The kids are in the driving seat

Land Rover Experience on the Broughton Hall Estate are now offering driving Experiences for 11 - 17 year olds... and it’s going down a storm.

If like me you have computer obsessed children, finding activities to entice them away from their beloved Fortnite or Roblox without a huff or a grunt can be a challenge. So when I mentioned to my nephew that he would be driving off road in a new Range Rover vehicle, his attention quickly turned to the day ahead. Little did we know how much fun lay in store.

I must point out at this point that my nephew is 12 years old and one of the smallest in his class. We thought he would be far too small to be trusted behind the wheel of a Range Rover, but having measured him against the wall, he was luckily slightly above the 1.45m minimum height restriction for the Young Off Roader experience!

After a beautiful drive down through The Broughton Hall Estate to the Land Rover Centre, we were welcomed in with teas and coffees and introduced to Andy - the brave soul who would be riding alongside our little thrill seeker for the hour session.

My husband has never been one for backseat driving so opted to stay in the safety of the centre whilst we hit the track. Tea and coffee on tap, views for miles over Broughton Hall Estate, and vintage Land Rovers to look at…he was in his element!

Meanwhile, I hastily strapped myself into the backseat of the Range Rover Velar, adapted with dual controls specifically for the young driver experiences. Our instructor Andy was calm and patient as we moved the electric seat as close to the dash as possible so that my nephew had a chance of seeing out of the car. Andy explained the principles of driving and soon we were slowly travelling down through the estate.

As his confidence grew so did the challenge. As we approached each section of track, Andy clearly explained what was involved. Had I known the angles that the car would be taking us before setting off I would not have believed it - and all under the control of a 12 year old! We both loved driving through the deep water track, a fun challenge for my nephew and great passenger experience for me. Seeing the water levels rise out of the window was truly exciting!

Along with a new passion for driving, we took away a certificate of attendance and a video of the session to show his friends and family.

My nephew absolutely loved his Land Rover Experience and was talking about it well into the following week at school. The only problem is he now wants a go in my car!

YOUNG OFF ROADER DETAILS

Land Rover Young Off Roader Sessions make great gifts for any child aged between 11-17 and at least 1.45m tall

1 Hour Young Off Roader sessions are £150

Up to two drivers can share the session

Sessions can be booked 7 days a week Gift Vouchers can be purchased by calling the centre or online www.yorkshire. landroverexperience.co.uk

01756 611 060

PRESTON

By Sarah Ridgway

Preston is located on the River Ribble and its name derives from Priests Town most likely referencing an early settlement of monks in the area.

In 2002 Preston was officially granted city status by the Queen becoming England’s 50th city. The bid to be recognised as a city was part of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrating her 50 years on the throne. Preston’s contributing factors included its rich heritage, the university, and its position as the traditional administrative centre of Lancashire. In 2021 Preston was named the best city to live and work in the North West by Demos-PwC Growth for Cities Index and ranked 16th overall. Determining factors included health, housing, jobs, and recovery from the pandemic. The city has a varied and interesting history dating back to 1086 where The Domesday Survey cited Preston as an important market town,1000 years later the city’s Market Place still occupies the same spot.

In 1179 Henry II granted Preston its First Royal Charter giving them the right to have a Guild Merchant. The Guild is an organisation of craftsmen, traders and merchants that meant any newcomers could only trade once receiving permission from the Guild. Due to the lack of regular meetings by The Guild, since 1543 the Preston Guild meetings have only taken place every 20 years. In 1790 the Guild was abolished, and trade became free, however, the festivities remained and Prestonians still gathered in force to celebrate, the last Guild City Festival in 2012 welcomed over 900,000 visitors. The city is home to more than 750 listed buildings including the Harris Museum which is currently closed for a three-year renovation project and St Walburge’s Church which holds the record for the tallest spire of any parish in England standing at a whopping 309ft.

