Please note that the photographs on this page have not yet been uploaded.

Blackpool Civic Trust Awards and Dinner for Achievement in 2018

Friday 12th April 2019 at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool

Event Press Release

On Friday 12th April 2019, Blackpool Civic Trust held its Annual Awards and Dinner at the Imperial Hotel in front of over 160 guests, including John Barnett Deputy Lord Lieutenant and the Mayor and Mayoress of Blackpool.

Blackpool Civic Trust gave out awards to schools, community groups and local businesses who had contributed to supporting and improving Blackpool in 2018.

Those present included John Barnett, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, and the Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Gary Coleman and Councillor Debbie Coleman, the leader of the Council, Councillor Simon Blackburn and Blackpool Chief Executive, Mr Neil Jack. Blackpool South MP, Gordon Marsden. Mr Ian Harvey, the Executive Director of Civic Voice. Mr Andy Mitchell has once again agreed to be our MC for the evening. Councillor Gary Coleman, the Worshipful the Mayor of Blackpool presented our awards. We were entertained by Wyre Levee Stompers Jazz Band.

The winners in each category are:-

Junior School Environmental Shield: Park Community Academy

Senior School Environmental Shield: Park Community Academy

Blackpool Council Conservation Award: Hayles and Howe.

Community Award: Highly Commended to South Shore Partnership

Runner-up to The Boathouse Youth

Winner to Revoe-Lution Choir

Best Open Spaces: Glasdon Group Limited

Best Night Time Economy: Highly Commended to No 10 Ale House (Blackpool)

Joint Winner-Michael Wan?s Wok Inn

Joint Winner-Italio Restaurant and Cocktail Bar

Best New Build: Highly Commended to Hampton by Hilton Hotel, Blackpool

Joint Winner; Park Community Academy

Joint Winner; West Division Police Headquarters

Best Refurbishment: Highly Commended to Woodland School;

Winner to The HIVE;

Best New Visitor Attraction: Joint Winner; Project Elephant Base Camp at Blackpool Zoo

Joint Winner; ICON, Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Transforming Blackpool: Lightpool Festival

Special Award: The Great BTH KNIT Poppy Installation

Notes and Photos from the event

Councillor Gary Coleman, the Worshipful the Mayor of Blackpool presented our awards:

The Awards

Schools Environmental Shield

This year both the Junior School Environmental Shield and the Senior School Environmental Shield are presented to Park Community Academy.

Park Community Academy prides itself on its environmentally friendly ethos. The pupil ECO representatives and the ECO council, work to develop the environment of both the school and also the surrounding community.

Representatives of Park Community Academy.

The BLACKPOOL COUNCIL CONSERVATION AWARD

This award, now in its eighth year is sponsored by Blackpool Council for excellence in conservation or high quality building restoration work.

The winner is Hayles and Howe

The last year has been a busy one at Blackpool Winter Gardens, with the year of celebrations for its 140th Birthday as well as the complete replacement of the Spanish Hall Roof.

What the Council was not expecting was to be undertaking a major restoration of the Empress Ballroom ceiling, but after problems with one of the large plaster panels it was clear a lot of work needed to be done.

Enter Hayles and Howe. Established in Bristol forty years ago by David Hayles the company is one of only a very few in the UK that have the skills to undertake this kind of restoration.

COMMUNITY AWARD

The Civic Trust’s COMMUNITY AWARD can go to any kind of community or voluntary group and it recognises groups or individuals making a difference in their community.

Blackpool has so many community groups working hard within the town that it was very difficult to choose between the many nominations that we have received. We therefore decided that this year we would give more than one award.

The Civic Trust wishes first of all to acknowledge the hard work of the South Shore Community Partnership with a Highly Commended Certificate.

The South Shore Community Partnership was formed in 2016 and initially held quarterly meetings to link the community to service providers such as the Council, the Police, Red Cross and others, in order to solve local issues.

And our runner up in the Best Community Group category is The Boathouse Youth.

The Boathouse Youth is Blackpool’s biggest Youth Club and this year they are celebrating their 10th Anniversary.

Since 2009, thousands of young people have benefited from their regular programme of evening sessions, camping and canal residential courses. They also offer Duke of Edinburgh Award Schemes, cycling expeditions and much, much more.

