West Lancashire in the spotlight

The key challenges and opportunities facing West Lancashire were highlighted at Lancashire Business View’s latest launch event.

The gathering at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk also heard from Annette Weekes, managing director of PDS CNC Engineering, based in Nelson, on the challenges of attracting more women into the sector.

And David Harland, chief executive of Eden Project International gave an insight into its massive project in Morecambe and the aim to bring back some of the glory days of the seaside resort.

The event was held at the university’s Production and Innovation Centre to launch issue 85 of Lancashire Business View and was attended by around 50 guests.

They heard the thoughts of a panel made up of Angela Maher, managing director of Acumen Financial Partnership, Simon Bolton, associate dean (enterprise and employability) and chair professor of innovation at Edge Hill and Councillor Ian Moran, leader of West Lancashire Council.

Annette, who has described the statistics around women in engineering as “shocking” spoke of the need to change the perception of the industry, including among parents.

West Lancashire Council leader Ian Moran described the area’s location on the motorway network as “fantastic” and highlighted the work to bring the rail network to Skelmersdale. He also praised the work of the Skelmersdale Ambassadors group.