In 1958 Preston became home to the country’s first motorway, the Preston By-pass was opened by Prime Minister Harold MacMillan and would later become a part of the M6 motorway. The UK’S first KFC opened its doors on Fishergate High Street in 1965 under the management of Harry Latham. After a meeting with the legendary Colonel Harlen Sanders two years earlier Latham secured the rights in the UK and brought fried chicken to Preston. Today the vibrant city continues to expand with funding

secured for an exciting Youth Zone Project, the renovation of the Harris Museum, and plans for Animate Preston a state-of-the-art leisure venue that will include a cinema, bowling alley and food and drink venues.

A Popular University City

The University of Central Lancashire was founded in 1828 and is ranked 801 in the world and 2022 will mark 30 years since the Privy Council awarded it university status. Originally known as the Harris Art College from 1932, today UCLan has grown to be the 19th largest university in the UK based on enrolled students attracting over 35,000 to the city each year. The university also has a campus in Cyprus for international students and is the country’s only private British university. In 2015 the Preston Campus was awarded a £200m investment known as the Masterplan 2020 to be used for expansion, new green spaces, creating jobs and attracting further investment to the region. The university will benefit from new £8m social spaces, a £32m Engineering Innovation Centre, and a £60m Student Centre and impressive University Square.

Harris Museum and Art Gallery

The country’s first football museum opened in Preston in 2001 and was housed in Preston North End’s Deepdale Stadium, aptly placed, as the stadium is the world’s oldest continuously run football association club. In 1889 Preston North End FC was the first team to win the double, (League and FA Cup.) The museum attracted more than 100,000 visitors each year, but funding was constantly an issue, and it was sadly moved to Manchester in 2010. The Dick, Kerr Ladies FC founded in Preston in 1917 were one of the earliest known women’s association football teams in England. Named after the locomotive manufacturer Dick, Kerr & Co which during WW1 diversified to ammunition manufacturing. The formation of the team initially aimed to boost the morale of the women employed there, but the team would go on to play for over 48 years, losing only 28 of their 833 games played. Their matches would attract huge crowds of between 4,000 and 50,000 spectators. In 1920 The Dick, Kerr Ladies played the first international association women’s football match against France winning 2-0, the match made history and was attended by 25,000. In 1920 The Football Association banned all women from playing at their grounds deeming them not physically able to play the sport. The ladies continued to play on nonFA pitches although the FA’s official ban would not be lifted till 1971 when women’s football was fully recognised. In 1922 the ladies departed for a tour of Canada and the United States, The Dominion Football Association in Canada also opposed women playing football and the team was banned from playing there on arrival. In 1926 after a disagreement, the team’s name was changed to Preston Ladies FC and they continued to play until 1965. Before hanging up their boots for good the ladies raised over £180,000 for charity, the equivalent of £10 million today throughout their memorable 48 years on the pitch. The women’s courageous story has been told through television adaptations, many theatre productions, including a dance piece by “About Time Dance Company” which was performed as part of the 2021 Lancashire Encounter Festival.

Oscar-winning animator Nick Park grew up in Preston with a passion for drawing cartoons, citing The Beano as one of his favourite comics. Filmmaking also sparked his interest, and the young creative used his mother’s home-movie camera to record films. Parks went on to study animation at the National Film and Television Studio in Buckinghamshire. During his time here the young animator developed the characters that would later become the iconic Wallace and Gromit. Nick invited Bristol-based Aardman Animation to the screening of his graduation film, A Grand Day Out. Peter Lord and David Sproxton who had just recently founded Aardman were seeking an animator to assist with their various projects and after meeting Nick invited him to work at their Bristol base over the next two summers to help. Park worked on Morph; the company’s well-loved TV character moulded from clay, in 1985 Park was offered a permanent position on Morph and other ongoing projects. The Aardman team also helped Nick develop his graduation project, the film A Grand Day Out and together created the film Creature Comforts. In 1989 the two finished films were both nominated for an Oscar in the short animated film category, with Creature Comforts snagging the award at the 1990 ceremony. This was not the end of the Creature Comforts journey as in the same year Aardman joined forces with advertising agency GGK for the “Heat Electric Campaign”. They were hugely popular and have since been independently regarded as one of the best adverts on British television.