The Best Community Group

The Revoe-Lution Community Choir.

The Revoe-Lution Community Choir is one of those fun and creative community groups that make Blackpool a better place to live. Wherever they go, whatever the event, they dress to impress.

They?re soon approaching their 6th birthday and have performed on television and radio and at some beautiful venues around Blackpool, including Stanley Park, the Winter gardens, the North Pier Theatre and Blackpool?s famous Blackpool Tower Circus.

Representatives of the Revoe-Lution Choir.

OPEN SPACES AWARD

This award is aimed at recognising achievements in creating attractive public spaces either landscaped or hardscaped.

The winner of the Open Spaces Award 2018 is the Glasdon Group Limited

WELCOME to BLACKPOOL- the area on Preston New Road, outside the Glasdon Group Ltd. Offices has been redeveloped by Blackpool Council working in partnership with funding from the Glasdon Group.

The improvement has seen over 20,000 daffodils and 50 trees planted to create a well maintained, bright and colourful approach to one of the main roads into Blackpool from the M55 motorway.

Glasdons have supported Blackpool Council by providing their feature fencing and signage, together with funding for the bright floral display which is renewed annually.

Founded by its Chairman, Donald Sidebottom MBE, Blackpool based Glasdon Group Limited is this year celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Martin Wallwork of Glasdon Group Ltd

Special Environmental Award

As well as announcing the Best Open Space award, the Blackpool Civic Trust Committee decided to give a Special Environmental Award to a group who didn?t qualify for our Best Open Spaces Award but are doing excellent work in their own enclosed space.

The Special Environmental Award goes to the Bridge Farm Allotments.

Set in the heart of the bustling Hawes Side Lane community, Bridge Farm Allotments provides an oasis of tranquility to be enjoyed by visitors and allotment keepers of all ages. Green lawns and structured planting at the entrance lead to lovingly cared for plots each reflecting the individual allotment holders creativity.

Mr. and Mrs. Hudson of Bridge Farm Allotments.

Best Night Time Economy

The next award is for Best Night Time Economy. In this category we start by awarding a

Highly Commended Certificate to the No.10 Ale House (Blackpool).

George, the owner of the No 10 Ale House, opened the first Micro pub on the Fylde Coast and has now opened this, his second, to compliment the No 10 Ale House in St Annes.

Because of the quality of two of the nominations in this category, we are giving two awards.

The first goes to the Michael Wan‘s Wok Inn.

Having opened in August 2018, the Wok inn is located in a beautiful seafront building on Blackpool?s promenade directly opposite North Pier. The restaurant has a striking panoramic view, which is perfect for watching the sun setting over the sea.

During the renovation process the owners found some amazing original features such as the original sign from Nutbrown Kitchens. This encouraged them to follow the ruin bar theme, leaving exposed steel beams, brickwork and ceramic tiles.

The Wok Inn received a glowing report from Guardian and Observer Magazine restaurant critic Jay Raynor and the Blackpool Gazette?s first 10 star review.? More recently, the restaurant has been nominated as best newcomer in the Golden Chopsticks awards due to be revealed in London later this month.

Gareth Lai-Thomas from Michael Wans Wok Inn.

The joint winner of the Award for Best Night Time Economy goes to Italio Restaurant and Cocktail Bar

Since opening over 4 years ago Italio have tried to maintain a high level of business development and reinvestment in their area. Every year they have further developed Italio, involving Blackpool Council?s Planning Department in order to achieve sustainable results with a positive impact on their local area as well as on the restaurant.

Representatives from Italio Restaurant and Cocktail Bar.

The School Shields, Community Awards and Open Space were chosen by members of our Executive Committee. The Best Night Time Economy was chosen by the Committee with advice from our panel of judges. The next awards were chosen by this panel of judges.

But before introducing the judges, I want to thank those who have sponsored this evening.

Blackpool Borough Council

Cassidy & Ashton Architects of Preston & Chester,

Mick Grewcock, The Burbage Holiday Group

We have also been supported by several local businesses listed below:

AB InBev UK

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Blackpool Transport?

