Come and visit Mandus House, Blackpool: 75 years old and still going strong

Until 1853, Blackpool consisted of half a dozen boarding houses. Lancashire's more liberal minded mill owners would bring their employees here for their Wakes week. Women and children would come by horse and cart and the men would walk. They would be lined up by their mill owner for their daily drink of sea water from a metal cup on the end of a chain.

Then the railway came to town and all heaven broke loose! Blackpool's short history from that point is liberally sprinkled with historic landmark buildings, the Tower and Ballroom, the Winter Gardens, Opera House, Funny Girls and Mandus House. What!? Where did you say?

Mandus House has since 1953 been home to the World Healing Centre which is a charity that sets out to help people who, for one reason or another, find themselves socially isolated. The founder was one Mandus Nyquist who travelled far and wide for many years with his religious teachings. Mandus died in 1988, but his work is continued to this day by a series of followers.

Mandus House was originally called Calderbank when built as a large house in 1909. It has a glorious interior with high ceilings, ornate plasterwork, stained glass, wood panelling and phenomenal doors to the main hallway.

It is on the Blackpool Heritage Trail on merit although overshadowed by its larger and more famous buildings.

Nowadays, it is a community space like no other. Come and see for yourself or log in to mandushouse.org.uk

I came to visit in 2015 and I am still here