It’s never too late to achieve your career dream – especially when you study a career-focused course at B&FC. They offer help with funding, lots of ongoing support and timetabling that fits around your life. So what’s stopping you?

Whether your career ambitions are big or small, B&FC believe it’s never too late to achieve your full potential. There’s study support too and career guidance to make sure you’re on track to achieve your goals. At B&FC, they strive to be a college for the whole community, and they’ve made it easier than ever for you to achieve your ambitions. Maybe you’ve gone down a career path which now seems a long way from where you want to be. Or perhaps you’re always passed over for promotion and want to gain the skills to increase your chances of success. You might even struggle with the basics which you know is holding you back. Whatever you want to achieve, they’ve got a wealth of experience and expertise to help you get there.

Daniel Mountford is an experienced Fundraiser with a history of working in and with civic and social organisations, currently for a leading social housing provider. He is highly skilled in corporate social responsibility, business planning, communication, bid preparation and writing. With a strong community ethos, he is professionally qualified through Bath, Cambridge and Lancaster Universities and with the Institute of Fundraising. He leads on fundraising and business development for Community Investment at Great Places Housing Group and actively seeks new collaborations as part of his role. This unique dual role sees a combination of capacity building support for 3rd sector groups as well as new contracts primarily within welfare to work.

Professor Francis Martin has played a key role in pioneering research and serves as the Lead Manager at Patient Recruitment Centre (PRC) Blackpool, part of the NIHR-funded Biomedical Research Centre. He leads Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE), an essential component of research that ensures studies are carried out with and by members of the public rather than to or for them. Through PPIE, patients and the public actively contribute their experiences, helping shape research to make it more meaningful and impactful.

Mike Crowther MBE is the Chief Executive Officer of Empowerment, a leading local charity based in Blackpool dedicated to supporting people to transform their lives. Born and raised in Blackpool, Mike has spent over 30 years volunteering and working in the charity sector, driven by an unwavering belief that change is possible for everyone. Under his leadership, Empowerment has become a beacon of hope for individuals who have faced significant challenges, including those who have experienced homelessness, imprisonment, or social exclusion. Mike is committed to giving people a second chance, ensuring that those who have been written off early in life are given the support, encouragement, and opportunities they need to rebuild their futures.

At the heart of Mike’s approach is a deep conviction that every person has the potential to thrive when given the right support. He has promoted a culture within Empowerment where lived experience is valued, and those who have overcome adversity play a vital role in helping others do the same. His work has led to strong partnerships with local agencies, including the Police, Probation Service, and Prison staff, ensuring a coordinated approach to rehabilitation and empowerment. Recognised for his contribution to social justice and community support, Mike was awarded an MBE for his work in Blackpool. He remains passionate about breaking down barriers, challenging stigma, and proving that hope and belief can change lives.

Here is an image taken at the event:

Andy Charles is Director of the Blackpool Pride of Place Partnership, a public private, voluntary sector partnership that has set out a blueprint to deliver long term transformational change in Blackpool, by addressing the social challenges and developing its opportunities. It is part of Business in The Community (BiTC), the King’s Responsible Business Network, the UK’s largest and most influential responsible business network. He addressed the Fylde Coast Resilience Network on the work that Business in the Community has been undertaking in Blackpool since 2017.

Here are some images taken at the event:

Blackpool Council, through the Shared Prosperity Fund has provided resources to establish a new VCFSE infrastructure organisation to support the VCFSE in Blackpool.  Blackpool CAN is a partnership of three VCFSE organisations; Social Enterprise Solutions, Citizens Advice Blackpool and Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde Volunteer Centre.  As part of the support, there is funding to provide small grants to organisations working for the benefit of people and communities in Blackpool. Please read this form and apply using the application form attached.  

What they can fund – The maximum they can award is £1,500 per organisation but they would like to encourage a wide range of bids from a minimum of £300 up to a small number to the maximum.