£200,000 community centre upgrade supporting deprived area

Residents in one of Blackpool’s most deprived neighbourhoods are now enjoying state-of-the-art facilities after the completion of a £200,000 upgrade of their community centre.

Work to refurbish Claremont Park Community Centre means a range of services is now being offered including education, cost of living advice and children’s play sessions.

Investment in a new kitchen and laundry area also means people can visit the hub to get their washing done or learn to cook healthy meals – valuable skills for those struggling to make ends meet.

The centre was converted from a library in 2004, and the latest improvements have been funded by the council, with some of the original features of the building such as cornicing and windows preserved.

Laura White, one of the trustees of the Claremont Park Community Centre, said: “We have created a modern kitchen in what was the old library entrance and soon we will be holding cooking sessions to help local people manage their cost of living by teaching things like batch cooking.

“We have also put in washing machines and dryers, which are free to use if people bring their own detergent, or just £1. It’s proving really important in an area like Claremont where people may struggle with the cost of electricity and a lot of the homes here have nowhere where people can dry their clothes.”

The centre on Claremont Road, North Shore, has had very little investment in the years since it was created from the former library so work has also included roof repairs, new floors, a heating system and new boiler.

Two large activity rooms have been created which host social events including a Chatty Cafe held on Tuesday mornings, Chatty Play for young families, karate, a spiritualist group, adult courses run by Blackpool and the Fylde College and art sessions provided by LeftCoast.

The centre is also the base for annual events such as the Claremont Gala and Christmas Tree Switch-On.

Meanwhile, the Garden Room opens out into a community garden, where volunteers have been busy planting flowers and there are plans to develop an orchard.

Laura says more activities are planned and is calling on members of the community to come forward with what they would like to see.

She said: “We have had some really great feedback and have some great groups established and running now. But there is scope for much more and we want local people to tell us what they need.

“It’s a beautiful building and is a great area for Claremont. There is no other open-access community space available for people living here, especially for those who don’t drive.

“Our challenges are around funding, and we also hope to take on more volunteers. But it is great to have this facility and our aim is to have it used seven days a week.”