In case you missed it: Five stories from Preston this week January 16 to 22

Preston’s (the best place to live and work in the North West) skyline

In a week where Preston’s coronavirus infection rate is no longer in England’s fastest rising places, we’ve had lots of news to bring you from Preston.

Prestonians have been encouraged to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, it was announced that the Harris is set to be used as a rapid Covid testing centre and Preston was announced (again) as the best place to live and work in the North West…but we already knew that.

Below are five of the stories you might have missed.

Prestonians over 80 years old may be invited to new Blackburn Cathedral vaccination hub

Reception area at the Blackburn vaccination centre. Pic: NHS Midlands and Lancashire

Blackburn Cathedral is to become a new NHS large-scale vaccination centre.

Thousands of people aged 80 and over are to be invited to book a coronavirus vaccination at the new site.

Those who are eligible, live within a 45 minute drive from the site who haven’t already been vaccinated by their local GP led vaccination services or hospital hub will receive letters from the NHS Covid-19 Vaccination
Booking Service telling them how to book their appointment.

Read the full story here.

Grimsargh Wetlands Trust receives £1,250 donation

Grimsargh Wetlands Trust has received a £1,250 donation from the SUEZ recycling and recovery UK ‘Giving Something Back at Christmas’ fund.

SUEZ staff from across the country were invited to nominate charities supporting those in need in their local communities and working to improve the environment.

The £1,250 donation awarded by SUEZ will go towards improving biodiversity and the local bird population at the reservoirs, as well as improving access for all visitors.

Read the full story here.

Enormous new education centre for Preston planned on the banks of the River Ribble

The Pioneer Education Centre will act as a visitor centre for the Phoenix Park leisure site and provide a space for young people to learn Pic: MCK Design Associates

A planning application has been submitted to create a huge new education centre as part of the Phoenix Park masterplan.

Plans, which were validated this week by the city council, also include a dry ski slope and an education centre for Pioneer Tec students.

There will also be student accommodation and a leisure facility, including new sports pitches, car parking and compound to be used in conjunction with existing training and leisure facilities on site.

The aim is also to make the development environmentally friendly by using renewable energy sources.

Read the full story here.

New videos explore the history of former Tulketh Hall site in Ashton-on-Ribble

Passionate campaigners are determined not to see the demise of much-loved former Star Youth Centre, Ashton, which had been put up for sale by Lancashire County Council.

The group Friends of Tulketh Hall were successful in appealing to the council to stop the sale.

The former youth centre is on the site of what was once Tulketh Hall.

Gary Cunliffe has created a pair of informative videos about the site which details why people are so opposed to the sale.

Click here to read more and to watch the informative videos.

Preston Community Network has been reinvigorated with new website and staff