Tag: Skylark Centre

Keir Mather MP joins Selby Connected Business Panel as partnership delivers new community space

18 August 2026

News

This article was first published by Up for Yorkshire.

Keir Mather MP has joined the Business Panel of Selby Connected, strengthening collaboration between local businesses, community organisations and the public sector to drive opportunities across Selby and its surrounding villages.

The Selby MP joined representatives from Selby Connected, Drax and Up for Yorkshire at an open day at The Skylark Centre, where community groups, charities and voluntary organisations were invited to discover how they can access the facility free of charge.

Selby Connected is a partnership led by Selby-based organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors. It brings together businesses, charities, community organisations and public sector partners to identify local priorities and turn conversations into practical action.

Mather’s appointment to the Business Panel adds further political engagement to the partnership, which has already established advisory committees and built a growing network of organisations committed to improving opportunities across the Selby area.

The Open Day at The Skylark Centre provided a tangible example of this approach in action. Research and conversations with local organisations have consistently highlighted a need for more accessible community space. Through Selby Connected, Drax and Up for Yorkshire identified an opportunity to make The Skylark Centre available free of charge to charities and community groups.

Located just outside Selby in the heart of a nature reserve, The Skylark Centre offers flexible indoor meeting space with kitchen facilities, accessible amenities and surrounding woodland walks. The facility can be used for meetings, workshops and training sessions.

Tom Meares, Head of Community Development at Up for Yorkshire, said:

“Selby Connected is all about bringing organisations together to solve challenges that no single organisation can tackle alone. Keir’s involvement in the Business Panel will further strengthen that collaborative approach, and The Skylark Centre is a great tangible example of what the partnership can achieve.

“As an organisation that already runs a number of community spaces, it’s fantastic to be working with Drax to enable more groups to use The Skylark Centre and nature reserve.”

Nick Robinson, Community Engagement Manager at Drax, said:

“We’re delighted to welcome Keir Mather to the Selby Connected Business Panel. His involvement will help strengthen the partnership’s ability to bring together local organisations and identify practical ways to support communities across the area.

“The Skylark Centre is a fantastic community asset, and through Selby Connected we’ve been able to better understand what local groups need and respond in a practical way. We hope many organisations will make use of the space and the opportunities it offers.”

Following a tour of the facilities, Keir Mather MP said:

“It’s vital that our local voluntary sector works closely with local businesses to support communities. I’m pleased to be joining the Selby Connected Business Panel and it was great to see that partnership in action today.”

Selby Connected was established to strengthen collaboration between businesses, charities, community organisations and the public sector, helping align investment and expertise with priorities identified by local communities.

Community groups and charities interested in using The Skylark Centre can find out more by contacting Up for Yorkshire at [email protected].

ENDS

Notes for Editors

Business Panel members of Selby Connected:

  • Drax
  • Up for Yorkshire
  • York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
  • North Yorkshire Council
  • Altrad
  • BAM UK
  • Aviva
  • GXO
  • Smailes Goldie
  • Better Connect
  • Active North Yorkshire

Advisory Committee members of Selby Connected are:

  • Heart of Yorkshire
  • Skills Network
  • YNY Careers Hub
  • Crombie Wilkinson
  • Energy Doctor
  • Selby Abbey
  • Dransfield
  • Yorkshire Building Society
  • Selby PCN
  • Better Connect
  • Drax
  • Up For Yorkshire
  • North Yorkshire Council
  • Smailes Goldie

Students gain real-world event management experience through Drax and Selby College partnership

14 July 2026

News

Students from Selby College have gained valuable hands-on experience planning and delivering a public event at Drax Power Station’s Skylark Centre in June, helping them develop practical skills and experience of working with a major local employer.

The project, delivered by Selby College and facilitated by Drax’s Community and Education team, was designed to provide students studying Event Management with the opportunity to plan and deliver a live event from concept through to execution.

Nick Robinson, UK Community and Education Manager at Drax, said:

“Providing meaningful opportunities for young people to develop workplace skills is an important part of our commitment to supporting the communities where we operate.

“This project gave students the chance to take ownership of a real event and experience the challenges and rewards of delivering it from start to finish. They demonstrated creativity, professionalism and strong teamwork throughout the process.

“By working directly with Drax colleagues and delivering an event for the local community, the students gained valuable experience that will support them as they progress into further education, training and employment.”

Working collaboratively in teams, the students developed event proposals for the Skylark Centre before presenting their ideas in a Dragons’ Den-style pitching session to Drax Education Ambassadors. Following the presentations, ambassadors selected the strongest proposal to be developed into a fully delivered public event.

The successful student team took responsibility for planning, promoting and delivering the event, which welcomed members of the local community to the Skylark Centre, showcasing the venue as a space for learning, community engagement and environmental education and raised £818 for the Yorkshire Children’s Charity.

Activities included nature-themed walks through the woodland surrounding the Skylark Centre, including a popular Bear Hunt trail, as well as indoor crafting activities for families. Refreshments were also available, with proceeds donated to charity.

The project gave students practical experience of event management while helping them build skills in teamwork, communication, problem solving and project delivery. It also provided valuable interaction with a local employer and increased awareness of career opportunities available across a range of sectors.

The event forms part of Drax’s wider commitment to improving access to work experience opportunities and strengthening pathways into employment for young people across the region.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Media contacts:

Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected] 
T: 07729092807

About Drax

Drax’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Our strategic aims are to be a UK leader in flexible, renewable generation and a global leader in sustainable biomass pellet production.

Our operations

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low-carbon and renewable UK power assets – biomass, hydro, pumped storage and OCGT generation – which provide dispatchable power and system support services to the electricity grid.

We are the UK’s largest source of renewable power by output, and Drax Power Station is the UK’s largest single source of renewable electricity by output.

Through our pellet production facilities in North America, Drax is a leading integrated producer of sustainable biomass.

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK industrial and commercial customers, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.