Blackburn children's centre gets £1.1m revamp for new community hub
The upgraded centre will offer new youth services in Pringle Street
Blackburn's Audley and Queen’s Park Children’s Centre in Pringle Street is set for a significant transformation as its refurbishment nears completion.
The revamped community hub is scheduled to reopen this spring, thanks to £1.1 million funding secured by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council from the government’s Youth Investment Fund (YIF).
For the first time, young people will have access to a universal youth provision, including a gaming area and a STEM suite with a focus on cyber skills. The centre already hosts a nursery and adult learning facilities, but it will soon offer new life skills programmes, thanks to the addition of a teaching kitchen and a refurbished café area.
The IMO charity, which has operated in the Audley and Queen’s Park area for two decades, will manage the youth centre. The hub aims to provide outreach work that includes educational and mental health support, employability training, and focused assistance for young people who are not in education, employment, or training. There will also be support services for parents and guardians.
This refurbishment is part of a wider £10 million investment in youth facilities across the borough, which includes the expansion of Darwen Youth Centre and Blackburn Youth Zone, among other developments.
Cllr Julie Gunn, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s children’s services chief, emphasised the project's impact, stating that the collaboration with IMO promises significant benefits for the community.
Mohammed Tayyab Sidat, chief executive of IMO, highlighted the centre's importance, saying, “This youth facility will be open seven days a week and will help support young people and their parents and carers at the heart of the community.”
The construction work was carried out by Farnworth contractor Seddon, which has also completed a YIF redevelopment at Darwen Youth Centre.