MINERS STRIKE 40TH ANNIVERSARY: ‘Problems facing former coalfields are not consigned to history books’ charity says

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust said that the problems facing such areas, including in parts of the Wakefield district, are still affecting people’s lives.

The charity made its statement on the 40th anniversary of the 1984-85 miners’s strike.

It echoes comments from former miners from our district who have described the devastation to communities following the strike and the subsequent closure of pits.

Gary Ellis, chief executive of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust: “The challenges facing the former coalfields are not consigned to the history books, they exist today and action is needed now to create a brighter future for these communities.

“There have been many positive changes but we have seen some of the initial progress go into reverse - such as the economic gap between the former coalfields and the rest of the UK doubling between 2004 and 2020.

“The former coalfields still have a wealth of untapped opportunity and if it is realised the coalfields can play their role in helping the whole country reach its full potential.”

Former miner and now Wakefield district councillor for South Elmsall Steve Tulley said that his ho is still suffering 40 years on.

In the months and years after the pit closures businesses struggled and the day-to-day life that defined mining communities ceased to exist, Coun Tulley said.

Many of the pits that survived the strike were earmarked for closure by the early 1990s.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust was established in 1999 in response to recommendations made by the government’s Coalfields Task Force.

It was set up as an independent charity with a focus to support the communities and create opportunities for their people.

It said that despite 20 years of hard work delivering targeted programmes to improve health, skills and employment, the 5.7m people currently living in coalfield areas still face significant challenges.

In said, if you were to combine all of the former coalfields acrossEngland, Wales and Scotland, it would be the most deprived region in the UK.

The charity funds local projects, offers practical help for organisations delivering vital services, brings communities together to plan for their future, and provides skills.