Luke John Frost

We have these "things" within our community called representatives, also known as councillors who are elected to "represent" the community and the town. Sadly in Thornaby we have some who, in better terms are poison and are non reflecting of the community they claim to represent.  A proportion of councillors are in the role as they believe they can do a great job representing their community, some actually do but there is others who are just along for the ride and the healthy allowance at the end of the month. Sadly there is some of these in Thornaby and sadly it is having a negative effect on voluntary projects within the town.  Over the past few months we have seen a food bank close, a community kitchen close, advice services cease to operate and soon we will see the end of a youth project that has worked with over 1,200 youngsters in 18 months. Obviously these people are not interested in what is going on in "their" communities otherwise they wou...

So it seems that Stockton could lose not just the HMS Endeavour Replica but also the Teesside Princess. However, it is not a surprise that this may be the case with both being underused and looking a little tired. But if Stockton was to lose these attractions it would dent any hopes for a Riverside Revival when it comes to Tourism. Stockton has of course a track record of losing heritage sites and overlooking moments of history but if the town was to lose the HMS Endeavour that would be a major blow to the area. Of course, some people think it shouldn't be in Stockton anyway and some preferred the TS Kellington to the James Cook Replica. I like to think that if the marketing was done correctly the Riverside would be a place of interest to visitors, such as the Hartlepool Quay and the HMS Trincomalee which draws in visitors from far and wide. Marketing is also something that has a tricky track record. It would be great to hear what the council think of this and I wouldn'...

For those that don't know I have been blocked by Facebook, this has happened 3 times in as many days. Facebook says that is due to being reported and in my opinion I most probably know who by. But never the less, I will continue to inform people of what I do and what I think by other means. Twitter and Blogger are to become my main source of communication and to be truthful Facebook was beginning to get on my nerves anyway. Fake news at its finest. So from now on I will get family members and friends to post the links up to this blog and if you are on twitter you can follow me at @LukeJohnFrost where you can also send me private messages if you so wish to do so. I know there was a lot of people who relied on this on Facebook. But not to worry, if you are not on Twitter you can still request my email or catch me as some do in the Town Centre or Library.

Over the past two years I have experienced the up and downs of being a volunteer, so much so that it has led me to posting this update. In December 2015, there was calls from local residents looking to air their views about the anti social behaviour within the town and after the lack of interest from ward councillors in Mandale and Victoria I took it upon myself to organise and pay for a series of public meetings aimed at giving local people a voice on local issues and it helped to a certain extent. One of the things that came from the meetings was my idea to start a youth provision in the town aimed at giving young people unique opportunities that they wouldn't of otherwise available to them. Youth Week 2016 was the first major youth based sporting event in the town and over 180 young people took part, this highlighting the need and demand from young people and parents to have more active youth provision locally. I then got together with family and friends to create the Th...

So we are nearing the half way point of 2017 and it has been like a roller coaster ride for myself. I began the year introducing the Cooking on a budget course to new adults living in Thornaby and drawing in resources to help with welfare advice and housing issues. The Community Cafe took on a new lease of life and was very busy at the times we were open. At the same time I spent quite a few evenings drawing up activities for young people so that they would have something to do throughout the school holidays. To say it has been exhausting is an understatement, I ended up being burnt out and sadly stepped down from the Organisation I founded. After a few weeks of walking around in circles I ended up putting my energy back into the Youth Zone and have since made it an Organisation within its own right, with new aims and a new way of working. I am now planning for the Summer Holidays and I am hopeful that we will see hundreds of young people in and on the water as well on other activi...

 I am pleased to say that we have a new Member of Parliament(MP) who will represent us in London and represent us he will. Paul has been a GP in the local area and has shown throughout the campaign that he is open to listen to people and talks openly about his views. After 7 years of a Conservative Member of Parliament we will now have a true voice in Westminster, a voice that is going to represent the majority of Stockton South not the minority unlike the previous MP for the area. I am also pleased that with the exception of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland the rest of Teesside and Durham returned a Labour MP. I am also pleased that Jeremy Corbyn got people out to register and vote. His values resonate with many people and this showed on Thursday, despite the attempts of the Conservatives to belittle him with their dreadful and disgraceful election campaign. I expect to see some apologies from those MP's who had previously tried to stab him in the back. I have my per...

