Columns & Opinion Archives - Page 4 of 12

06 May

The Vocal Local: ID cards and boundary changes – views from a polling station

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsColumns & OpinionBlackpool Council elections, blackpool local election, local election

Dan Moore gets vocal about his time running a polling station in Blackpool Thursday was just a regular day for most people. For me, it started at 5am and ended at 11pm as I ran a polling station in Blackpool for the local elections. In a world of astonishing technology and mind-blowing artificial intelligence, there's nothing quite like writing on a good old piece of paper to exercise democracy at an unusual community landmark. My full-time job is communications and engagement for the NHS working to make improvements to our local hospitals – a role in which I am often encouraged to…

22 Apr

The Vocal Local: Let’s not skirt the problem of sexist school uniform

Antonia Charlesworth0 CommentsColumns & Opinionschool skirts, school uniform, sexism

In 2023 I don’t need to talk about the multitude of reasons why girls should be allowed to wear trousers at school, do I? We all know by now that gendered uniform policies reinforce harmful stereotypes that affect future career choices. We’re well aware that they entrench the idea girls and boys are inherently different. It’s clear to us all that they have the potential to maximise conscious and unconscious bias in teachers, encourage gender-based attitudes among children, and normalise modesty as a value system to police girls’ bodies and behaviour. These were the findings of a 2021 government-commissioned report,…

15 Apr

The Vocal Local: For the love of gulls

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsColumns & OpinionBlackpool, conservation, seagulls

Police are investigating after a man was pictured cruelly pulling a seagull with a lead in Blackpool this week. Elizabeth Gomm says the maligned birds are friends, not pets, and asks you to throw them a bone Three years ago, in the earliest days of the first Covid 19 lockdown, I forged a new friendship. Victor came into my life at precisely the time we were being told to restrict the time we spent away from home and to avoid social contact. All this time later, he's a firm friend and I enjoy the pleasure of his company for a…

08 Apr

The Vocal Local: Scott Benton’s Tory sleaze is not welcome here

Blackpool Social Club2 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Local News

We get vocal following the suspension of Blackpool South’s MP In 2019, Yorkshire-born Scott Benton found himself elected to parliament as Blackpool South’s newest MP. The shock displacement of Labour’s long-standing representative Gordon Marsden certainly made the event a memorable one, but who could have anticipated what was to come? In the years that followed, the not-so-honourable member has painted a clear picture of his values, his politics and the vision he has for our town. And now, in a fall from grace worthy of Benton’s very own muse, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, enough is surely enough. The lobbying…

05 Dec

The Vocal Local: Dapper Man

Brendan Bunting0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Local News

The Blackpool Illuminations, or ‘The Lights’ as they are known affectionately by locals, have long needed investment. With over six miles of glorious creative light displays, the illuminations still attract millions per year, to chug along in queues of traffic whilst admiring one of the biggest free art exhibitions on the planet. Yes, I said it, art exhibition, because The Lights are often overlooked as art, a hint of snobbery can get in the way of appreciating the true innovation of the illuminations (especially for arts organisations that missed out on Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation, or NPO, status and…

04 Nov

The Vocal Local: Dapper Man

Brendan Bunting0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Music & Gigs

In the second instalment of a new series of columns exploring creativity and politics, Brendan Bunting, aka Dapper Artist, points out that art is a luxury that fewer people can afford during an economic crisis As the dark nights set in, we are all too aware of the cost-of-living crisis as we plan how we can cut our own energy consumption at home. The impact on the arts is something we might not readily appreciate or acknowledge. But the current crisis is something that could reduce the cultural opportunities on offer to us. Recently it has been announced that sadly…

06 Oct

Reclaim our story

Antonia Charlesworth0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Local News

Women in Blackpool have been sharing their experiences of street harassment as part of the movement showing the threats they face in public spaces. Antonia Charlesworth Stack shares the story so far Last week a woman in her thirties, who chose to be identified only as LG, generously shared a story from when she was 11 year old. It had such an impact that it’s stayed with her for nearly three decades. LG described those first steps of freedom taken in summer 1995, when she and her friend enjoyed playing tennis at Stanley Park. But a frightening experience with a…

04 Oct

The Vocal Local: Dapper Man

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsColumns & Opinion

In the first of a new series of columns exploring creativity and politics, Brendan Bunting, aka Dapper Artist, writes about the divisive issue of public art Public art is there for us all to enjoy, but from the initial proposal of an idea to creating the art, right through to its installation, there can be many strong opinions. Recently, though, it has evolved from not only the artwork causing the controversy, but the actual space for the art causing a stir. In London last month Antelope by Samson Kambalu was unveiled as the latest sculpture to be commissioned and placed on…

16 Feb

SLAG Night Out: female skaters raise money for Women’s Aid

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Music & Gigs, Sports & WellbeingBlackpool, skateboarding

They were called ramp tramps and skatepark slags and their interest in skateboarding was misconstrued as interest in male skaters. Lucy Lavery explains how reclaiming the derogatory language that surrounds their hobby has empowered her and a collective of women in Blackpool to proudly skate like a girl – and why they want to empower other women too. Photos: Lauren Quarmby Over the past few years, the skate scene has experienced a huge uptake among women, non-binary and queer people. Consequently, a talent surfaced that I find endlessly inspiring. There have been so many powerful communities created, among oppressed individuals,…

31 Oct

BSC Halloween: a grisly tale from Layton Cemetery

Stephanie Cottle0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, HeritageBlackpool, heritage, history, local history, photography, Place

Content warning - this article contains graphic details relating to murder & suicide. Image credit - Stephanie Cottle Halloween 2021 is upon us. I know, you’re probably thinking, how on earth is it the end of October already? It really is scary how fast the months have gone by. For the past 18 months the earth has played host to a new spectre. One that shrouded our globe with a veil of uncertainty and chaos. There is however, no shadow without light. Throughout the pandemic we have seen enormous acts of selflessness. Latest government reports state that 47% of…