Blackpool Aspirations Week: Monday 22nd May – Friday 26th May 2017

Over 150 volunteers have been visiting primary schools across Blackpool this week to help raise aspirations and broaden the horizons of children in the areas.

Below are a small selection of photographs. To see the rest please click here.

To get involved either as a school or volunteer just visit the Primary Futures website.

The reaction from the children has been amazing. One eight year old from Stanley Primary School said “what I loved about this day was that we got to explore different jobs that are in the world that we didn’t know about. This experience has allowed me to keep an open mind about my future job”.

It all started last year, with one Blackpool school, St Nicholas C of E Primary, hosting an event with volunteers. At the time the school only had access to the 45 volunteers registered on the free online matchmaking system,  Inspiring the Future. Thanks to the success of the event word has spread and there are now over 500 volunteers registered in the Blackpool area.

This week has seen a series of activities with volunteers from the world of work chatting to the children about their job, career route and the subjects they studied at school. Volunteers have represented a huge variety of industry sectors and many of the major employers from Blackpool Council, NHS and HMRC to Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Radio Wave, Lancashire Police, the Merchant Navy and many more.

Andy Mellor, Headteacher of St Nicholas C of E Primary believes that this is a project which has real impact on the lives of primary aged children. He said that “We want our children in Blackpool to aspire to be the best that they can be, to work hard and achieve their full potential. The partnership between schools and the business community in Blackpool and wider afield is seeing children inspired to achieve more and widens their horizons. The country is looking to Blackpool as a model for this work and the town should be proud of this work which is setting the pace nationally, and it is free to schools!”

Read the coverage from the Blackpool Gazette.

The schools who took part were:

  • Bispham Endowed C of E Primary School, Monday 22nd May
  • Hawes Side Academy, Tuesday 23rd May
  • Stanley Primary School Wednesday 24th May
  • St John Vianney Catholic Primary, Thursday 24th May
  • Anchorsholme Academy, Friday 25th May 

Special thanks go to 5 people who took part every day – Jane Croft, Effie Sharpe, Kath Corrigan and Nigel Whitaker, and to those who traveled from London to take part in Blackpool Aspirations week including Lord Lucas, Editor of the Good Schools Guide,  Kim Johnson, Anne Lyons, Russell Hobby and Charles Horesey. The volunteers who took part included:

Bispham Endowed C of E Primary – Monday 22nd May
Andy Mitchell Presenter Radio Wave
Anna Marchwacka Finance Assistant Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services Ltd
Caitlin Davis Student Blackpool Sixth Form College
Carol Wylde Nurse Brian House Children’s Hospice
Charles Horsey Transport for London
Derek Longstaff Appeals Mandatory Reconsideration Officer Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
Effie Sharp Senior Primary Education Consultant Randstad Education
Inspector James Martin Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Lancashire Police
Jackie Bullock Database Administrator Trinity Hospice
Jane Crosland Policy analyst/Olympic torch bearer Civil Service
Jeanette Atherton Curriculum Leader – Computing Blackpool and the Flyde College
John Stirzaker ZXDigital Recording company
Kath Corrigan Tech project manager/acupuncturist Children, health and pension services / DWP
Kelly Crompton-Roberts Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
Kim Johnson Immediate Past President NAHT
Lauren Codling Community Fundraiser (Inspirational Speaker) Blue Skies Hospital Fund
Lord Lucas Editor The Good Schools Guide
Maria Smale Business Manager McDonalds
Michelle Rouine Recruitment Team Manager Training 2000
Monika Balcerak Student Blackpool Sixth Form College
Nick Harper Consultant Anesthetist NHS – Blackpool Victoria Hospital
Nigel Whitaker National Secretary/ambassador Merchant Navy
PC Claire Van Deurs Goss Immediate Response Officer Lancashire Police
Peter Ashworth Chief Executive Cidari Multi Academy Trust
Rachel Younger School Business Manager St Nicholas Primary School
Shirley Morgan Press and communications manager Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services Ltd
Dr Stuart Ainsworth Biological Scientist Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Sue Hirst Head of Fast track Civil Service
Suzanne King Defence business improvement Ministry of Defence
Prof. Ted Smith Research Engineer University of Central Lancashire
Victoria Auld Pilot British Antarctic Survey
 Hawes Side Academy – Tuesday 23rd May
Anne Lyons National President NAHT     
Andrew Davies Media Specialist and Practitioner Blackpool and the Flyde College
Brett Blackburn Ministry of Defence / comms Civil Service
David McIntyre Prospective PGCE Chemistry Student University of Central Lancashire
Dr John Welshman Senior Lecturer Lancaster University
Effie Sharp Senior Primary Education Consultant Randstad Education
Emma Padgett Community Fundraiser Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services Ltd
Hayley Topselvi Education Coordinator Chamber of Commerce
Jane Crosland Policy analyst/Olympic torch bearer Civil Service
Julia Brown Work Coach Department for work and pensions, Jobcentre Plus
Julie Birkett Land Registry Executive Civil Service
Kath Corrigan Tech Project Manager/Acupuncturist Children, health and pension services / DWP
Lauren Codling Community Fundraiser (Inspirational Speaker) Blue Skies Hospital Fund
Leanne Marie Docherty Business Develop Manager/ Director Vllancs/ LM Training
Michelle Rouine Recruitment Team Manager Training 2000
Mike Taplin Senior Manager Blackpool Council
Nigel Whitaker National Secretary/Ambassador Merchant Navy
PC Ian Ashton Community Cohesion Uniformed Police Officer Lancashire Police
Reene Hilton Community Cohesion and Special Constable Lancashire Police
Dr Stuart Ainsworth Biological Scientist Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Stanley Primary – Wednesday 24th May
Adam Plummer Curriculum Manager in Engineering Blackpool and the Flyde College
Andy Fairbrother Director Business Operations Associated Training Solutions Ltd
Andy Sykes Deputy Editor Blackpool Gazette
Effie Sharp Senior Primary Education Consultant Randstad Education
Elizabeth Fecitt Service Improvement and Implementation Analyst The Royal Bank of Scotland
Emma Love HEO DWP
Emma Padgett Community Fundraiser Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services Ltd
Hollie Woodard Project Manager – Rail VolkerRail Ltd
Jane Crosland Policy analyst/Olympic torch bearer Civil Service
Jeannie Schofield Photographer
Jen Fisher Special Constabulary and Volunteer Co-ordinator Lancashire Constabulary
John Westhead Head of Operations and Learning Training 2000
Karen Lambert Marketing and Branding Director Happy Creative
Kath Corrigan Tech Project Manager/Acupuncturist Children, health and pension services / DWP
Lauren Codling Community Fundraiser (Inspirational Speaker) Blue Skies Hospital Fund
Marj Bullen-McCandless IT Supplier Performance Manager DWP Digital
Michelle Rouine Recruitment Team Manager Training 2000
Michelle Stevenson Executive Director (Legal), Solicitor Progress Housing Group Limited
Nigel Whitaker National Secretary/Ambassador Merchant Navy
Paul Dewhurst Chief Information Officer Blackpool and the Flyde College
Sarah Riley Poverty & Partnerships Coordinator Great Places Housing Association
Sharon McDonald Lawyer Napthens
Shirley Morgan Press and Communications Manager Trinity and Brian House
Simon Brooke Marketing and Branding Director Happy Creative
Simon Page Pastor
Thomas Cassidy Foundations Year One Doctor York Hospital Trust
Zahoor Ahmed AO HMRC -TCO
 