I have just come back from what was a fantastic morning at the local mosque. Thornaby turned out in force to show unity and that amazing community spirit that we hold so dearly. Over 200 people sat and stood to listen. I want to thank the imam and all the volunteers who made this day happen and talking to people afterwards the message was of love for the town. Thornaby Community has done itself proud today. Better still the media was there to see it.

I popped over to Stockton today to talk with stall holders who where taking part in a very special market on the High Street. Over 40 Organisations took part in the market where as well as information on what these great organisations do, there was food and music to entertain what was a pretty good crowd for the first ever Stockton Volunteers Market. It was great to chat with stall holders and listen to the great work that they're doing across Stockton and the wider area. We have some great local organisations doing brilliant things. I only managed to stay for a few hours before I had to leave but I would urge the organisers and Stockton Borough Council to look at making this an annual event. It is these type of events that put Stockton on the map and showcase the local pride that we have in our area as well as giving local organisations a platform to raise there profile.

On Wednesday evening I was delighted to have won the award for Volunteer of the Year at the Catalyst Achievement Awards at Wynyard Hall. The evening was filled with praise for those who give there time to help others and improve our communities. It was great to hear the stories and meet people from all over Stockton who are doing some incredible work within the area. The evening went very well and I would like to thank the organisers and sponsors who made it possible. Thousands of people in Stockton give there time and energy to help organisations and charities and I would urge anyone who may have a few hours a week spare to give volunteering a go and I promise you that you will reap the rewards of what volunteering brings. If you want to find out more about volunteering in Stockton then please visit the Stockton Volunteers Website, there is a volunteering role to suit you.

There has been a lot of Social Media talk about the proposed hotel that has been granted permission to be constructed in Stockton using public funds. I am not against a hotel, what I am against is using public funds to part invest into the scheme, which will see Stockton Council own and operate the hotel. There has been previous applications to construct hotels within the Borough and they had been refused by the council due to "detrimental impact to the High Street" Now whether we like their decision or not, it has been granted permission and we have to live with it, hoping that it will attract businesses and tourists who come into the area. Whilst also hoping that the local authority has its figures right. But what will attract people to use the hotel? The Council claim to have a strong business case after a consultation with some of the biggest companies in the area and believe that this is a sound investment plan that should be supported, but faili...

I recently pointed out that the Keep Clear boxes at the new traffic lights on Lanehouse Road where in the wrong place and causing traffic to cover the entrance to the old Mandale Pub. I was told on Social Media by a local councillor that the boxes where for residents to reverse off their drive and not for the entrance to the site.  If that's the case why isn't there boxes all down the road allowing other residents to reverse off their drives?  However I remember that not that long ago I sat in an Area Transport Strategy meeting where I pointed out that these boxes where in the wrong location on the officers diagram. Obviously my advice and my drawing on the officers paperwork was overlooked.

I recently read an article in the local paper that highlighted the increase in Childhood Obesity on Teesside and this is an issue that has been on my mind quite a bit over the last couple of years. I have spent many hours campaigning against takeaway applications and this year started an adult cooking programme to teach parents how to cook healthy meals on a budget. Unfortunately Obesity and Poverty go hand in hand and in the more deprived areas around the country what you will see is a larger presence of fast food outlets and takeaways. Here in Thornaby we have our fair share of takeaways and drive thru's and whilst I am against the high fat, high sugar and low nutrient food that is served, I am always aware of the investment and job creation that comes with these establishments. However I do have the view that these places should not be developed near Schools, yet my last campaign to stop the local authorities giving permission to two new units to be converted to...

