Pride of Place Responsible Business Network

23/01/2026

“Running a business facing significant challenges means you take on the burden of wanting to succeed for everyone’s sake. I had become so focused on taking care of others that I had completely neglected taking care of myself.”
— John Ainsworth, Beyond Okay

This short excerpt is from John Ainsworth’s book, and I’m delighted to share that he will be our keynote speaker at next month’s Fylde Coast Responsible Business Network event.

John, former CEO of a regulated financial services company and former Board member of the Blackpool Pride of Place Partnership, will be joining us to share his personal journey.

While I don’t run my own business or hold a senior leadership role, much of what John writes resonates with me. His themes around pressure, vulnerability and wellbeing are universal and they apply to all of us, regardless of job title or background. And that’s exactly why this event isn’t just for business leaders, it’s for anyone who cares about mental health, resilience and supporting one another.

Through our Mental Health and Wellbeing working group, and at last year’s Baton of Hope UK business breakfast, one question keeps coming up. How do we encourage more men to talk openly about their mental health?

By inviting John to share his story, I hope we can take another meaningful step toward changing this.

We’d love for you to join us. Please register via the link below and we look forward to seeing you there: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/businessinthecommunity/1994548

Business in the Community, Empowerment, Lancashire Mind, Blackpool Talking Therapies

02/12/2025

Today marks the start of Business in the Community's 'Big Give Christmas Challenge'. From the 2nd to the 9th of December, every donation will be matched 100% by the Big Give, doubling its impact.

Two years ago, we delivered around 11,000 books. This year, thanks to your support, we’re aiming for 21,000 books, nearly twice as many, for children from low-income backgrounds across our 12 UK of the UK’s most underserved communities such as , and .

Book ownership is recognised as one of the top three predictors of children’s reading performance in school.

However, did you know 1 in 11 children in the UK have no books of their own at home? For many, Christmas morning means no presents at all, not even a book.

Business in the Community is committed to helping communities that are at risk of being forgotten, and what better way to do that than to help children improve their literacy skills. Leaving primary school without fundamental reading skills can severely hinder a child's prospects and is a problem we cannot ignore.

Your gift today can help us change that.

1 in 11 children from low-income backgrounds in the UK don’t own a book, limiting their chances to succeed. This Christmas, our campaign aims to deliver over 21,000 books to children in twelve underserved communities, giving them the tools to improve literacy, build confidence, and inspire brighte...

10/10/2025

On , we’re proud to stand alongside partners across the Fylde Coast, playing our part in raising awareness around mental health and su***de prevention.

We’re all at different stages of the journey, but each of us can take small steps to support our family, friends, and colleagues by fostering a culture of openness, encouraging dialogue, and signposting to support.

At the Fylde Coast RBN, we’re actively exploring ways to support the business community and look forward to sharing insights from our working group.

If your business has initiatives that support employee wellbeing, we’d love to hear from you. Let’s collaborate and share best practices across our network.

For free resources to support mental health in the workplace, take a look at Mind’s guide for employers and employees: https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/my-staffs-wellbeing-at-work/useful-resources/

08/10/2025

Celebrating 7 Years of Responsible Business on the Fylde Coast!

On 8th October 2018, the Fylde Coast Responsible Business Network was officially launched at the Winter Gardens Pavilion Theatre in Blackpool.

More than 150 people from across the business and public sectors came together with a shared ambition: to connect business with the wider community and explore how collaboration could drive positive change across Education and Employment.

Supported by the Blackpool Pride of Place Partnership and Business in the Community, the event featured speakers including the Chairman and Managing Director of Beaverbrooks the Jewellers, Mark Adlestone and Anna Blackburn (our founding sponsor), Jane Cole FCILT Managing Director of Blackpool Transport Services Ltd and our Chair of the network at the time, Steve Fogg former Managing Director of Shared Services at BAE Systems.

Since that day, the network has grown into a thriving community of businesses committed to delivering meaningful change across the Fylde Coast and we’ve expanded our priorities to include Mental Health and Wellbeing and the growth of the RBN.

We've made a massive impact which we'll share over the coming months, and had an impressive range of keynote speakers including Dame Julia Cleverdon DCVO, CBE, Andrew Hodgson, Jordan Wylie MBE, Carrie Longton to name just a few!

