Parks get funding boost

Blackpool has received £2.5 million towards building new parks and play areas and improving existing ones.

The funding has come as part of the launch of a National Play Strategy on Wednesday by the Department of Children, Schools and Families. The strategy involved funding to 89 local councils to build and revamp playgrounds.

Of these, 10 new ‘Pathfinders’ have been created of which Blackpool is one. Each is expected to receive an average of £2.5 million to improve play sites and also build new ‘state of the art’ staffed adventure playgrounds.

For local reaction to the funding see the Gazette.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Local Hero Award

Following on from our earlier article the Blackpool Gazette has reported that Roy Berry has been named as this years Local Hero at a ceremony held at the town hall. Mr Berry is a driver for a charity but also runs cub packs, trains football teams and assists with reading at Layton Primary School.

Gordon Marsden MP praised all the nine award nominees and said  “They represent all that is best in our town.”

Gazette Stuff

Things that drew attention in Blackpool’s Gazette that might be of general interest to third sector groups in the town:

Yesterday’s newspaper covered the following:

Every one a hero

Gordon Marsden, Blackpool South MP, has organised his annual Local Hero Awards to honour the public service of community-spirited citizens in the town. A shortlist of people has been drawn up all of whom will be honoured at a special presentation hosted by the Blackpool Mayor on Saturday. Unfortunately the hard-copy article in last night’s paper does not seem to appear on The Gazette’s website, therefore we re-publish the list of the nominees here:

Mrs Elizabeth (Betty) Aspinall, Ms Jane Blacker, Mr Roy Berry, Ms Terri-Leanne Costigan, Mrs Shirley Green, Mrs Carole Holmes, Mrs Claire Large, Ms Carrie-Ann Pitcher and Ms Nikki Reid.

Big Lottery Fund ‘Awards for All’ successes

Woodlands Special School on Whitegate Drive has been awarded £9,700 to purchase cycles and create a whheelchair-accessible pathway. Community Dance and Activities Group from Revoe will spend their £10,000 on a series of tea dances for senior citizens. Bridge Farm Allotment Society environmental project will benefit from £5,000.

Full results below.

Out of School Hours Activities	Blackpool	£9,297
Dance & Physical Activity for the Community	Blackpool	£10,000
Fit for Life	Blackpool	£9,900
Sensory/Outdoor Activity Project	Blackpool	£9,700
Bridge Farm Environmentally Friendly Project	Blackpool	£5,000

For further information about applying (up to £10,000 grants available) visit Awards for All.

Gazette View Wednesday 12th Nov 2008

A view on what Blackpool’s Gazette is covering that might be of general interest to third sector groups in the town:

Confusion over pools rescue plan

It seems that announcements of possible rescue plans to save St. Anne’s Pool just may have been premature? Kirkham Baths may very well be saved, but the fate of St. Annes swimming pool is not certain. Find out more from the Gazette Website.

Christmas Lights

The Christmas festivities formally begin on Saturday (15th Nov) with the switching on of the town centre lights. Find out more from the Visit Blackpool Christmas Flyer. Also on Saturday is the celebrity switch-on of the Houndshill Shopping Centre’s seasonal lights. The newly re-united pop band Atomic Kitten perform at 4pm see www.houndshillshoppingcentre.co.uk.

Also Layton’s lights will be switched on at 6.30pm, Fri Nov 28th at Layton Square.

Revoe Forever

The social history of Revoe and its characters will be celebrated at a public exhibition to be opened on Friday at the Blott Artist Studios.

Big Cat Bulb Planting

Hoteliers on Alexandra Road, South Shore responded to Blackpool Council’s Big Cat bulb giveaway campaign and are planting crocus and daffodils to brighten the street up for spring.

Advice on keeping warm

MMHA Fylde Coast Housing Group are offering advice to 150 tenant homes in Blackpool about keeping warm and saving money during the winter (see Press Release).

Gazette View

This is the first of a regular view at what Blackpool’s The Gazette is covering of topics that might be of general interest to third sector groups in the town. Starting with today’s paper:

Rock on Councillor!

Tony Williams, Blackpool Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Communities, is aiming for the charts after reforming 70′s band Stealer’s Wheel, described by Wikipedia as a Scottish folk/rock band formed in 1972 by former school friends Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty.

YouTube has a video of the band in all its glory  playing Stuck in the Middle With You in 1972.

As most of Tony’s fans know, he later went on to join Jethro Tull.

St. Anne’s Pool turned over to third sector to run.

It is reported the Fylde Coast YMCA is to take over the management of the St. Anne’s Pool and the Kirkham baths. The financial details are expected to emerge over the next few days.

Lancashire NHS web voice.

Visitors to the NHS North Lancashire Website can now download Browsealoud so that websites can be electronically read for you by the installed software. It only works on websites that have been made ‘Browsealoud friendly’ however.

Bonmarche ‘wear it pink!’

Staff at Blackpool’s Bonmarche store raised £154 for Breast Cancer by taking part in the ‘Wear it Pink’ day in October.