Bingo! What a conversation.
Photos and blog by Linzi Cason – Community Lead and Co-Facilitator on The Roots Community Conversation: Blackpool
The community conversation was just over two weeks ago and I am still thinking about some of the conversations being had. It felt good to talk with other ‘sandgrown-uns’ about our town and a vision for what it could be. When asked about what we would most definitely keep it was clear that the Parks, Tower and of course Notarianni’s were top of the list. But we also discussed about how strong a community we have here in Blackpool. Comments like ‘we can talk about the bad parts of our town but when someone else does you feel offended and jump to defend it’. We are protective of the town and rightly so, there is so much on offer to locals and visitors.
As the illustrative notes are drawn up from the conversation, Blackpool is once again in the news. First with the Office for National Statistics with its yearly statistics stating we have the lowest life expectancy in both men and women. This then followed by the headline ‘The Prom is Dead’ with claims the weather has meant traders have had the worst year yet. It is hard, as a local, to read and understand fully what these mean. On one hand you consider that your own life might end before others across the country simply because you live here. On the other hand I personally feel for those traders suffering on the prom (as the granddaughter of a rock stall trader). But honestly these only cross my mind as I read about them because with the Rebellion weekend just passing you only see the town filled with people enjoying themselves.
However, what does stay with me, is how people from outside of the town feel when they read these headlines. Does it put them off coming here? And that is where I feel (and others on the call) feel the town needs to be defended. Blackpool has a sense of magic, that is why people return here over and over for holidays and some to stay. As I mentioned on the call, my own work has led me to support those who have returned here from childhood holidays to find all that is gold does not glitter. But that is ok, we know as a town what our problems are – all towns have them – but it is what we do next that really matters.
Although the Roots conversation is over, there are still actions to be taken: residents on the call were keen to start a regular, informal conversation that feeds back monthly/bimonthly to our elected officials – Roots and other friendly organisations working in this field are developing some advisory guidelines to help ensure that the conversational participants remain equal around the table and that no single person gets lumbered arranging them – all ideas on this are welcomed and other places where conversations have been held are looking hopefully at creating something similar too, for residents and by residents.
Finally, it was mentioned that we need to take a trip to Pat’s Bingo and I think that might be a good start to what a regular conversation could look like. So who is going to join me?
For more information or to add your ideas to the conversational melting pot, or to plan that trip to Pat’s contact clare@rootsprogramme.org
