|
After five years of inspiring Wigan
Borough’s residents to ‘get active’ Jacqui Boardman will officially
stand down as Chair of Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust from January
2008.
Jacqui, who has held the position of Chair since December 2002, is
leaving her position due to the increasing demands of her career as a
management consultant which involves a great deal of global travel.
Jacqui’s decision was formalised at the Trust’s Annual General Meeting
earlier this month. The Trust’s Board of Trustees has the legal
responsibility for ensuring that the organisation is managed
appropriately, as such the position of Chair is crucial.
During Jacqui’s five years at the helm she has overseen a period of
significant change within leisure and cultural services. Wigan Leisure
and Culture Trust is the largest charitable trust of its type in England
with around 800 staff and an annual turnover of approximately £26m.
Some hugely positive projects and initiatives have been initiated under
Jacqui’s tenure:
• Wigan became the first place in the country to offer free swimming for
both children (16 and under) and the over 60s;
• Two of the borough’s libraries have been fully refurbished (Ashton and
Golborne) and the borough’s first new library for over 20 years was
opened in Platt Bridge;
• A bid for £3.4m of funding for the restoration of Mesnes Park has been
successful;
• A new £6.4m public sports centre as part of Leigh Sports Village will
open in January;
• Arts festivals have grown in popularity, in particular the Wigan One
World (WOW) Festival and Haigh Music Festival.
Other highlights include the development of an award winning Grounds
Maintenance Service, an increase in libraries usage and a new era for
Wigan Heritage Services including the refurbishment of the History Shop
and plans for a new arts and heritage learning centre.
Jacqui was born in Wigan and now permanently resides here, having left
initially to gain a physics degree at Imperial College in London. She
later worked in Washington DC for the US Department of Energy and has
worked and travelled in all of the world’s continents.
In her spare time, Jacqui is both a stained-glass artist and a singer,
having spent 18 years as a soprano with Wigan Choral Society. She was
one of the founders of the annual ‘Arts in the Park’ Festival at Haigh
Country Park.
Jacqui said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my involvement with the Trust
and I am really grateful for all the support I have been given over the
past five years. I am immensely proud of our achievements and I really
feel that the Trust has made a significant difference to the delivery of
Leisure and Cultural services across Wigan Borough. I am sad to leave
the organisation and wish them well for a bright and prosperous future.”
Preston born Andy Wiggans will take on the position of Chair as of
January 2008. Andy has been a member of the Trust’s Board since 2005. He
currently works as a free lance consultant with a particular focus on
community development, engagement and cohesion.
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust Chief Executive Rodney Hill said:
“Jacqui has given five years of outstanding service - all of it in an
unpaid voluntary capacity. She helped to establish the Trust in 2002,
before its launch in April 2003, and has developed an excellent Board
giving strong and creative leadership.
“Jacqui has always been passionate about the contribution that leisure
and cultural services can make to the quality of people's lives and
she's been unstinting in her commitment, not least in terms of time. We
will all miss her, but she's left the organisation in a much stronger
position than it was when first formed. We all wish Jacqui well for the
future.”
Jacqui now plans to concentrate on managing and growing her own
consultancy business, which currently employs over 100 people both in
the UK and Norway. She is also looking forward to getting her weekends
back!
-ends-
NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this press release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Media and Public Relations Manager, on 01942
486937 or at
c.dunbar@wlct.org
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org
Getting Wigan Active: Getting Wigan Active is Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust’s vision to help people across the Wigan Borough to become more
physically, mentally and creatively active. It also aims to increase
community activity and to encourage good citizenship.
►
Print this page
►
Return to Trust News
|
Jacqui Boardman with Chief Executive
Rodney Hill and Chair in waiting Andy Wiggans at the recent AGM
|