Skelmersdale’s Fairhaven Park revamp set to create new opportunities for local young people
West Lancashire Borough Council’s Tawd Valley Developments (TVD) is joining forces with Whitfield and Brown, John McCall Architects and national social enterprise Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) to deliver a major uplift to Fairhaven Park in Skelmersdale, for residents and families to enjoy.
This project, taking place on the site adjacent to a new housing development by TVD, Whitfield & Brown and John McCall Architects, will see improvements to the public space including refurbishing the underpass with lighting and a vibrant mural by local artist Gary Pate.
New furniture will also be installed as well as improvements to the playpark, new trees and planting to make the space much brighter and more welcoming. Other local businesses have also given up their free time to clean, prepare, paint, and provide and transport materials.
VIY is a national social enterprise boosting local community spaces whilst providing free hands-on work experience opportunities for local young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), or at risk of becoming so.
Around 20 local young people will take part in the project and will be mentored by VIY’s Trade Mentors while gaining an Entry Level 3 City & Guilds accreditation in a construction skill like Carpentry. Local adult residents are also being called upon to volunteer on the project.
VIY are also working on two other community projects with West Lancashire Borough Council, funded by the government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The first was completed in April and saw the long-awaited redecoration of Bickerstaffe FC. The second will help Liverpool Road Hall Community Centre in Skelmersdale to build a community garden to serve local people, as well as redecorating their hub, all whilst providing valuable work experience to young people to learn hands-on construction skills.
Nicola-Pryce Roberts, lead member for Housing at West Lancs Borough Council is delighted about the initiative: “Building new houses for our residents is just part of the story - we also want to enhance the wider environment in positive ways where we can, encompassing spaces within our developments that bring tangible benefits to both new residents and those from the existing community.
“Being able to provide these enhancements, while also getting young people involved while they learn about a trade is incredible and I want to personally thank our partners and the community for working so hard to make this amazing initiative happen.
Mark Kitts, Managing Director of TVD, added: “We are delighted to be driving this initiative forward alongside the Council, VIY, Whitfield & Brown and John McCall Architects, our housebuilding team and of course local volunteers.
“Wherever we can, we seek to add some value to the community in which we build and we saw Fairhaven Park as a great opportunity to do just that. “
Danny Hawkins, Project Manager, North West at VIY, said: “This partnership is what our approach at VIY is all about - a cross-sector partnership model which brings together the public, private and third sector to help bring positive impact to the lives of young people and local communities. We’re proud to be boosting communities across West Lancashire.”
If you know or work with young people aged 16+, those not in employment, education or training, or at risk of disengagement, who would benefit from these free work experience opportunities in future VIY projects in West Lancashire, please contact the team at outreach@teamviy.com.