Brothers Drinks Co Ltd

Coca Cola/Schweppes

Funny Girls

Funkin Cocktails

Illuminations Dept

Imperial Hotel

Jagermeister UK

No 1, South Beach

Sages Hardware

Sandcastle Waterpark

Skinny Brands Lager

Sunny Dee?s Holiday

ApartmentsThatcher’s Cider

It is the generosity of these firms and the local authority that has helped us so much this evening and we are very grateful to them all.

Now we come to the judges:

Alistair Baines is an architect with Cassidy and Ashton

Pippa Greenway is from Blackpool Council?s Planning Department.

Nigel Patterson is Blackpool Civic Trust’s Planning Officer

Best New Build

Last year we had no nominations for the category of Best New Build. This year we have had several and are giving three awards.

We will start with a Highly Commended for Hampton by Hilton Blackpool.

The new Hampton by Hilton Hotel is situated on South Promenade in Blackpool. The hotel offers a prime seafront position with stunning views over the Irish Sea. The hotel is within walking distance of the Sandcastle Waterpark and the Pleasure Beach and only a short tram ride to Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens.

The building uses artisan brick which helps it blend with other buildings in the area, but its striking curved fa?ade is one of its greatest features, particularly when lit at night.

Representatives of the Hampton by Hilton Hotel.

The judges decided to reward the efforts of two developments with a Best New Build Award. 

The first is Park Community Academy.

The new teaching block’s design concept is of a timber pavilion set against the backdrop of a small woodland that forms part of the extended school site.

The school intends to deliver Forest School learning using the woodland as part of the scheme. The use of timber cladding on the building and its visibility from the school?s main playground will also help to connect this sense of nature and the woodland into the rest of the school.

Each of the five classrooms features an independent roof structure with a large window at the top. The roof windows also open automatically to provide natural ventilation to each classroom and the corridor as part of the sustainability strategy.

The whole building is heated using a low energy underfloor heating system which along with the sensor controlled lighting and water saving functions, will make it extremely energy efficient and easy for the school to use.

Representatives of Park school.

The second joint Best New Build has been awarded to the new West Division Police Headquarters.

The new facility, located on a 4.54 hectare site on the outskirts of Blackpool, provides a base for policing and immediate response teams, as well as a public enquiry desk, investigations hub and 42 custody cells.

Through subtle design solutions, which reduce floor space and provide flexibility for the constabulary?s evolving operational requirements, officers have been provided with an improved and more efficient work environment.

The external appearance of the building takes its cues from Blackpool and the vibrant seaside environment with the central atrium space being called ?The Promenade? and the intelligent use of colour and form derived from the sea and sand to create a contemporary building in keeping with its locality.

The essence of the scheme is the interface of three contrasting building types and fusing them together in an efficient and flexible way. This provides an improved environment for staff and detainees, while delivering important efficiencies for the force.

Representatives of the Lancashire Constabulary.

The judges have decided to acknowledge two of the entries in the Best Refurbishment category. Firstly, they have awarded a Highly Commended to Woodlands School.

Pupils at Woodlands School have a wide range of learning needs including severe, profound and complex learning difficulties, and many have a broad range of additional special needs.

The newly refurbished school has enabled pupils to engage and experience new opportunities. Each classroom has an extended outdoor space, which has created greater opportunities for the pupils to take their learning outside.

The school?s aim is to engage pupils in enjoyable learning activities that are of value to them now and in the future. Many pupils require sensory input throughout the day and the new outdoor areas are proving to be beneficial for pupils in a whole host of ways.

Representatives of Woodlands School to accept their award.   

The winner of the award for Best Refurbishment goes to HIVE, Church Street. 

HIVE’s mission is to create an independent artisan coffee shop that provides customers with a memorable experience whilst eating, drinking, socialising and working.The building at 80-82 Church Street ended its retail life about four years ago as a card shop with a betting office on the first floor. Poor investment had left the fa?ade in a sorry state and the empty building was an eyesore.Taking its influence from London caf? culture what has been created is a stripped back urban coffee shop with a touch of chic and class. It offers stylish design with a light with light airy space that attracts both young and not so young customers.It was a year in the planning and involved change of use planning consent, converting the building back to a single unit and the installation of a new kitchen and toilets. The refurbishment involved the repair and decoration of the external fa?ade to create the attractive building we can now see.Representatives of the HIVE:   

The Best New Visitor AttractionThe Blackpool Civic Trust Committee decided that there were two very worthy candidates.

