environment Archives - Blackpool Social Club

21 Apr

Nanas join Extinction Rebellion’s Big One

Antonia Charlesworth0 CommentsEnvironment and Nature, Local Newsclimate change, environment, extinction rebellion, protest

You might not get many nanas on Blackpool’s Big One but today a group of Blackpool nanas are heading down to join the Big One in London. The Big One is is a four-day mass action by environmental groups calling for climate justice. Organised by protest movement Extinction Rebellion, over 30,000 people have committed to gathering in Westminster, representing campaign groups from across the country including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Blackpool’s own Nanas Against Fracking. “Nanas stand in solidarity with the aims of Extinction Rebellion. We do it in a different way but we share those aims and…

07 Sep

Blackpool’s Stanley Park is an English National Treasure

David Simper0 CommentsEnvironment and Nature, Local NewsBlackpool, climate change, england's favourite park, environment, favourite park, greenspace, park, Stanley Park

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] It is official: our Stanley Park is England's favourite park 2022, and a third time win makes it a national treasure. Blackpool haters take heed. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] My previous articles prove that I am a lover of Stanley Park, being taken to it by my dad before I even lived in Blackpool. I never get tired of strolling round it, photographing it and latterly sketching and painting it. Innovations such as the BMX track and the new skatepark, show that the Victorian park can move with the times and retain its integrity. Despite the strains on council budgets, the…

15 Jul

A Tiny Forest has sprung up in Mereside

David Simper0 CommentsEnvironment and NatureBlackpool, children, environment, mereside estate blackpool, re-forestation, tiny forest, tree planting, trees, urban forestry, woodland

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] A tiny forest of 600 new trees has been planted in Mereside as part of an initiative in partnership with the environmental charity, Earthwatch Europe, which works to connect people to the natural world and the OVO Foundation, the charitable arm of OVO Energy. Earthwatch, Blackpool Council volunteers and pupils from Mereside Primary Academy all joined forces to plant a new woodland for the future. A tiny forest, tennis court sized, will in the course of time provide a nature-rich habitat area benefiting Blackpool’s urban wildlife. The team planted the trees in Bowness Avenue, creating a dense fast-growing native…

17 Nov

State of the art building to bring 3,000 civil servants to Blackpool town centre

David Simper0 CommentsLocal NewsBlackpool, building, built environment, bus, civil service, climate emergency, cycling, energy efficiency, environment, Fylde Coast, job creation, jobs, public realm, regeneration, sustainable building design, sustainable development, sustainable transport, talbot gateway, trains, trams

Sited on King Street in Blackpool Town centre, a new £100m state of the art building will soon take shape to accommodate 3,000 civil servants from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). This will make a major and welcome beneficial change to the Blackpool skyline. As part of a strategic plan to centralise civil service jobs in the heart of Blackpool, workers from the Warbreck House and Ryscar House complexes will occupy the building when it opens in the autumn of 2024. This will provide a welcome boost to and diversify the town centre economy and will be a…

30 Oct

Life on the Wild Edges

Buzz Bury0 CommentsEnvironment and Nature, Sports & Wellbeingenvironment, Green Space, nature

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] You may remember back in February this year I caught up with Julie Norman to find out more about her developments and progress with using natural elements, colours and dyes for her inspiration in her work and art. This time I am back to find out more about Julie’s work and more specifically the Exploring the Wild Edges project. I first asked her what is the “Exploring the Wild Edges” Project and how it came about? Open green spaces and a chance to connect with the natural world became an essential part of life for most people over the…

01 Aug

Blackpool nature writers showcased this Wednesday

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsEnvironment and Nature, Literature & Spoken Wordauthor, book, books, environment, literature, nature, writers, writing

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Litfest’s New Writing Northwest has given emerging talent the opportunity to work with established writers over the spring and summer. There were four strands including Poetry, Fiction and Translation. The final one, Nature & Environment Writing, comes to a conclusion with a free reading this Wednesday featuring two authors with a Blackpool connection. Michelle Allwood was born in the resort, before moving to London. After working for the BBC, she is now at the BFI. She is dyslexic and neuro-diverse, and holds a BA and MA in Literature & Creative Writing. She is currently planning a PhD, focussing on…

06 Jul

New Normal Nature: Butterfly Bounty

Stephen Dunstan0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Environment and Nature, Heritagebutterflies, environment, heritage, nature

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] As we reach the height of Summer, sunny weather will see many butterflies on the wing - even in a dense urban area like Blackpool. They are a very accessible form of nature – some are very distinctive and recogniseable, you don’t need to get up early or stay out late to see them and with a modest amount of effort you can attract them to you. You also don’t need special equipment as most species are quite approachable. There are several ways to summarise the likely suspects you would see locally, I am going to tackle it by…

30 May

New Normal Nature: Dolphin Delights

Stephen Dunstan0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Environment and Naturebeach, dolphin, environment, nature, porpoise, seal

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] As we leave lockdown behind this follow-up series to Lockdown Nature will consider how we can continue to appreciate the nature around us. Perhaps you have resolved to stay local more going forward, perhaps you are just more attuned to nature from time on your hands whilst furloughed. We are starting with the sea mammals of Blackpool – seals, porpoises and dolphins. We are on the cusp of the peak season for cetacean (whale and dolphin) sightings in the seas off the Fylde, for two reasons. Firstly quite simply the species that occur all year round, Grey Seals and…

24 Apr

Pollution Patrol

Stephen Dunstan0 CommentsEnvironment and Nature, Local Newsbeach, Beach clean, environment

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] As we gradually return to normal, and hopefully a bumper summer for visitors to the Fylde coast, it’s easy to assume that beach and seawater quality is someone else’s concern. The Beach Patrol team, Street Cleansing, the RNLI, Coastwatch – all people who would notice such things wouldn’t they? Well if you are a regular beach user you might be first to pick up on an issue, and LOVEmyBEACH is asking for your help in identifying and reporting signs of coastal pollution. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Concerted efforts by volunteer beach cleaners have helped ensure Blackpool and other north west beaches are…

02 Apr

Lockdown Nature – Eyes To The Skies

Stephen Dunstan0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Environment and Nature, Heritageenvironment, heritage, nature

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] For the latest in his Nature In Lockdown series Stephen Dunstan looks at visible bird migration along our coastline. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It’s often said that shared interests help keep the spark in relationships. Jane and I have never really managed mutual pastimes, but of late we’ve got half way there. Before work, and before the lockdown crowds increase, we’ve been going to Rossall Beach. Jane combs the pebbled beach looking for sea glass, with much success, and I traverse the slightly elevated Promenade looking for birds on or over the sea or in the grounds of the neighbouring private school.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Today we…