Blackpool children’s street art ideas being brought to life

A mile-long ‘Wellness Walk’ is being created in Blackpool, to give children the cleaner, greener and brighter streets they asked for.

A colourful corridor inspired by ideas from local schoolchildren is taking shape through Claremont.

The mile-long Wellness Walk is adding bright ground-level artworks, attractive street furniture, and new trees and greenery to the streets these children use every day.

The idea came from children and young people at Claremont's Magic Club. During design workshops, they explained how they wanted their streets to be cleaner, greener and more colourful to make walking around their community a more cheerful experience.

Their ideas have helped shape the £200,000 investment funded by Blackpool’s Pride in Place Impact Fund. This £1.5m pot is being invested in projects to regenerate neglected spaces, create welcoming environments, and enhance local pride across the town.

The Wellness Walk will follow eight streets between Claremont Park and the Grundy Art Gallery, on Queen Street. Dozens of colourful planters and benches, wayfinding posts, and bright artworks are being added to key junctions along the route. A map outlining the Wellness Walk route will be situated at Westminster Primary Academy.

Blackpool Council Leader Lynn Williams and Blackpool South MP Chris Webb have supported the investment, working together to secure funding for projects which make a practical difference to local communities.

Cllr Williams, also Claremont ward councillor, said: "What I really want people to understand about this project is where the idea came from. It was our children and young people who told us what they wanted to see in their neighbourhood.

"They want to walk to school, into town and around Claremont along streets that looked brighter and more welcoming - to feel good about the place they live and the routes they walk every day.

"We listened, and I'm really pleased that we are now seeing their ideas starting to become reality.

"The planters, trees, artwork and new street furniture might seem like relatively small things individually, but when you bring them together along a mile-long route, they can make a real difference to how streets look and feel.

"Of course, we all want cleaner streets and we all have a responsibility to look after our local environment. This project is part of that wider ambition. It sits alongside the work we have been doing in Claremont for many years, including our free rubbish amnesties, which are now in their tenth year, helping residents to get rid of unwanted waste responsibly and tackle fly-tipping.

"This is about listening to our community, and particularly our young people, and acting on what they tell us. I'm delighted that we have been able to take their ideas forward and invest in making Claremont an even better place to live, work and walk around.”

The Wellness Walk also forms part of the wider ‘Our Claremont People’s Plan’, ensuring community-led regeneration for the area. Supported by Blackpool Council, Magic Club, and Homes England, the People’s Plan has been drawn up following feedback from 140+ Claremont residents.

Chris Webb, MP for Blackpool South, added: “I’m proud that the Pride in Place Impact Fund is being used to deliver the priorities identified by local people through the Claremont People’s Plan. This Wellness Walk is a brilliant example of community-led regeneration – creating a greener, more welcoming neighbourhood while improving connections between Claremont and the town centre.

“This adds to Pride in Place Impact Fund money for the Grundy Art Gallery and shows our continued commitment to investing in Claremont. Under previous governments, areas like this have not received the level of investment they deserve, so I’m really pleased to be able to agree with the council on funding being directed towards projects that will make a visible difference to residents’ everyday lives.

“The People’s Plan was shaped by local people who said they wanted cleaner, safer and more attractive public spaces. I took this plan to the highest levels of government, calling for more investment to allow us to implement it in full.

“Using the Pride in Place Impact Fund I’m happy we are able to make a start on turning these ideas into reality. From supporting cultural institutions like the Grundy to improving our streets and public spaces, we are building a better Claremont and a better Blackpool.”