Meet the Team
Meet the Team
David Borrow: Chairman: Former Larches and Savick Cllr. and Preston resident
Emma Caffrey: Operations Manager: Larches resident
Christine Cox: Treasurer: Ashton resident, Admin of "Love Ashton"
Cllr Phil Crowe: Larches & Savick Cllr, Ashton resident
Jennifer Mein: Former Larches & Savick Cllr
Christine Murray: Ashton resident
Cllr Nweeda Khan: Former LCC Cllr for West Preston, Plungington Cllr. and Fulwood resident
Our Trustees hold the ultimate responsibility for our governance, direction, and management. This includes ensuring we work towards our stated public benefit purpose, managing our resources responsibly, complying with the law, and acting in the our best interests. They do this by attending meetings, making decisions, and ensuring the charity is accountable to the public.
Lyn Day
Lindsay Harrington
Caroline Hodgson Priestley
Rachael Hodgson Priestley
Louise Hughes
Margaret Sylvester
The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Bernard was built in 1966 to serve the residents of the Larches estate that had sprung to life just a handful of years earlier.
By 2007, congregation numbers had dwindled and there was a severe shortage of priests which prompted the diocese to close St Bernard's and 9 other churches in Preston.
This created an opportunity for St Bernard’s club to be moved from its original premises in a purpose built centre behind the church into the church building itself. It was duly renamed St Bernard's Function Suite.
But the times they were still a changing and when Covid hit in 2020 the club ceased operating and the building was in danger of falling into disrepair and being vandalised. The worry locally was that the building would be demolished and the site sold for housing.
In late 2021, two people with a love of Larches (Luke Parkinson and Emma Caffrey) were tidying Larches Wood when talk turned to the future of the building, which was beginning to look a sorry sight. Luke commented that the venue would be ideal for a community hub; Emma agreed - and so began a year long push to make the dream a reality.
Councillors were contacted for advice and support, representatives from the diocese and the council were consulted, residents views and support were sought and a means of saving the venue for the community was found.
St Bernard’s -Larches and Savick - Community Hub was registered as a charity (CIO), three Trustees came forward, grant aid was sought and slowly but surely the Hub sprang into life.
To be continued