I recently spent 10 days in my favourite of all places, Barcelona and I have come back feeling re-energised and ready for a new challenge. It has been a difficult few months and this is what was needed to help me unwind. I now have a clear vision on what I want to achieve and I have learnt a few lessons over the past few months, but with my family behind me and great friends joining the new Organisation that I have set up we are gearing up for another very busy year ahead creating activities and events for young people in the town. I have also spent time with the family and have very recently started a health drive to get myself in shape and my mind focused on creating healthy meals which in turn adds to the creativity in planning events for all to enjoy. Now where did I put that Asparagus! Image took in the Centre of Barcelona ( Placa de Catalunya)

So I have decided to go back to basics and I am happy to report that I will be coordinating the Youth Zone once again. Some big decisions have been made and I feel that the young people of the town will miss out on the opportunities and experiences that the Partnership once offered.  Since January 2016 the Youth Zone has engaged with 996 young people who have took part in the activities and events on offer and it would be wrong to let the young people of the town down, especially since there is not much youth provision in the town to start off with.  There is over 3,500 under 16's that live in Thornaby and very little provision for young people and families throughout the School summer holidays and half term breaks. With 7 events already under the Youth Zone banner, I firmly believe we can connect with more families and young people and grow the Youth Zone to be the best it can be. I have submitted applications for funding for the Summer Holidays and the October...

So the Tees Valley has decided on the person who they want to be in control of limited devolution from Central Government and Surprisingly to the rest of the Country we voted in a Conservative. Now there is one major factor in all of this, that being the local labour party is up to its neck in slurry fighting for their lives to be taken seriously. Hard to do after destroying a generation and setting us back, so much so that the words "Backwater of Britain" is now readily being used. Wouldn't surprise me if our local councillors use this to try and promote it as a positive.  So we have a Conservative Tees Mayor who is promising to buy the airport and fight to get the Parmo protected, by the EU. The Same EU that his party hates and hopes to ditch (Brexit) and let's face it his party hasn't got a good record on supporting local industry with the closure of the Steel Works and the pittance they're giving us as part of the devolution deal.  A deal tha...

Tees Valley Metro Mayor! Other than a majority of us not recognising "Tees Valley" not many people where consulted about the prospect of having a "Mayor" yet here we are, 3 weeks before going to polls and people are asking who should they vote for, if their going to vote. It is clear that the public have no great knowledge of what their voting for and many are not going to bother to vote at all. I stood outside Stockton Town House on the High Street to demonstrate my anger that our council leaders signed the Devolution Contract a week before going to the vote. Labour and Conservative working in perfect harmony. Elected members had no choice but to go along with this plan to create another level of democracy and one that is going to be expensive and as history has proven, not much gets done when local authorities "work" together. Then there is the money available in Devolution, £450m - Sounds great but this is by far the lowest amount to any...

A lot of hard work has been going on behind the scenes at Partnership HQ and the biggest difference is that the Youth Zone has been re-branded and is now a stand alone project aiming to get young people active throughout the School holidays across the Tees Region. The First event under the new brand is Youth Week 2017, which is the biggest to date and will see 192 young people take to the Tees to experience something new. This is the first time that an event this size has happened locally and I am proud to say that it is the Thornaby area benefiting from it. I plan to create events across the Stockton and Billingham area in the first 12 months and then look at incorporating Middlesbrough in early 2018. It can only get bigger and better. But now is when the hard work begins and I look forward to the challenge. After the Easter break I will be looking at creating events for those in Billingham before making a big push for a Stockton Borough wide event in the summer...

I attended a hustings event last night in Middlesbrough to listen to the 4 candidates who are standing to be elected as the Tees Mayor and whilst attendance was low it was a good opportunity to get in some pressure questions. I think it is well known that my politics isn't mainstream and for the most part I have the opinion that no matter which national party is in power, Teesside will continue to be treat with disdain. I also believe that national policies don't fully work in areas such as ours. For a majority of people living on Teesside the issues are not about better transport, better homes and better environments, although there important. The main issues are about surviving day to day to make ends meet. We live in a society led by big parties that have forgotten what it is like to beg and borrow. We live in a rich mans world, teetering on the cliff of hardship as many families struggle to feed and cloth themselves. But let me be clear, those struggling ...