The first equal is Project Elephant Base Camp at Blackpool Zoo. 

Blackpool Zoo’s Project Elephant Base Camp is one of the largest and most innovative buildings of its type in the UK.This facility is the key to Blackpool Zoo reaching world class standards of husbandry and welfare for the herd of elephants, with a special focus on their wellbeing.The physical comfort of the animals is paramount, with deep sand bedding and various other surfaces, including soft rubber matting, bark, sand, extensive grass areas and a deep pool in which the elephants can swim.Ongoing landscaping will improve its aesthetic appeal further as greenery matures. The latest technology enables the keepers to operate all gates, slides and handling areas remotely and in safety. Representatives of Blackpool Zoo.   

The joint winner of the Best New Visitor Attraction is ICON; Blackpool Pleasure Beach. 

After much anticipation, Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s new £16.25m rollercoaster ICON opened to the public in May 2018 after 5 years of planning.ICON is one of the most exciting rollercoasters in the world and the UK?s first double-launch rollercoaster.

ICON propels riders to heights of 88ft, reaching the same levels of acceleration felt by the driver of a Formula 1 car.

ICON interacts with many of the park?s other rides to create a thrilling experience which riders will never forget. Riders are launched through the Big One lift hill at breathtaking speeds then arch over footpaths as the public gaze in amazement before weaving around the Steeplechase. A second thrust of acceleration hurtles you over the highest point of the ride and then twists through a heart stopping high five moment with the Big Dipper. All in just over two minutes!

ICON brings together the Thompson and Mack families, owners of Blackpool Pleasure Beach and leading manufacturer of amusement park attractions, Mack Rides respectively. The development is the biggest of its kind in recent years and cements Blackpool Pleasure Beach?s position as one of the world?s leading amusement parks.Robert Owen to the stage to receive the award on behalf of our Patron, Amanda Thompson.

   

The Transforming Blackpool awardPresented to the Lightpool Festival. The Lightpool Festival, launched in 2016 and takes place over the October half-term. The inaugural event, with live performances and light-based art installations, won the Large Tourism Event at the Lancashire Tourism Awards.The Lightpool Festival 2018 featured an ambitious programme which included the spectacular Light Odyssey- a mix of 3D light projection and music by the BBC Philharmonic in the Winter gardens Empress Ballroom and the incredible Pyronix- a light, pyrotechnic and fire show extravaganza staged in St John?s Square.The festival is a great example of what can be achieved with partnerships and the festival was made possible by significant funding and support from Arts Council England, VisitBlackpool, Left Coast, and the Blackpool BID.Representatives of Lightpool   

The final award is a Special Award, A very special award.

In 2018 the whole country commemorated the ending of World War 1. Civic Voice trained civic societies to register war memorials in their towns and cities. Blackpool Civic Trust was the first society to register all its war memorials on the national site. We also contributed to an amazing project organized by Blackpool Victoria Hospital.Our Special Award goes to The GreatBTHKnit.

Blackpool Victoria Hospital last year unveiled a ground breaking memorial to mark the centenary of World War 1.The replica structure of the Menin Gate was built by generous local businesses who donated their time and materials, especially for the 100 year anniversary.The Cloak of Poppies was a result of a year-long campaign, #TheGreatBTHKnit, which saw hundreds of knitters and crocheters from around the globe donating 28,000 poppies to adorn the innovative structure. UNISON kindly donated the wool for the project. On November 9th, Hospital Chaplain, Clive Lord, lead a moving service in the hospital?s main entrance which included the Layton Primary School choir and 14 year old bugler, Ben Parkinson, performing the Last Post.The Royal British Legion provided standard bearers from the North West and formed part of the service as well as Reservists who work for the Trust.Representatives of Blackpool Victoria Hospital. 

 

Blackpool Civic Trust Awards and Dinner for Achievement in 2019

Blackpool Civic Trust were to hold their Dinner and Awards ceremony at the Carousel Hotel, South Shore, on the 27th March 2020. It was postponed until the pandemic restrictions eased. Please read below for details of the mini-ceremony on the 21st March 2022.

