A group of students at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) are helping to inspire local schoolchildren in the run up to Preston Guild 2012 celebrations.

The third year architecture students are sharing their knowledge and creativity with a new generation of designers in a series of workshops designed to enthuse them about their city.

Youngsters from five secondary schools across the city are exploring how the history, heritage and traditions of Preston have influenced the architecture and design of the city.

Pupils from Priory Sports and Technology College, Ashton Community Science College Moor Park Business and Enterprise School, Fulwood Academy and Penwortham Girls High School are taking part in four workshops between January and March.

 
The project is an innovative new partnership approach to inspire young people about architecture and heritage led by UCLan and PLACED, an organisation that teaches young people about architecture and the built environment.

The budding designers will spend time working with the UCLan students to explore key spaces in Preston city centre, through creative, hands on workshops.

After learning about the design and heritage of their city, pupils will develop a new vision for Preston 2032, when the next Preston Guild celebrations will be held. Their work, which will go on display later in the year, will include photography, model making and art work that will communicate the pupils’ vision for the future.

Jo Harrop, of PLACED, said: “We are very excited about working with the young residents of Preston on this project. Young people are very creative. As potential residents of Preston in 2032 it is important that we listen to their ideas about what would make Preston a better place to live and work in the future.

“These workshops, led by enthusiastic university students, also give pupils an opportunity to learn new skills and hear about routes into careers. It may even inspire some of them to become designers.”

 
The first workshop has already taken place and it saw 20 pupils from Priory Sports and Technology College exploring key spaces in Preston city centre, considering how different groups of people use spaces differently. Other projects included using photography to explore the heritage and architecture of Preston Docks, the development of a new masterplan in consultation with the school and local community and the design of a series of pavilions that celebrate the development of Preston through the last 100 years.

Simon Kay-Jones, Lecturer in Architecture/Architectural Technology at UCLan, said: “Over the coming year UCLan’s architectural students and staff are looking forward to working with local schools here in Preston, capturing their thoughts and ideas.

“Developing the skills and confidence of students and pupils, UCLan Architecture is keen to establish long term partnerships that imbed our course within real world current issues, encourage dialogue and understanding, while debating the role of architecture within Preston.”

The project has been made possible by the generous support of UCLan, the Heritage Lottery funding and the commitment of the five participating schools.

Superfast broadband is already available (or plans are in place to provide it) to approximately two-thirds of Lancashire. BT’s appointment as Lancashire County Council’s delivery partner deals with the remaining third.

The roll-out will see public sector investment of £32 million, which will be spent on bringing superfast broadband to those parts of Lancashire (approximately one third) where there are no providers of superfast broadband and no commercial plans to deploy superfast broadband.

The scheme will be delivered by 221 Lancashire jobs, create 25 new jobs as well as establishing 20 new apprenticeships.

An early priority will be to provide superfast broadband to Lancashire’s enterprise zones.

Following an exhaustive procurement process, BT Group Plc has been selected to work with LCC to roll out the superfast broadband across the county – including Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool.

Public sector funding for the scheme is expected to come from:

• £10.8m from Broadband Delivery UK
• £16.5m from the European Regional Development Fund
• £4.7m from Lancashire County Council

As part of the roll-out, a £3m fund will be established to help small and medium sized businesses get the best out of superfast broadband.

In addition, the County Council will set up a £500,000 community fund aimed at working with communities to get superfast broadband to those few remote properties not reached under the main scheme. At the very least these premises will receive access to 2Mbs. The rural area to the east of Lancaster has been designated as the first pilot for these ideas in Lancashire.

Further commercial funding will be provided by BT.

Geoff Driver, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: “We are determined to ensure that Lancashire continues to benefit from being at the forefront of this technology. Establishing this superfast broadband network will not only open up opportunities for businesses in Lancashire, it will revolutionise the way that people in the county, especially in rural or deprived areas, connect to the wider world.”

Edwin Booth, Chairman of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, said: “”Superfast broadband has a critical role to play in increasing productivity and innovation across all areas of the economy in Lancashire. We want a thriving economy here in Lancashire and this will help us to achieve it.

“In terms of providing the necessary infrastructure for business in the 21st century, creating this network could be as important as the construction of the canals and railways was to the Industrial Revolution.”

Super fast broadband will open up new opportunities for business and flexible home-based working will help new business start-ups in the county.

Young people aged from 16 to 21 who are interested in history, museums and meeting new people are being invited to get together to help shape the MoL’s future.

Stephen Miller, Lancashire County Council’s outreach officer at the MoL, said: “We know that many young people are keen to know more about their history and heritage, and that’s why we’re setting up a new forum where they can bring their energy, ideas and enthusiasm.

“The aim is for young people to enjoy a unique opportunity to gain new skills, get a real museum experience and have a lot of fun.

“The forum will meet once a month in the MoL on Stanley Street, Preston. It will explore a variety of different topics related to the museum. There will be hands-on sessions with museum objects, fascinating behind the scenes tours and some great opportunities to develop new projects.

“However, it’s really all about the young people themselves, so they will help decide how the forum is run, how it looks and what it does.”

The first meeting will take place from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday February 11. Future meetings will take place from 1pm to 3pm every second Saturday of the month.

For more information and to book a place, please phone Stephen Miller on 07557030533 or email stephen.miller@lancashire.gov.uk. Alternatively drop in to the MoL and speak to a member of staff.