Building a better Blackpool – and a future for our young people
Fridays are my favourite day of the week – filled with constituency visits where I get to see inspiring people and projects in our community. On a recent visit I stood in the middle of what used to be Mereside library, but instead of bookshelves and quiet signs, the place was full of energy – college students mixing plaster, rolling paint and tinkering with electrics. They’re turning it into a two-bedroom council flat and doing a brilliant job of it.
One of those students was Summer, 19 years old and studying painting and decorating at Blackpool & the Fylde College. She told me how she found her passion for the trade, and how she wants to set up her own women’s-only decorating business one day. Not just because she’s good at it (which she clearly is), but because she wants to give women peace of mind when letting tradespeople into their homes. She’s got pride in her work and a plan for the future – it’s clear she’ll go far.
It’s stories like Summer’s that remind me why projects like this matter so much. This isn’t just about converting an old building – it’s about giving local young people proper experience and a real shot at a future.
Too many young people in Blackpool have been written off for too long. They’re taught to aim lower, take what they’re given, or just get out if they want better. But I want to raise their aspirations. I believe in them and I believe Blackpool deserves better.
That’s why I’m proud of this partnership between Blackpool Coastal Housing, Bambers Construction and the college. Instead of shutting young people out from opportunity, they brought them in. They gave them a live building site to learn on, proper supervision and real trust. The result – a much-needed home added back into our social housing stock and a group of students who’ve got hands-on experience that’ll stay with them for life.
With B&FC staff and students, Bambers and BCH outside the former Mereside Library
This is exactly the kind of thing this government is backing. We recently announced plans to train up a new generation of construction workers to build 1.5 million homes. We’re putting our money where are mouth is – £600 million worth of investment to train up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers. This will deliver well paid jobs across the country in the construction sector as well as homes to transform communities by the end of this Parliament.
Blackpool needs more decent, affordable homes. But just as importantly, we need to build up our people. Give them skills, belief and a reason to stay and build their lives here.
That flat in Mereside will soon be a safe and comfortable home for someone on the housing register. But it’s also a symbol of what we can do when we back our communities and trust our young people to rise to the challenge.
This is a real example of what I mean by working together to build a better Blackpool.
