Community groups joined local organisations at the Blackburn with Darwen Council's Partnership Conference.

The second annual event was held at the home of Blackburn Rovers, Ewood Park, and was attended by a range of representatives from health, education, employment and youth services.

Presentations and workshops were focused on how 'partners can work in collaboration to support those in the local population facing disadvantage to ensure they have the same access to opportunities as other people'. 

Council leader Cllr Phil Riley said: “As a Council, we are very much pro-growth – without it, our plans to grow the local economy wouldn’t be financially viable.

"We’re also very aware of the strong links that exist between good quality housing and better health, culture and technology to drive innovation, and the economy and cyber.

“The Partnership Conference was a fantastic opportunity to get a variety of people in the room to discuss how we can collaborate on bringing about the best outcomes to help our local communities to live a full and happy life.”

The Council’s chief executive, Denise Park, said: The event built on the success of our inaugural Partnership Conference which took place one year ago.

"We found that local partners welcome the opportunity to come together to hear from the Council and our partners on what our priorities are, and how we’re delivering them."

One of the keynote speakers at the Partnership Conference was Martin Hodgson, chief executive of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

He said: “I was really pleased to be invited to both speak at the conference and be able to listen to some really thought-provoking updates from a diverse range of colleagues.

“The philosophy that no one is left behind is absolutely exactly right. The Trust is both a major provider of health care and a major employer in the area and, as such, an anchor institution for Pennine Lancashire."