St John Vianney Catholic Primary – Thursday 25th May
Andrew Cook Regional Director North West Ofsted
Andrew Evason Waste Management and Compliance Environment Agency
Andy Fairbrother Director Business Operations Associated Training Solutions Ltd
Andy Iredale Director of Customer Engagement Blackpool and the Flyde College
Effie Sharp Senior Primary Education Consultant Randstad Education
Helen Walbey Policy Chair for Health and Diversity  Federation of Small Businesses
Jane Crosland Policy Analyst/Olympic torch bearer Civil Service
Jonathan Barnes Relationship Director Santander
Julie Birkett Land Registry Executive Civil Service
Kath Corrigan Tech Project Manager/Acupuncturist Children, health and pension services / DWP
Katie Donnelli-Hun Student Blackpool Sixth Form College
Lauren Codling Community Fundraiser (Inspirational Speaker) Blue Skies Hospital Fund
Michelle Rouine Recruitment Team Manager Training 2000
Nigel Whitaker National Secretary/Ambassador Merchant Navy
PC Claire Van Deurs Goss Immediate Response Officer Lancashire Police
Police Sgt Darrell Shuck Uniformed Community Cohesion Sgt Lancashire Police
Russell Hobby General Secretary NAHT     
Salim Jogi Administration Officer Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
Sharon McDonald Lawyer Napthens
Sarah Cutts Freelance Translator
Suzanne Hall Renewal and Digital Strategy Team Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
     
Anchorsholme Academy – Friday 26th May    
Callum Graham Ex pupil/ Sixth form student
Carlos Pascual Vet Andrew Mellor Vets
Charles Peill Nursing Department Blackpool Victoria Hospital
Darcey Hughes Student (ex pupil) Blackpool Sixth Form College
Effie Sharp Senior Primary Education Consultant Randstad Education
Hannah Dell’Armi Production Director and Studio Manager Little Lovebird Paperie & Every1
Harriet Simpson Speech and Language Therapist The Language Tree
Ian Clare Photographer
Jane Crosland Policy analyst/Olympic torch bearer Civil Service
Jenny Wright Senior Credit Partner Santander Corporate Bank
Jordan Kehoe Restaurant Manager Blackpool and the Flyde College
Joseph Spencer Architect Firth Architects
Kath Corrigan Tech project manager/acupuncturist Children, health and pension services / DWP
Liane Hickson Staff Nurse Trinity Hospice
Lorna Bolton Community Beat Manager Lancashire Police
Lynnsey Burn Pharmacist  Boots
Michelle Rouine Recruitment Team Manager Training 2000
Ndifreke Ekaette LPC Student University of Law
Nick Harrison Myerscough College
Nigel Whitaker National Secretary/Ambassador Merchant navy
Paul Fielding PR, Media and Communications Manager Blackpool & Flyde College
Paul Harter Blackpool Station Manager Network Rail
Paula Claytonsmith Director Strategy & Performance Gaist Solutions Ltd
PC Guy Harrison Uniformed Community Beat Manager Lancashire Police
PCSO Hannah Fryer Uniformed PCSO for Neighbourhood Policing Lancashire Police
Steve Richards  AO Operations Director AO.com
Tess Page Principal Mercer