Enormous thanks to our current Chair, Andy Anderson, Head of R&D at Victrex and members of our Steering Group who provide support and guidance that help shape our strategy. Also thanks to members of our working groups who help drive forward our priorites.

Finally, thank you to every one of you who has supported us on this journey and who continue to do so.

06/10/2025

Reminder: Registration is open for the launch of Business Funding Blackpool.

On Tuesday 14 October, join us and other business networks at Blackpool Tower Ballroom from 8:00–10:00 AM for the official launch of Blackpool’s new Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).

Business Funding Blackpool will offer loans of up to £250,000 to support:

• Start-up and growth funding
• Cashflow support
• Investment in space or equipment
• Job creation and safeguarding

This is a key opportunity for businesses and social enterprises that struggle to access mainstream finance.

Register here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/blackpoolprideofplace/1827052

19/09/2025

Fleetwood Town Friends of the Trust and the Responsible Business Network would like to invite you to a joint networking event on 3 October 2025 at Parkside Lounge at Highbury Stadium Fleetwood.

Both networks have a similar ethos and values, and we’d like to take this opportunity for the two to meet with our members and better understand how we can work together in future for the benefit of our communities.

- 1.00pm - 2.00pm - Networking
- 2.00pm - 3.00pm - Presentations
- 3.00pm - 4.00pm - Networking

We look forward to seeing you there!

Fleetwood Town Friends of the Trust and Fylde Coast RBN - Joint Network Meeting – Parkside Lounge at Highbury Stadium, Fri 3 Oct 2025 - Fleetwood Town Friends of the Trust and the Fylde Coast Responsible Business Network would like to invite you to a joint networking event on 3 October 2025 at Par...

02/09/2025

01/09/2025

This morning was truly amazing, thank you to everyone that joined us at Village Hotel Club to have meaningful conversations around su***de and mental health, in support of the Baton Of Hope UK.

Thank you so much to Sam Southern and the team at Empowerment for bringing this powerful event to our town and trusting in us to kick things off with a breakfast meeting.

This doesn’t stop now, we need to continue the open dialogue and break the stigma around su***de. But what this morning demonstrated, was a fantastic sense of community, compassion and hope for the future. A chance for business leaders to make changes in the workplace to support their colleagues.

If there’s one thing you can takeaway from the meeting earlier, it’s to register your interest in the Baton of Hope’s Workplace Pledge and start the ball rolling in your organisation, be a part of the change. https://batonofhopeuk.org/workplace-pledge/

Further thanks to Mike McCarthy, one of the co-founders of the Baton of Hope who shared his story with the network, and to Ian Hooper, Director at Up-Beat Rock Academy who has agreed to Chair the Mental Health workstream for the RBN. His performance of 'Here comes the sun' a poignant reminder of hope and optimism for the future. Thank you to all our wonderful table hosts who shared your expertise and experience with the network, helping shape the conversations.

Finally, huge thanks to our friends at 32West for putting this montage together capturing the emotion as the baton left on its journey across the Fylde carried by its courageous baton bearers.

28/08/2025

✨ Doors swing open at 4PM tomorrow for the Illumination Switch-On 2025! ✨ Our 16 incredible bands hit the stage from 4:25PM!!

21/08/2025

Active Blackpool are seeking 6 additional sponsors for the Active Blackpool Community Awards on Friday 26th September 2025 at the iconic Winter Gardens Blackpool. The event celebrates the outstanding achievements of our residents and the positive impact they have made across our communities this year.

By sponsoring, businesses will not only raise their profile but also directly contribute to creating social value in hashtag – helping us recognise and inspire local people, strengthen community pride, and ensure the long-term sustainability of these awards for future years.

For further information, please see the graphics below or email [email protected]

14/08/2025

Great to catch up with Sam Southern at the Village Hotel Club yesterday afternoon ahead of the Responsible Business Network breakfast to launch the Baton Of Hope UK tour.

Yes, it’s an early start…

Yes, it’s a Monday morning…

But watch the video below on why your organisation should attend, and then register here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/businessinthecommunity/1768434



Empowerment, Business in the Community, Blackpool Council