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The Pershore Place Board is a direct result of the successful launch of the Pershore Town Centre Investment Prospectus. While operating autonomously, the board is accountable to the executive board of Wychavon District Council and tasked to assist, advise, and inform the district council and others in facilitating the betterment of Pershore.
The purpose of the Board is to facilitate delivery of the vision and strategic objectives of the Investment Prospectus, through the leadership of the strategic development and enhancement of Pershore, ensuring the appropriate type, scale, and diversity over the longer-term with careful regard to the uniqueness and character of the town. Including the creation and oversight of a Pershore Ambassadors programme, designed to ensure collaboration, cohesion, and unification of focussed project deliverables supported by new future public and private investment.
The Pershore Place Board consists of Pershore based volunteers, across a wide selection of professional backgrounds, who have been specifically selected to ensure a comprehensive approach to the delivery of economic, cultural, and social development in Pershore.
They operate on an impartial and non-political basis to research, consider and make recommendations to Wychavon District Council and other bodies, as appropriate, in order to achieve the Board’s purpose.
The Pershore Place Board meets monthly at different locations throughout the town with a guest speaker typically every other month and regular visitors to observe the meeting too.
Darren trained as an ambulance paramedic and practiced locally, in Pershore. Subsequently he attained a higher law degree and worked as head of governance for the ambulance service and then as policy manager for an NHS regulator. Having moved to the private sector Darren is an entrepreneur and leads a Pershore based investment company which is one of Wychavon’s largest private sector employers.
Always keen to use his skills and experience to help the economic enhancement of Pershore, Darren likes to prioritise the creation of opportunities for local people to develop and prosper.
Pershore resident since 1976. Retired from working on international economic and social aid projects in 1987. Joined the Number 8 Fund raising team at the invitation of Andrew Clasen. Later became a Trustee and still hold this position. Also became a Trustee of The Friends of Pershore Hospital and am still a Trustee and Vice Chairman. Represented Number 8 on Pershore Market Town Partnership, (which he later chaired). Invited to lead the team that produced the Pershore Town Plan, which was adopted by Pershore Town Council in 2018 and is used as a reference document for future developments in the town.
Appointed Chairman of the newly formed Organ Donation Committee at Worcester Royal Hospital in 2010 and awarded the BEM by Queen Elizabeth II for this work. Currently a member of the Pershore Place Board and a Trustee of the Pershore Wellbeing Hub (which was born out of a need identified in the research for the Pershore Town Plan). Widowed in 2019 and have one son who is an artist and filmmaker. Paint pottery and pictures for relaxation.
Branwen Bingle is Communities Officer for Pershore and Central Wychavon and also lives in the area with her family. A qualified teacher, she taught primary and secondary pupils in Worcestershire before moving to Higher Education, first as a Senior Lecturer and then Head of Primary Teacher Training. Having completed her PhD in English literature and identity construction in 2017, she is currently studying a PG Dip in Voluntary Sector Management. Branwen joined the board in order to represent the perspective of community and voluntary organisations in the development of Pershore and its surrounding area.
County Councillor for Pershore, District Councillor for Pershore and a Pershore Town Councillor.
Having grown up in Pershore and the surrounding villages, Michael’s looking forward to help shape and deliver the next stage of Pershore’s growth as a member of the Pershore Place Board by identifying opportunities and attracting investment for the benefit of the community as a whole.
Married to Karen, they have 5 daughters. Michael is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors. As a Chartered Surveyor he spent 23 years with international real estate advisers in a variety of transactional and senior management roles both in the UK and abroad. Since leaving corporate life, Michael has bought, restored and sold a number of listed buildings in the Cotswolds, Bath and the West Country on his own account. He has been National Treasurer of the Gideons International in the British Isles and remains an active member of Good News for Everyone (formerly Gideons International). Currently, Michael is Chairman of the Friends of Pershore Abbey, Chairman of the Pershore Civic Society, a member of the Avonreach Academy Trust, a member of the Pershore Abbey Choir and a Trustee of Number 8 Ltd. Also a member of the Little Ship Club & Treasurer and Deputy Chairman of the Avon Navigation Trust (ANT).
Jilly Oxlade-Arnott is a Professional Artist, specialising in Architecture, working in watercolour and ink. With her husband Chris, they run The Gallery located on Pershore High Street representing guest artists from around of Worcestershire as well as her own work. Her commercial background is in Marketing having worked in London and Birmingham across all fields including advertising, event management, design and PR. Passionate about where she lives and works, her aim is to promote the town as a desirable tourist destination, building upon its already enviable position within the county.
Sam Tarran is the Board Lead on Public Transport and Roads. He has lived in Pershore much of his life. He is currently a project manager specialising in Intelligent Transport Systems for a global engineering consultancy.
The current Pershore and Rural Regeneration and Tourism Officer for the district council. Previous to this role, Angela is well-known in the role as the tourism officer for the district having created the Blossom Trail and the hugely successful development of the Pershore Plum Festival, which she chairs.
Returning to the area in 1988, Richard and his wife Alison have brought up three children and subsequent grandchildren in Pershore and the villages. Alison’s family have strong farming ties across Worcestershire. Richard has contributed to the community as a school governor and parish councillor. Both Richard and Alison have been extensively involved in the development and running of Pershore Community Cupboard at Pershore Baptist Church and contribute to Lenchwood Christian Centre where Richard is a Trustee.
Richard gained a BSc (Hons) in Agricultural and Environmental Science and Master’s in Landscape Design (MPhil) from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, and the Masters in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Liverpool. He is a Chartered member of the Landscape Institute and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. Whilst now semi-retired, his professional experience has spanned local government, private practice, and residential development. Richard was a co-author of the Landscape Institutes position statement “Public Health and Landscape: Creating Healthy Places” and the creator of the Green Space Health Assessment used by councils across the country. Helping to create healthy sustainable communities remains central to his life and work.
The Pershore Place Board held their meeting in July 2022. To date, they have helped complete the following projects:
Current projects being worked on include:
Projects in the pipeline include:
Examples of what will be included:
You can find a meeting summary for each of our meetings here and we’ll update the website with new projects when they are completed.
Link to meeting summary doc for each of the meetings.
In the first instance please contact Angela Taylor, Pershore & Rural Tourism and Regeneration Officer