 

Blackpool Civic Trust Awards for Achievement in 2019

at St Stephens on the Cliffs Church 21st March 2022

Due to Covid restrictions the ceremony was deferred and a smaller awards presentation was made at the AGM.

The awards were presented by John Barnett MBE, DL and Danielle Barnett. Joan Humble was master of ceremonies. Below are details of the Awards and photographs of winners being presented with the their awards.

Award Judges for buildings are: Alistair Baines of Cassidy and Ashton, Pippa Greenway of Blackpool Council Planning Department, Nigel Patterson of Blackpool Civic Trust, Planning Officer.

Junior and Senior School Environmental Shield

Park Community Academy

Park Community Academy ECO warriors have focused on reducing energy consumption, improving school grounds and further developing Global Citizenship links. The Academy’s annual ‘Big Switch off’ (2018-19) reduced energy consumption by a record 35% in spite of school numbers growing. The development of school grounds concentrated on the Forest school, with pupils learning how to whittle sticks into sculptures and how to build dens to improve their social development and social communications skills. The Academy’s key aim for the year was to sustain existing International partnership links and submit an action plan for accreditation level.

Community Award

Windmill Trust Youth

The Windmill Trust Youth Group was set up in 1978 as a Duke of Edinburgh Award Centre, and offers Blackpool and Fylde youngsters an opportunity to achieve awards from Bronze through to Gold. This includes a silver award, for which there is very limited local provision. The main purpose of the Trust is to offer training and experience to young people from 13-25 years of age and help them achieve their aspirations in terms of employment, apprenticeships or further study. The Trust is particularly proud of the extensive work that has been carried out in improving places and spaces. For example, in 2018-19 10 kilometres of public pathways/bridleways have been cleared of undergrowth and brambles, which has improved access to open spaces around Heron�s Reach for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

Community Award Highly Commended

Friends of Devonshire Road Rock Gardens

The Friends group meet weekly at the Rock Gardens, except for a winter break, to carry out maintenance work and keep them clean, tidy and accessible to the public, including local residents. This involves a wide variety of gardening tasks, such as planting of flower beds, weeding, light pruning of shrubs and bushes and mowing the lawn in front of the Vista. One of the biggest challenges is to keep the bottom rocky pond free of a particularly virulent weed. In recent years a lot of work has been carried out to clear away undergrowth obscuring the rock formations for which the Gardens are famous. All work is carried out with due regard to the safety and protection of wildlife. The Friends group also organises events and activities at the Gardens both to raise funds and increase public awareness of a local amenity.

Open Spaces Award

North Blackpool Pond Trail

The North Blackpool Pond Trail was set up to protect the wildlife of this green corridor and to make the area accessible by all. It brings together a network of 21 ponds, a lake (with resident heron!), a reedbed, flowing dyke, community orchard, woodlands and meadow grasslands, linked together by a network of footpaths that have been gradually upgraded. The main aim has been to encourage local people to get involved in the long-running project and spend more time in the natural environment. This has proved successful. Most of the conservation and maintenance work has been done by a group of volunteers, who also organised events to increase public awareness of local wildlife and the natural environment.

Presenting the award

 

Best New Build Award

Boulevard Hotel

The �12 million Boulevard Hotel comprises 120 stylish rooms, including 8 junior suites, 2 park view suites and 8 costal suites, all with either costal views or direct views of the attractions and rollercoasters. All suites boast bespoke artwork complemented by materials sourced from British companies, including handmade furniture by Tetrad, Designers Guild fabrics and wall coverings by Andrew Martin. The hotel includes a signature restaurant, The Beachhouse, seating 90. It uses locally sourced ingredients to create an array of dishes from around the world. There is in addition the Shoreside Conference Centre, with state-of-the art technology and bespoke event planning for up to 200 delegates. The centre was designed to cater for weddings also, with the hotel being licensed to carry out civil ceremonies.