The Artist Impression's of the proposed Public funded hotel for Stockton have been revealed and it seems that non of the £millions have been spent on the architect who have the task of turning the fortunes of Stockton around, instead the AI looks more like a 1970's Parking Structure with a bit of rusty gold cladding to make it look hip, if that is a modern style to attract people to a £80 per night hotel in Stockton, then so be it. I am all for a Hotel and have many a time brought up the dealings we had when Thornaby got refused a hotel due to it having a "detrimental impact on Stockton High Street" and was shelved without looking at the bigger picture of where the proposed location was situated and the major benefits of having a Travel Lodge on the Teesside Park Complex near to the a International White Water Course, Teesside Golf Course and of course on the doorstep to one of the biggest retail parks in the North. I think I am right in saying that Stockton Borou...

This year marks the 5th Anniversary of the Picture Teesside Page on Facebook which I set up to promote the Region to the World and it has achieved more than I originally thought it would do. In the 5 years since launching it has reached over 8 Million people and has attracted over 6,000 likes with a host of local photographers sending in fantastic positive images of our area. The main reason I set the Page up was to try and fill the gap that was left by the local tourism board when it disbanded, although to some this seemed to be a positive step as the area was being promoted as the controversial brand of the Tees Valley. Not a popular choice between local people and businesses. Where exactly is the Tees Valley? To mark the 5th Anniversary I am hoping to get permission to open the Thornaby Community Kitchen as a pop up gallery of Teesside positivity with a bit of local heritage thrown in for good measure.

As many of you are aware I have Aspergers and I am quite happy to discuss issues and always welcome criticism and feedback but I have just been introduced to a concept called "Theory of Mind" and it is driving me insane.  I am now at a point where my ideas and thoughts are being designed into diagrams and full essays written to describe an idea to make it easier for other people to understand the wonderful world that my brain occupies. It is a good job I have a dry sense of humour and find it easy to laugh at myself as everytime I look into it all I can do is think of the awkward situations that I have been in. There has been a lot.  But thankfully it does make me understand that the neurotypical's of society haven't got a clue what goes on in my head and having to explain in more detail, whilst frustrating is making me and my organisation more efficient, effective and achieving a greater impact in less time that it has taken me to write this update. Geez it...

We all claim to love our National Health Service and rate it as the best in the world and that we should be protecting services for the future, yet when it comes to have a say on our local Health Services we seem to not be bothered about sharing our views and opinions. Over the past year I have attended many NHS Better Health Programme engagement events with the aim of both listening and having an input and the one theme running through them all is the lack of attendance by both the public and those elected to represent us. Here I was in thinking that we really cared about our NHS. What frustrates me more is the fact that clinicians, doctors, nurses, midwives have managed to turn up to these events, but the public haven't. Yet I am pretty sure that when it comes to the publication of the actual report on how our local health services move forward there will be public outcry and no doubt the media will be whipping up a storm. I have had the pleasure to sit and listen to many p...

I have the joys to do something everyday that I love doing and that to me is important. As a young adult with Aspergers I tend to see the world differently to most of those around me, one which is simple, but complex at the same time. It has to be said that the world baffles me and I am sure it does many others too. I see something wrong and suddenly I want to come up with a way of solving the issue, instead of sitting back and letting the experts and those in the know get on with things. I don't think that is a bad thing. I set up my own community organisation to help those living in our society in need, not a normal thing for a person at the age of 24 to do (26 now), but after two years it is going from strength to strength and it now provides more services and support than any other organisation of its size in the area. Which goes to show that the demand to solve issues in an area like mine is needed. I began my working life after leaving college and joining the apprentice...