EDUCATION PR FROM POLARIS MEDIA
The Queens’ representative for Merseyside has visited Hugh Baird College’s brand new multi-million pound community building for an exclusive tour of the site.
The striking £8m L20 Building, due to open in the coming weeks, will place the community at the heart of the Bootle college.
Hugh Baird College principal Yana Williams said the recent visit by Dame Lorna Muirhead DBE, Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, provided an excellent opportunity to deliver an exclusive tour of the new the ultra-modern premises.
Provision at the multi-storey building, based on Stanley Road and backing on to Balliol Road, has been carefully selected to drive community and employer engagement as well as higher education.
“It was an honour to welcome Dame Lorna Muirhead to our college,” said Ms Williams. “We held a reception in the college’s L20 Hotel School and delivered a guided tour of our new L20 Building. This is really exciting time for the college and it was a terrific opportunity to communicate our vision and ambition to an influential dignitary. The new £8m development signals our progressive outlook to raise aspirations across the region and engage students with the local community and businesses.
“It further demonstrates our determination to align with the Liverpool City Region’s key growth economies. The L20 Building is set up to support training and development in key areas, helping to equip the next generation with the skills required to drive our local economy in the coming years.
The first floor of the building is being opened for businesses and employers, helping to create an industry led atmosphere and link students with the workplace. Firms will further benefit from professional training courses for staff.
The second floor will be home to a “university centre” – which will be a dedicated place of study for students taking one of the college’s degree programmes.
“The new build is also allowing us to transform our delivery of higher education in a bid to make it more accessible and affordable for people across the region,” said Ms Williams. “We will now be able to offer a greater depth of degree level courses, Certificates in Educations and PGCEs, covering areas such as creative arts, health and social care, business management and IT.”
Community led facilities include a library featuring everything from the latest information technology to classic literature.
The design aims to put the college at the heart of the community where it can further build on positive relationships it has developed with the local residents and business community.
A public café and outdoor eating area staffed by catering apprentices will also be located on the ground floor of the building.
The college’s recently launched L20 Hotel School, set up to drive hospitality training standards across the region, has been charged with heading a corporate hospitality base with business conference and events space.
The new build will further benefit from state of the art classrooms and a multi-purpose performance arts space which will be used for public events ranging from school productions to conferences.
In recognition of the great heritage of the area, historic iron gates presented by the women of Bootle in memory of HM King George VI, to acknowledge his efforts in World War Two, have also been fully restored and will form the main entrance to the new site.
Dame Lorna Muirhead DBE said: “I was struck by the ethos of the college which, learning from the commercial history of the area, was setting out to equip this, and the next generation, with skills they will need if the area is to go forward economically.
“The new building was delightful, and the intention to offer the local community access by way of a café, libraries, conference facilities and educational space seemed to be imaginative use of the space.
“I was particularly interested in the Iron Gates presented to HM King George VI to acknowledge his efforts in World War II. They endorse the significance, which Bootle once had and will have again. Most of all I was struck by the enthusiasm and real vision of the staff and trustees. The college is in safe and vibrant hands and I wish it very well.”
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