Presentation of the award on the 5th April 2022:

 

Best Refurbishment Jointly Awarded to:

Best Refurbishment: The Mortgage Shop, Continental Cafe, Andsome Barbers

A £7.84m Blackpool Council project is underway, giving some of the towns’s key roads a facelift to make streets more welcoming and shops more vibrant. The project began in January 2017 with upgrade works to Church Street. The £2.3 million property improvement scheme concentrates on shop and business fronts, with the aim of helping owners to improve the external appearance of their properties and revitalise their ‘kerb appeal’.

The Mortgage Shop, Topping Street

Cafe Continental, Topping Street

Andsome Barber Shop, Edward Street

 

In holding the event at our AGM over 2 years later than planned we had to miss our wonderful dinner at the Carousel Hotel.

Blackpool Civic Trust Awards and Afternoon Tea for Achievement in 2022

Also including the Blackpool Council Awards for Conservation 2019

Held at the Blackpool Winter Gardens, Baronial Hall on Friday 18th August 2023.

The Blackpool Civic Trust Awards for 2022

The awards ceremony was attended by over 90 guests, members, award-winners and the Mayor and Mayoress, the Chief Executive Officer and senior Council colleagues. It was followed by a splendid afternoon tea.

Joan Humble, Chair of Blackpool Civic Trust, read the citations and winners and the Mayor of Blackpool Councillor Gillian Campbell made the awards.

Thanks to the Winter Gardens Trust and assistance from Carl Carrington of Blackpool Council for hosting the event at the Winter Gardens and to Blackpool Council for their sponsorship this year.

We’d like to thank Claire Griffiths for taking photographs of the event.

We are pleased to be able to reintroduce our annual awards scheme after a two-year break due to the pandemic.

Blackpool Council Conservation Award 2019

We didn’t hold a formal awards ceremony for 2019 as the pandemic hit us just as things were going to press. An informal ceremony was held at a monthly meeting in 2022. Two awards that were not handed out then were the winners of the Blackpool Council Conservation Award 2019.

The quality of building work in the town has improved dramatically in the last few years and we have a number of grant funded conservation based schemes to thank for that, which leads me nicely on to our awards.

The first of these two awards goes to Joe Boniface of Joseph Boniface Architects Ltd

This award is given in recognition of the contribution of the architectural designs produced by the practice to the transformation of Edward Street, Topping Street, Deansgate and buildings on Talbot Road as part of the Quality Corridors Scheme.

As part of the project, Joe and his team designed more than 30 new shopfronts across this much neglected part of the conservation area and the resulting regeneration has help bring back a sense of community to the transformed streets.�

In particular, this award recognises both the quality of the designs and Joe�s positive approach to working with a range of diverse clients.�

The second winner from 2019 is Bambers Remedial Contractors

Bambers were one of a group of contractors engaged to work on the Quality Corridors scheme but what made them stand out was their approach to collaborative working with the Council, the architects and the buildings’ owners.

Bambers also won the contracts for some of the schemes with the greatest impact like the transformation of 28 Topping Street into a creative hub for Aunty Social and the complete renovation of the block on the northeast corner of Church and Topping Streets.

None of these projects was without challenges but working with the architects and the Council, Bambers proved to be superb problem solvers and delivered a fantastic scheme.

The most current, the Blackpool Council Conservation award for 2022

The 2022 Blackpool Council Conservation award goes to Stoneguard Northern Ltd

You will all have noticed a lot of work going on at the Winter Gardens which is all part of the Historic England Heritage Action Zone funding and our next award focuses in on one particular part of that project.

As part of the restoration of the Church Street frontage of the Winter Gardens, it was decided to tackle the surround of the main doors.

In the 1970�s the beautiful glazed ceramic blocks were removed and replaced with heavy modern tiles in blue and white.

The HAZ project commissioned the recasting of these ceramic terracotta blocks based on moulds taken from the remaining originals.�

Stoneguard were then commissioned to install the blocks, but as we all know, buildings like the Winter Gardens tend to throw out surprises.

This award recognises the skill and knowledge of Stoneguard in dealing with the many problems they were faced with whilst installing the blocks. In particular it recognises their ability to adapt and problem solve on the job, working with the architects and the venue to complete the job with minimal delays and on budget.

Now we come to a series of awards decided on by our Civic Trust Executive Committee.

