Our next meeting is at 7pm on Monday 20th April 2026 at the Holiday Inn, Talbot Road, Blackpool. Next to Blackpool North Railway Station and tram stop.
Our guest speaker will be Zowie Swann, folklorist, storyteller and author, who will be speaking about Fylde Folklore.
Non-members are welcome for a small donation, £2, suggested.
For information about joining please see our website click here
Our meetings are on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7pm in the Holiday Inn, Blackpool, unless stated otherwise. Non-members are welcome, we appreciate a donation thankyou.
We are always interested in hearing from potential speakers.
| Monday | Topic | Speaker |
| 2026 | ||
| April 20th | Fylde Folk Lore | Zowie Swan |
| May 18th | Black Liver | Ruth and Keith |
| June 15th | Architectural Photography | Sean Conboy |
| July 20th | Blackpool Shipwrecks | Barry McCann |
| August 17th | ENVECO | Diane Farley |
| September 21st | Stick Men & Author | David Hulme |
| October 19th | My 75 year love affair with Blackpool | John Lovett Begg |
| November 16th | The Robert Evan Mills Lecture: ‘Palace (varieties, cinema and ballroom)’ | Shirley Matthews |
| December 14th | Christmas Festivities | |
| 2027 | ||
| January 18th | Speaker to be announed | |
| February 15th | Speaker to be announced | |
| March 15th | Annual General Meeting | |
At the Annual General Meeting held on 16th February 2026 we elected the committee for the next 12 months as listed below. We thank all those who participated in the retiring committee and look forward to another successful year.
| Chairman & Secretary | Elaine Smith MBE |
| Hon. Treasurer | Diane Glister |
| Minute Taker | Walter Cairns Tel 01253 357865 |
| Social Secretary | Rachel Sykes rachelsykes@hotmail.co.uk |
| Membership and Speakers’ Secretary | Denise Astbury |
| Planning Officer | Stehen Jones |
| Project Officer | Dr Sir Michael Prendergast KBE KCSG MBA |
| Publicity Officer | From the above. |
Members have been notified by email and mail that The Blackpool Civic Trust Annual General Meeting will take place on Monday 16th March, 2026 at 7pm at the Holiday Inn, Talbot Rd, Blackpool.
The agenda and nomination forms for the chairman and committee have also been sent in the notification. The meeting will elect the committee for the year 2026/7. Only members can vote.
Our meeting on Monday 16th February 2026 at 7pm will be held in the Holiday Inn, Talbot Road, Blackpool.
There is a change of guest speaker. It is to be Stephen Jones speaking about the differences and similarities of Blackpool and Morecambe.
Non-members are welcome for a small donation of £2.
Our meeting on Monday 16th March at 7pm in the Holiday Inn, Talbot Road will be our Annual General Meeting. There will be no guest speaker. The meeting will follow a process culminating in the election by members of the committee for the period from the AGM 2026 to the AGM in March 2027.
Any members wishing to join the committee should submit a nomination form with nominees as stated. The current committee will stand down and be replaced by the elected committee during the meeting. Current members are listed on our website About Us Page, linked here.
Blackpool’s pride and community spirit were in the spotlight at the annual Blackpool Civic Trust Awards, honouring outstanding contributions to the resort’s environment, heritage, and civic life.
Hosted by Blackpool Civic Trust and held in the Spanish Hall at the Winter Gardens, the event recognised excellence across the town’s streets, open spaces, buildings, and community organisations whose hard work continues to enhance Blackpool for residents and visitors alike.
The ceremony highlighted achievements that reflect the Trust’s ongoing commitment to promoting high standards in architecture, urban design, environmental quality, and community involvement throughout the resort.
Elaine Smith MBE, who is chair, explained how the Civic Trust had been founded in 1957 by then Minister for Housing Duncan Sandys to encourage high standards of planning and architecture and to stimulate interest in the good appearance of both town and country – aims which were embraced by Blackpool Civic Trust when it was founded in 51 years ago.
“But we also aim to instil Civic Pride in the local community. Because of this we decided not only to give awards for design and construction excellence but also for environmental and community projects.”
Mrs Smith, assisted by a presentation collated by Carl Carrington, Blackpool council head of Planning and Heritage, and citations read by Andy Mitchell of Radio Lancashire, announced the awards which were presented by Blackpool Mayor, Councillor Kim Critchley and mayoress, Councillor Mel Fenlon, following an afternoon tea.
The annual awards underscore Blackpool’s dedication to preserving its unique character while encouraging innovation and improvement across the townscape, started with the Best Street Award to the town centre’s Lord Street – chosen from street nominations made by ward councillors for way residents work together as a community. Lord street is the home of the Be You Initiative and was described as “a hub of community, inclusivity and civic pride.”
A highly commended award was given to Mere Road.
The DWP building which has changed the landscape in the town centre, won the Best New Build award for Blackpool Council, Muse Developments and Vinci Contractors and was described as “a landmark example of civic architecture”.
By contrast it the iconic Stanley Buildings, constructed in 1935 and designed by then borough architect J.C. Robinson, won the award for Best Refurbishment for Blackpool Council, main contractor F Parkinson Lyd and architect Cassidy & Ashton. Now named, The Robinson, it has been sympathetically restored to provde a vibrant support centre for business and enterprise.
Best Transforming Blackpool to Enveco North West for the Keep Blackpool Tidy programme.
Open Spaces to Re-Form Landscape Architecture for the recreation area at the new DWP site.
Best Community Group to Layton Together and the Forward Project.
Best Youth Project to United Youth Alliance Social Action Group.
Highly Commended Youth Project Award to the Play Inclusion Project.
Best Hospitality to Holiday Inn, Talbot Road
We’ve refreshed the policy for Blue Plaques in Blackpool as shown below.
BLACKPOOL CIVIC TRUST BLUE PLAQUE POLICY
10th January 2026
The principal criteria to be satisfied for a subject to be commemorated by a plaque:
The policy can be downloaded in pdf form by clicking on this link
The guest speaker is
At the Holiday Inn, 7pm, Monday 19th January 2026
Non-members are welcome for a small donation of £2.
Every year Blackpool Civic Trust award the best building work and civic group for activity in Blackpool in that year.
The final date for submitting nominations for 2025 awards is Friday 28th November 2025.
Our Awards ceremony will be an afternoon tea in the Winter Gardens’ Spanish Hall on January 22nd 2026 – our 51st anniversary – at 1pm for a 1.30pm meal, £20.
Contact RachelSykes@hotmail.co.uk for tickets.
Click on this link to download and complete the form.
Return it to Blackpool Civic Trust at the address shown or to RachelSykes@hotmail.co.uk.
The closing date for nominations is 28th November 2025.
Judging will take place the week commencing 1st December.
The awards are to be conferred on the occasion of the BCT 51st anniversary on Thursday the 22nd January 2026.
Thumbnail of the form:
Sunday 9th November 2025
Shirley Matthews and John Garnham laid a wreath on behalf of the members of Blackpool Civic Trust at the Blackpool War Memorial on Sunday 9th November 2025, in remembrance of those who gave their lives in service to their country.
The Blackpool Civic Trust joined many other similar groups from Blackpool such as the Scouts and Girl Guides as photographed below.
On the war memorial are the words ‘Their name liveth forever more, lest we forget’.
