Demolition work gets under way
Demolition work gets under way in preparation for Recycling Lives: 10 January 2008
At the Recycling Lives site in Kent Street Preston demolition of the old Training Centre Building began just after Christmas in preparation for the construction of the new 31-bed living, training and working facility for homeless people in and around Preston. Supported by the Department for Communities & Local Government, the North West Development Agency, Preston City Council, Lancashire County Council and many others it is planned to have the new building open at Christmas this year, which will also help take pressure off the emergency winter accommodation places.
Representatives of the charity and its partners visited the site on Thursday 10 January to see the demolition work undertaken by Pete Marquis.
From right to left in the picture, those present were:
- Gordon Aitken, Quantity Surveyor
- Martin Wilson, MCK Partnership Architects
- Charles Jackson, Recycling Co UK Ld
- Steve Jackson, Recycling Co UK Ld & Recycling Lives
- Steve Broomhead, Chief Executive NWDA
- Andy Kirkham, MCK Partnership Architects
- Kath Derbyshire, Trustee of Emmaus Preston
- Simon Thorrington, Project Manager for Recycling Lives
It has taken over two years for the plans for Recycling Lives to come to fruition. Project Manager Simon Thorrington said: "We are delighted finally to have reached this phase of our exciting development and looking forward very much to the coming months when construction gets under way. We are really most grateful to all our partner agencies, many of whom are invited to attend today, without whose support, encouragement and in some cases funding the concept would not have got off the ground. Now we can look forward with great enthusiasm to helping some of the most marginalised members of society to refocus their lives and aim for fully independent and secure living."
The Recycling Lives concept was first proposed by local businessman Steve Jackson. "It is fantastic that we are finally getting going, and I want to thank everyone who has played a part, big or small, in the realisation of my ambition to provide one of the best facilities in the country for homeless people here in Preston. We are very ambitious for the concept and are already talking to other local authorities about establishing more in the region, but Preston will be the first, which has always been my dream!" said Mr Jackson.
Work on the construction will begin before the end of January and the contract has been awarded to RBL Construction a local highly respected firm.
Recycling Lives is a new charity for homeless people which will be opening its new facilities in Autumn 2008, offering en-suite accommodation for 31 residents, education and training facilities, and the opportunity to gain work experience in recycling waste and reducing landfill, before moving on. Funding under the DCLG Hostels Capital Improvement Programme was secured last year and supported by Secretary of State Hazel Blears.
The North West Development Agency is to provide capital funding for the project, enabling significant Government Investment from the Department for Communities & Local Government to achieve its crucial targets for the reduction of homelessness, and a real alternative to the "revolving door scenario", offering Training and Employment opportunities, which in turn will achieve the NWDA Economic, Development & Employment Objectives. Discussions are also under way with Lancashire County Developments Limited for further support.
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