New-look Preston Partnership launches with new funding

Backed by a fresh tranche of funding, the 100-member Preston Partnership has relaunched with a new board and a new vision.

Preston Partnership was originally formed in 2018 and led the creation of Preston’s Towns Fund board which secured £20.9m in 2021 to kick-start a £200m regeneration of the city’s Harris Quarter project.

Now, working with Preston City Council, Preston Partnership has secured £80,000 in funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

The funding will enable the partnership to create a dedicated team and resource to grow its membership base, better represent the private sector and work together with Preston’s anchor institutions including Preston City Council, Lancashire County Council, UCLan and other partners to shape and implement future regeneration plans and promote the city.

Activities will also include regular events to improve communication between the private and public sector.

The board will be chaired by John Chesworth, executive chairman of Harrison Drury, and other board members will include:

• Rob Binns, owner Cotton Court and Lancashire chair, Downtown Lancashire in Business
• Alban Cassidy, director, Cassidy + Ashton
• Karen Hirst, managing director, Maple Grove Developments
• Babs Murphy, CEO, North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce
• Adrian Phillips, CEO, Preston City Council
• Rizwan Seth, founder and managing director, Wrkspace
• Simon Turner, CEO, Freshfield
• Ginette Unsworth, director of communications and events, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

Beckie Joyce, founder and CEO of regeneration consultancy, Radics Consulting, has been appointed to lead Preston Partnership’s operations team. Beckie was previously head of strategic development at Lancashire County Council and has held senior development roles at Bolton Council and Manchester City Council, working alongside Sir Howard Bernstein.

Adrian Phillips, chief executive of Preston City Council, added: "The relaunch of Preston Partnership provides an important platform for the voices of Preston’s business community, and is a significant step forward in harnessing public and private sector collaboration.

"Building and strengthening our existing partnerships and creating new ones is the key to successful future regeneration and investment in the city."