Blackpool Civic Trust Community Award 2022 winners are The Friends of Marton Mere

Marton Mere is not just an important nature reserve, it is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The Friends work hard to maintain this site with one of their primary aims being to make sure that it is safe for the public to visit and enjoy.

They maintain fencing, walkways, sign-posting and regularly cut back vegetation to improve access to the different parts of the nature reserve. They even make their own wooden signs!

The Friends promote and publicize the nature reserve in a variety of ways, regularly organising guided tours and events such as pond dipping.

They also look after an archive about the site, which is housed in the Visitor�s Centre but can also be viewed online. Their dedication keeps the site safe, open and available or our communities to enjoy!

Blackpool Civic Trust Best Open Space Award for Layton Cemetery

Opened in 1873, the Cemetery ceased to be regularly used for burials after the 1930s. Covering approximately 40 acres, it is well laid out with broad paths and many species of trees, including Ash, Horse-Chestnut, Sycamore, and fruit trees.

There is a memorial garden with plants and shrubs selected to attract butterflies and bees. This garden and its mature privet hedge offer a habitat and foraging for a huge range of wildlife, such as bats, hedgehogs, foxes and squirrels.

This green space within a large urban area is used by dog-walkers and families.

Aside from its role as an open space, the Cemetery offers an opportunity to take a walk through time and revisit the early history of Blackpool by inspecting the tombs and memorials of illustrious figures such as Alderman John Bickerstaffe. Leisure and education at its best!

Blackpool Civic Trust Special Award 2022.�

These are awards that we sometimes give when something doesn�t quite fall into one of our normal categories or where something exceptional is achieved.

This special award goes to Blackpool Council�s Climate Change Team in recognition of three years of hard work in building awareness about the impacts of climate change and how Blackpool is planning to achieve Nett Zero by 2030.

Initiatives include things like then highly successful Citizens Forum, held via Zoom during lockdown, where local communities had the opportunity to air concerns, ask questions and contribute ideas to the Blackpool Climate Emergency Action Plan.�

The team have also been working with Planning to ensure that new homes and public parking be fitted with Electric Vehicle Charging provision where possible and that all new development is as energy sustainable as it can be through the use of technical innovation and common sense measures.

This isn�t almost the most glamourous of work, but its impact will hopefully be felt be felt by our communities in the generations to come. We�d urge everybody here to look out for the Climate Emergency Action Plan and upcoming climate change engagement!

Blackpool Civic Trust Best New Build Award 2022 goes to Cassidy and Ashton Architects for Troutbeck Crescent Housing development

The Troutbeck Crescent housing development makes a striking and attractive impression coming off the M55 and driving into Blackpool.

It lives up to the Council�s design brief calling for a design that avoided the inoffensive blandness of traditional social housing.

The scheme managed by Blackpool Coastal Housing comprises 75 affordable, high quality rented homes for families and individuals. The affordable nature of the homes includes low running costs.

The design is intended to promote the health and well-being of the residents, whilst providing attractive indoor and outdoor environments, with landscaped areas and walkways.

That concern for the resident�s well-being includes fostering a sense of ownership. To this end, there are private amenity spaces, such as individually owned back gardens and separate front doors to the dwellings.

Blackpool Civic Trust Best Refurbishment 2022 of a building or space within a building. This year, the award goes to Layton Library for their creative refurbishment of their Children�s Library.

The refurbishment of the Children�s Library at Layton came about due to a combination of the library service wanting to update the space and an offer of funding from local councillors for whom literacy in Layton ward was a top priority.
Additional support was provided by the library�s long-standing partner, Better Start.�� It was clear that the existing children�s library was a dull uninspiring space. What the library service wanted was to give children and families a space that would inspire and nurture a love of reading.
The refurbishment�s colourful Seaside Promenade theme was chosen to showcase a free resource that families in Blackpool can all enjoy.
The library now attracts larger numbers of children and families, whether this is babies having a �bounce & rhyme�; children visiting with school; Better Start providing �weaning drop-ins� or simply families just enjoying the space together.

Blackpool Civic Trust Transforming Blackpool Award 2022. This award recognises developments that have the potential for changing not just how the town looks physically but also how others see it from the outside.� This year the award goes to The Conference and Exhibition centre at Blackpool Winter Gardens.

