Central Lancashire: The heart of the matter

Jennifer Gadson explains the one thing that became clear when she and her fellow Leyland Town Deal board members looked at the needs of the town: where, she asks, was its identity?

The government Town Fund cash of up to £25million that Leyland is now to receive will go some way to giving the famous Lancashire market town its identity back and create a new beating heart.

The award follows a funding bid submission made back in October 2020 by the board, chaired by Jennifer, who is a partner in Lancashire law firm Birchall Blackburn. 

She says: “This is a fantastic opportunity, a once-in-a-generation chance to change the face of the town.”

Leyland became globally famous as the home of the motor giant that shared its name. Generations of local people have worked in the automotive industry building buses and commercial vehicles and Leyland Trucks still has a major manufacturing plant today.