The Southport BID Board are pleased to announce the appointment of Rachel Fitzgerald as their new Chief Executive.

Brought in to head up the BIDs management team following the retirement of Hugh Evans earlier this year, Rachel comes to the BID after several years heading up The Big Trust in Liverpool.

Having worked for several years as Regional Manager for Business in the Community, Rachel has worked extensively with not for profit organisations delivering improvement in the community for businesses, people and place.

Rachel is also highly experienced in securing grant funding and investment and working in partnership with public bodies.

Rachel, a Southport resident herself, says of her ambition in the role “Southport is a wonderful town and I am personally committed to bringing people together so, in partnership, we can realise this town’s full potential. I want to be part of creating an evolving town in which talent and positivity can thrive and a town that is desirable to come to work, live and visit”



The BID is overseen by a Board of Voluntary Directors made up from representatives of levy payers and key stakeholders who oversaw Rachel’s recruitment. Susannah Porter, the BID’s interim Chair says “We are thrilled to have Rachel joining us to see the BID through it’s second term. Rachel has superb experience and a great set of skills to be able to deliver the more strategic, investment and regeneration driven plan we have for the BID going forward. Not only does Rachel have the drive, passion and ability needed to help make a positive difference to the future of Southport, she is an extremely approachable and open person who will be a huge asset to both the Management team and Southport itself”

Rachel will formally take up the role in January but will be available to meet levy payers at their AGM on the 14^th of November.

The event takes place at the Bold Hotel at 5.30pm and will host a range of keynote speakers. The BID’s new five-year term begins on the 1^st November and runs until October 2024.

For more information on the new term, AGM or the projects the BID carries out on behalf of levy payers please click here or follow the BID on social media

Good luck, You're going to need it as people are never happy no matter what you do.

Originally Posted by Ceam

Good luck, You're going to need it as people are never happy no matter what you do.

go to website against bid see the abuse then smell the coffee.are we better now tha 5yr back after all those promises.we the business community want a true and viable voice and organisation ,not an enforced council led cash cow,but were denied that true voice.bids arnt our or southports friend.or others towns there a buissness for profit with council remit.

Originally Posted by jamyramy

go to website against bid see the abuse then smell the coffee.are we better now tha 5yr back after all those promises.we the business community want a true and viable voice and organisation ,not an enforced council led cash cow,but were denied that true voice.bids arnt our or southports friend.or others towns there a buissness for profit with council remit.

Like I said, Good luck.

The meeting is being held at The Bold, you'll have no trouble locating it, just look for the block in darkness, not one tree has fairy lights on the whole block from Bold Street to Seabank Road.
It was the same last Christmas!
Debenhams has not closed yet!

Originally Posted by silver-bullet

The meeting is being held at The Bold, you'll have no trouble locating it, just look for the block in darkness, not one tree has fairy lights on the whole block from Bold Street to Seabank Road.
It was the same last Christmas!
Debenhams has not closed yet!

wasn't that something their bragging about.mmn! so much for this reaching out and engaging with its community.not one visit in all its years of inception.but bless her shes had years of corporate experience in engaging with the buissness community so shels gonna unite us all and turn southport round isn't she!

Just curious why this 'not terribly newsworthy' article has remained the top news event for 12 days now. Surely something else newsworthy must have happened since the 22nd October?

Originally Posted by silver-bullet

The meeting is being held at The Bold, you'll have no trouble locating it, just look for the block in darkness, not one tree has fairy lights on the whole block from Bold Street to Seabank Road.
It was the same last Christmas!
Debenhams has not closed yet!

I'm sure there'd be even more complaints if Xmas lights were on before we'd had bonfire night.

Originally Posted by salus.populi

I'm sure there'd be even more complaints if Xmas lights were on before we'd had bonfire night.

Well, the rest of Lord Street is currently illuminated in Orange...except for this stretch.
The lights are often on all through the year, not just at Christmas.