Blackpool has long needed a modern conference centre, which this new building delivers in style. It is the first major development on the Winter Gardens site since the construction of the Opera House in 1939.

The challenge was to integrate a modern building having state-of-the-art facilities, with the Winter Gardens complex, which is listed� as Grade II star. Not only do the old and new co-exist harmoniously, the historic Winter Gardens is showcased and triumphantly on view.

The main hall of the conference centre occupies the second floor and can accommodate 1500 people. The first floor offers ample exhibition space.

One of the design aims, successfully achieved, was to allow visitors to the Centre to pass freely into the older parts of the Winter Gardens complex and enjoy what they have to offer. This connectivity has made it possible for the Winter Gardens to handle events for up to 7,000 people.

The gathering at the Blackpool Winter Gardens, John Barnett MBE DLin the foreground, one of the Patrons of Blackpool Civic Trust.

Blackpool Civic Trust Awards for Achievement in 2023

Presentations Autumn 2024

Best Community Group 2023 – Blackpool Freedom Runners

Photographed on Stanley Park and in Stanley Park Visitor Centre, Blackpool

Blackpool Freedom Runners promote social inclusion and the physical and mental health benefits of running. The group is truly inclusive, providing opportunities for all ages and abilities with sessions being free. Sessions range from walking groups to marathons and ultras. They are organised entirely by volunteer accredited run leaders across 6 days of the week. They encourage every individual to join in and take part no matter what his or her ability may be. Accordingly, the group operates a ‘no-one gets left behind’ policy. Those who have crossed the line wait to congratulate those who have yet to finish, and no one leaves until everyone has finished. This epitomises the ethos and spirit of what is a true community of members run by volunteers.

Blackpool Freedom Runners on Stanley Park Blackpool

scroll down to a link to a larger version of the above

Blackpool Freedom Runners in Stanley Park Visitor Centre

Joan Humble makes the presentation introduction

Presentation of the Award by Joan Humble Chair of Blackpool Civic Trust

Acceptance of the Award Speech

The Founding Member of Blackpool Freedom Runners holding the award.

Link to a larger copy of the group photo shown above

Best Refurbishment Award 2023 – Blackpool Victoria Hospital A & E Ward/Village

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The Emergency Village refurbishment took three years. This project commenced in 2020 with the Fit to Sit area and waiting room within the Emergency Department and then into Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC). The main work within the Emergency Department commenced in 2021 and took 18 months.

The refurbishment completely changed the working environment for SDEC and Emergency Medicine for the better. The new refurbishment allows patients to be provided with spacious cubicles and the privacy and dignity they deserve. It Improves their experience throughout the department, beginning with patient safety during admission.

The refurbishment also provided the staff with a working environment fit for purpose. State of the art technology enabled the team to deal with the many challenges they had prevously faced.

The department remained open throughout the ongoing reconstruction, which presented its own challenges. The team worked alonside the IHP team to make the project a success, placing patient safety at the heart of decision making.

This successful project has had the further benefit of changing some internal standard operating procedures with the objective of improving the patient’s experience.

 

 

Transforming Blackpool Award 2023 – Frasers/Flannels/Direct Sports

The newly opened store in the Houndshill Shopping Centre has introduced a large clothing and accessory store on three floors with a wide range of budget and mid to upper market designer labels previously only available, especially for men, in relatively limited ranges in smaller shops in Blackpool. The internal spaces are well organised and clearly differentiated, while the interior design throughout is to a high standard.

Sports Direct has a much improved presentation compared to the previous shop in the 1938 Woolworths Building.

The complex offers an interesting collection of stores conveniently located in the town centre and improves upon Blackpool’s offer to the consumer.

Joan Humble of Blackpool Civic Trust presents the award to Chantelle, Manageress of Frasers Blackpool.

One area of one of the three floors at Frasers and Sports Direct. Flannels being in a neighbouring block.

Transforming Blackpool Award 2023 – Highly Commended – Abingdon Street Market

The traditional market has been transformed to a street food court, entertainment area and artisan shops with urban decor. Its appeal has been greatly widened and diversified, extending well beyond the traditional market’s offer. As such, it offers something new to Blackpool’s offer to visitors, residents and the community, while being conveniently located in the town centre.