family hardship growing up in the 1980s and 1990s. It would be all too easy to follow the classic anti-Tory sentiment into adulthood. However, Barry's politics have been that of a "floating" voter, not because of indecision but because of pragmatism and a leaning towards what he felt was right for the country at that given time-based on the evidence provided rather than a rigid loyalty to ideologies. For practical reasons, Barry's position has always been that of a centre-right or centre-left approach, but ideally, he would enjoy a fresh approach that operates from a pragmatic, compassionate centre-ground position that acknowledges the benefits and drawbacks of capitalism and socialism, seeking to create an alternative to the 100-year Conservative and Labor approach.

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