Take action
Inspired by the stories that Speak Up Preston’s new team of community journalists have been uncovering, the East Preston Challenge is an exciting opportunity for people and organisations to come together to find and deliver local solutions to local issues.
Eleven projects get going
We’ve just finished a series of “Autumn of Action” events across East Preston, where local people have been coming up with ideas for local projects that could make Deepdale, St Matthew’s and Ribbleton places to be proud of. There are eleven projects in the pipeline:
- Setting up a new Community Cafe in Deepdale
- Exploring a new Community Centre in St Matthew’s
- A Community House to provide activities in Ribbleton
- Engaging people in Gardening in Deepdale
- Solving litter problems and cleaning up back alleys in St Matthew’s
- Engaging people in local history and running local walks in Ribbleton
- Making better use of parks and green spaces in St Matthew’s
- Sprucing up shop fronts in Ribbleton
- Getting to grips with traffic problems in St Matthew’s
- Developing new and better youth activities in Deepdale
- Starting a new youth-led newspaper in Ribbleton
The next stage is for each of the potential projects to do some more detailed planning – this will start from around 21st October, with each project meeting regularly to prepare a final “pitch” for the East Preston Challenge before mid-November. We’ll then support the best projects with cash prizes and practical help to make things happpen.
We need you!
If you’ve got time to help out one (or more) of the proposed projects, then we’d love to hear from you – even if you’ve not been involved before now. You can come along to any of the project planning sessions below – bring your ideas, and help to develop the projects that you’d like to see happen:
Everyone’s welcome – all ages, all walks of life – we want as many different people as possible to take part. You can take part by yourself, with friends or family, or on behalf of a group or orgainsation that you’re part of.
All sessions last approx two hours and take place at Preston FM, Arts & Media Centre, Fox Street, Preston PR1 2AB (right in the city centre, just down the road from KFC).
Help is available to support childcare or transport costs – just give us a call on 01772 880791 for details.
More information
- For more information on each of the projects’ ideas so far, download the reports from our Autumn of Action events in Deepdale, St Matthew’s or Ribbleton.
- Full details of the East Preston Challenge process are available in this downloadable guide.
- If you’ve got questions about the East Preston Challenge, or anything else we’re doing, then give us a call on 01772 880791 or e-mail speakup@preston.fm – we’ll do our best to help you out.