In 1993 a short new Wallace & Gromit film made its debut called The Wrong Trousers, the Wigan-based man and his dog duo battled against an evil penguin capturing the hearts of the nation. The cheese-loving Wallace was originally voiced by the late Peter Sallis with Ben Whitehead taking over in 2009. The inspiration for the iconic duo came from Park’s own family, saying Wallace was like his father in many ways, especially his attitude to life. A local postman named Jerry inspired Wallace’s aesthetic and the name came from a Labrador Nick met on a bus in Preston, although Gromit is the animator’s favourite character. In 1995 the duo returned in A Close Shave which was also hugely successful. The film featured the character Shaun the Sheep, a very cute animal that spawned his own line of merchandise, two feature films and his spin-off television show. The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave both went on to win Oscars for Best Animated Short Films. In 1996 Nick Park received a CBE and four years later in 2000 released his first feature-length animation Chicken Run, the main character was voiced by Hollywood actor Mel Gibson. Another feature-length followed in 2005 starring Wallace & Gromit, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit which took 5 years to develop, shot to number one at the box office and won another Oscar. Bristol-based Park still spends a lot of time in his hometown and got married at nearby Gibbon Bridge Hotel in 2016 and is an Honorary Freeman of the City of Preston. In 2021 a bronze statue of Wallace and Gromit sculpted by Park was unveiled in Preston markets. The animator was over the moon with how the 7ft tall sculpture turned out and was assisted

at the unveiling by Preston Mayor Javed Iqbal who revealed how proud Preston was of the Oscar-winning animator. The sculpture was funded by Preston City Council and hopes to attract visitors from all over for a selfie with the beloved duo.

THINGS TO DO IN PRESTON

Escape the Noise at Brockholes Nature Reserve

The tranquil nature reserve is managed by Lancashire Wildlife Trust and is a haven away from noise. Start your day at the Visitors Village, a collection of wooden buildings that float on the lake. The village was designed by Adam Khan Architects and the buildings rise and fall with the water level and have received an accolade of design awards. Once you have your map, head out onto the walking trails to get back to nature and spot the local wildlife, including its ever-changing species of birds. There is a play area and a climbing forest for the children to clamber on to their heart’s content and a varied calendar of events throughout the year including free guided walks, workshops, and fairs to enjoy. The reserve is open seven days a week with an on-site restaurant and gift shop.

All Aboard at the Ribble Steam Railway and Museum

Reopening March 26th, 2022, the Ribble Steam Railway and Museum is raring to go and the whole family can enjoy a ride on a steam train around Preston’s Docklands. Train enthusiasts can explore the museum which is jam-packed with exhibits including a miniature railway. Head out to the workshop to view all the industrial engines being restored and be spoiled for choice by a full calendar of events including the hugely popular Santa Specials, a magical train journey with a hand-delivered present from Father Christmas.

Walk or Cycle the Preston Guild Wheel

The scenic 21-mile circular route surrounds Preston and the Wheel route goes past rivers, canals, woodlands, dockland, and nature reserves. There are many entry points for those wanting a shorter route, so grab your walking shoes or bike to attempt as much as you want. Don’t forget to stop off for a drink and a bite to eat to make the most of the great array of pubs on route.

Dance into the Night at Preston’s Caribbean Carnival

Founded in 1974 Preston’s Caribbean Carnival is one of the largest and oldest cultural celebrations in the city and attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. This year’s festivities will take place in May instead of August and are suitable for all age groups. Marvel at the colourful costumes in the procession through the city which ends at Moor Park. Here you can enjoy food stalls with delicious authentic Caribbean food, a licensed bar and fantastic music to dance the night away.