A key milestone has been reached in a community project that Shelby is helping to lead. Fleetwood Learning Centre, which will provide adults with further education and employment skills, has been officially unveiled. The new classrooms are within The Hub, which is on the site of a former hospital in the Lancashire coastal town of Fleetwood.
Shelby has been undertaking an Employer’s Agent role on the hospital’s redevelopment into a community hub over the past two years. Shelby director Phil Taylor was born in Fleetwood and continues to live locally. He said: “Being a local lad, this project is especially close to my heart. I am relishing seeing the derelict Fleetwood Hospital being repurposed into a much-needed community hub. There is still a long way to go, but the unveiling of Fleetwood Learning Centre marks an important milestone within the building’s future.”
Registered charity Fleetwood Trust purchased the former hospital from the NHS in 2018 and is overseeing its transformation into The Hub. It also currently houses a foodbank and nationally accredited volunteer centre. Charley Wilkinson, CEO of Fleetwood Trust, said: “We are so excited to see the college open its doors to students at The Hub.
“The trust’s vision is to eventually have further amenities, including a café, garden, and multi-purpose studios, but we remain committed to listening to and responding to the needs of the local community throughout this project.”
Further and higher education provider Blackpool and the Fylde College is providing a range of courses at Fleetwood Learning Centre, including English, Maths, Computer Skills and ESOL (English as a second language). Mary Roberts, Curriculum Manager for Adult Skills, said “My team are thrilled to be part of the community project at the Hub by providing essential education to adults without them needing to travel. The team are experts in building confidence, even if students have not been in education for many years, to springboard them to further education and/or employment”.
The team who worked on Fleetwood Learning Centre also included Mason Gillibrand Architects, builders Clement Dickens and AC Electrical.
