About Us

The main objective of Claremont First Step Community Centre is to create a meeting place that responds to the needs of the whole community.

Claremont First Step Community Centre is the last survivor of four first step centre’s in Blackpool and is now in its nineteenth year. Our facilities cater for the need of various sections of the local community from young children, the unemployed, single parent’s senior citizens and homeless people.

The Centre, situated in the heart of Blackpool, opened in June 2000 and was established mainly through SRB Strategic Partnership for Blackpool.

Since opening, the Centre has become a key resource for the community. The role of Claremont First Step Community Centre is to address many of the needs highlighted by local people whilst at the same time, creating a meeting place, a venue to participate in community activities and learn new skills, a healthy living centre and access point for other community activities.

CFSCC About Us

The Centre opened in 2000 having received £356,750 from SRB round 2 to develop the 100 year old, Grade II listed Methodist Church Buildings.

The Claremont First Step Community Centre also received funding of £262,884 from The Tudor Trust and The Community Fund to develop the work of the project.

The Centre lies in the heart of Blackpool’s Claremont Ward

The Claremont Ward is an area of tremendous disadvantage, having been placed in position 200 out of the 8414 English Wards on the 2000 DTLR Deprivation Index.  The Claremont area has high unemployment, large concentrations of low-income families, single parent households, multi-occupancy dwellings, poor health and education attainment, and elderly residents.

It is also a varied community which includes holiday accommodation and a large transient population.

CFSCC Methodist Church Buildings Dickson Road

The high levels of community stress and low sense of community are being addressed by the project.

The First Step Centre is a concept created out of the necessity for improved community facilities in the town with varied purposes, but with a common theme of providing the means for local people to take positive steps towards improving the situations in which they live. 

This would be achieved by creating better access to community facilities and services and by providing opportunities to meet new people, get information/advice, or take part in community activities.

Premises include:-

  • Main hall
  • Computer Suite/Internet/Board Room
  • Training rooms
  • Counselling room
  • Monty’s Café

For more information about the regular activities which take place in the centre, visit the centre activities page.