Preserving Preston’s Heritage CIC

This group was set up by volunteers united by a shared passion for Preston and its history and heritage. We are the first to understand the frustration and anger surrounding this sensitive topic. However, we have undertaken this venture in a spirit of positivity. We were fed up with words and instead decided to take action, thank you for joining us. We are lay people and by no means experts in this field – we are learning about the workings of local and national government, legislation, Historic England, funding etc. Please be patient with us. We are looking for the group to be positive, constructive and for other people who are willing to join us in this campaign.

The Group’s fist meeting was on Tuesday 10th December at the Central Methodist Church on Lune Street.

A Community Interest Company (CIC)

Preserving Preston’s Heritage CIC was incorporated on 12th June 2025. Initially, the founder members of the group did not want to be burdened with the formalities of committees and constitutions, and potentially all the other paraphernalia that goes within it. We felt that we had achieved much in a short space of time. However, when the group considered what we wanted to achieve in the longer-term, we decided that the formation of a CIC was the next logical step.

• It gave us credibility in certain arenas
• Considering specific projects, it would give us potential access to funding.

In our first months, much had been achieved with regard to generating interest in the local community. Our first action was to create a Facebook group, to attract other like-minded people that were also frustrated about the neglect of Preston’s heritage and history. The membership grew quickly, and we are now over a thousand strong.

You can join our Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/preservingprestonsheritage

Our first meeting was quite modest, and was attended by the group who would, in the main, become PPH’s founder members. We also had a few friends and family along for moral support.

Our now chairperson, Rachael Bryson, took the bold step to attend an Public Council Meeting in December 2024. She was able to express our concerns to the council via a ‘question from a member of the public‘. The council had the opportunity to see our question before the meeting and were able to respond accordingly when I was asked directly to them in the meeting. Our frustrations vented, we held another meeting on the 27th January 2025 and this was attended large number of people, which included a significant number of the local councillors, including cabinet members, the leader of the council, and the incumbent mayor.

The rest, as they say, is history.