We want to hear from you - get a share of £100,000 Pride of Place funding for Blackpool projects 'that matter'

Two of Blackpool’s most deprived areas have been given a £100,000 fund that will be split into grants for the whole community.

The Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board has agreed a Community Voices Fund and approved an expansion of the Pride in Place boundary area at its second board meeting.

The fund, that is now open, will provide grants of between £250 and £10,000 to residents, schools, charities, sports clubs and community organisations in Layton and Grange Park.

Every project funded will also help gather the views, experiences and ideas of local people to shape Pride in Place’s £20m investment plan.

Opening the meeting, Chair Sarah Lindsay reminded members that Pride in Place is about putting local people at the centre of decisions.

She said: "This £20 million belongs to the community. It doesn't belong to any one organisation or any one person. We all have a responsibility to work towards the same vision for Layton and Grange Park and make sure local people are at the heart of every decision we take.

"So far we've only heard directly from a small proportion of local residents through our surveys and engagement events. We still need to hear from thousands more people to find out how this money should be spent."

Grants of between £250 and £10,000 are available for projects that bring people together, improve neighbourhoods and support local wellbeing.

Residents, schools, charities, faith groups, sports clubs, community organisations and voluntary groups can all apply.

Projects can include community events, youth activities, environmental improvements, arts and culture, community gardens, food initiatives and resident-led ideas.

As part of each project, successful applicants will be asked to speak with local people about what they value in their neighbourhood, the challenges they face and their priorities for future investment.

The feedback gathered through the fund will help ensure the next phase of Pride in Place is shaped by the people who know these communities best.

Sarah added: "The Community Voices Fund is about trusting local organisations, schools, sports clubs and community groups that already have those relationships with these communities.

“We want them to start conversations, hear what people think about where they live and help shape the future of these neighbourhoods.

“At the same time, we want to support projects that make a real difference now. People want to see action alongside engagement."

What they talked about

During the discussion, Grange Park resident Lorraine Bambrook spoke about the work of FC Rangers, which supports around 500 young people and their families.

She described the challenges the club faces after taking on a new clubhouse and spoke about the stigma that still exists around living on a council estate.

Board members discussed how the Community Voices Fund will support organisations like FC Rangers to engage hundreds of local families while helping them continue delivering valued community activity.

They highlighted areas including the neighbourhood around St Mary's, the homes behind Kingscote Park, the Scout Hut on St Walburgas Road, Layton Library, St Mark's Church and the social housing on the edge of Grange Park for inclusion.

Alongside the rollout of the Community Voices Fund, they discussed the next phase of engagement which will include large maps displayed at community venues across Layton and Grange Park. Residents will be invited to place markers on locations where they feel proud, where they see opportunities for improvement and where they do not feel safe. The same exercise will also be available online.

The meeting, held at Layton Methodist Church on 19 June, also saw the appointment of Community Development Manager @theGrange Mike Coole as Vice Chair for Community and Luke Hollowell as Vice Chair for Youth. Luke, who lives in Layton, is also a Youth Ambassador for Youth Employment UK.

MP’s thoughts

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb welcomed the proposal.

He said: "Sarah has brought forward a really practical idea. It helps community organisations deliver projects that matter to local people, while giving residents a genuine opportunity to influence how this investment is spent over the next four years.

"We know the best ideas come from the people who live and work here. This fund is about backing those ideas and making sure future investment is based on what residents tell us, not assumptions made somewhere else."

The board also unanimously agreed to extend the Pride in Place boundary following a discussion about the existing boundary, which was originally based on government statistics rather than the way local communities are connected today. Board members agreed the boundary should better reflect where people live, go to school, use community facilities and access local services.