Press release: Lancashire businesses unite behind Northern Powerhouse for Lancashire Day

  • ‘Lancashare’ and ‘Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone’ have become the latest members of the Northern Powerhouse Partners Programme  
  • Lancashire now boasts over 20 members of the programme with 3 new members joining in November alone

The government’s flagship Northern Powerhouse Partners Programme has welcomed 2 new members from Lancashire today.   ‘Lancashare’, based in Preston, uses an online sharing platform to pool the county’s resources in one place to make life, and work, easier for as many people as possible.

The sharing platform is filled with local suppliers, jobs, training providers, tenders, events, awards, networking events, news, offers, discounts, advice, information and funding from across Lancashire.

New branches are also being rolled out throughout the Northern Powerhouse including Manchester (Manceshare) and Yorkshire (Yorkshare).

The latest public sector Northern Powerhouse partner is Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone – a 144 hectare site incorporating the expanding Blackpool Airport and surrounding commercial areas – close to the Irish Sea in Blackpool, Lancashire.

The airport continues to play an important role in making the Enterprise Zone one of the most successful in the country. The Enterprise Zone also forms part of the Lancashire Advanced Manufacturing and Energy Cluster – a government backed initiative to make Lancashire one of the leading regions in the UK in the advanced manufacturing and energy sectors.

Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry MP, said:

As Minister for the Northern Powerhouse and, of course, a proud Lancashire lad, I am delighted to welcome these 2 latest members of our Northern Powerhouse Partners Programme.  

Lancashire’s growing economic strength is testament to the dynamic and ambitious organisations across the private and public sectors who are working hand-in-hand with government to turn our Northern Powerhouse vision into a reality.

Lisa Edge, Director, Lancashare said:

Two years ago, I gave up my beloved career to stand in the middle of a county and ask businesses to ‘buy in’ to a new concept of becoming the most collaborative county we can be. Two years later, I am so proud of the amazing businesses here and being officially approved as a Northern Powerhouse partner – that is way beyond what I imagined what we could achieve in that time and is testament to the incredible businesses of these amazing counties.

Neil Jack, Chief Executive of Blackpool council said:

We share many of our aims and objectives with the Northern Powerhouse and so it makes perfect sense to collaborate, learn from and support like-minded companies, institutions, organisations and sectors across the North.

We are already playing our part in promoting the region and have strong ties with Lancashire University and its Health Innovation Campus, and Lancashire Energy HQ; Blackpool & The Fylde College’s flagship training centre, delivering the next generation of engineers and technicians through renewable and low-carbon energy generation, as well as providing traditional oil and gas training and skills for the future.

The Northern Powerhouse Partners Programme is a key part of creating the Northern Powerhouse. Government is building a network of partners who all believe strongly in the economic potential of the North and support the need for a combined effort by government and business to realise that potential.

The addition of Lancashare and the Blackpool Airport Enterprize Zone brings the total number of Lancashire members to 20 with partners including Grandma Singletons Dairy who export their renowned cheeses to markets around the globe, Vincents Solicitors who joined the Partners Programme this month, and RLR Motorsport who are the 2018 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) LMP3 Champions.

There are nearly 200 businesses and organisations signed up to the Partners Programme. Prospective partners can email NorthernPowerhouse@communities.gov.uk for more information about the Partners Programme and how to apply.

  • Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone
  • Blackpool and Fylde College
  • Burnley Bondholders
  • Cotton Court Business Centre
  • Cuadrilla
  • Grandma Singletons (Singletons Dairy)
  • Groundswell Innovation
  • Lancashare
  • Lancashire LEP
  • Lancaster University
  • Marketing Lancashire
  • North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce
  • Northern Automotive Alliance
  • Recycling Lives
  • RLR M Sport Ltd.
  • Samuel James Group
  • Transdev Blazefield
  • University of Central Lancashire
  • Vincents Solicitors
  • Workhouse Marketing

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