Southport BID feature by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
A Southport community champion who is renowned for rolling up her sleeves and getting things done has joined the Board Of Directors of Southport BID.
Sharon Gregory-Wareing has been the Community Champion at the Southport ASDA superstore, at Central 12 retail park on Derby Road, for the past 17 years.
During that time she has made a huge difference locally, leading initiatives that have helped hundreds of local community groups and good causes.
Sharon has always been eager to help out in other ways.
For the past few years she has also been a committed part of the Lord Street In Bloom volunteers, who work alongside Southport BID and other organisations to make Southport town centre a more vibrant and welcoming place.
She has many attributes and experience that will be invaluable among the Southport BID Board Of Directors.
Sharon said: “I am delighted to have been invited to join. I have been on the board for the past couple of weeks and am enjoying getting involved.
“I have always been really passionate about the local community and also have many years’ experience in retail and believe I have a lot to contribute.
“I am always up for taking on a new challenge!
“I have been the Community Champion at Southport ASDA since 2007.
“Through that role I have supported lots of fantastic community groups in Southport, and have enabled lots of them to successfully apply for funding.
“It was really tough during the Covid pandemic. We were helping groups such as Compassion Acts, which operates services such as Southport Foodbank, and we were also helping Southport Soup Kitchen. Social distancing made that work difficult, but there were people out there who urgently needed help. They were tough times.
“I love being part of the Lord Street In Bloom volunteers. Brenda Porter was the person who got me involved, in around 2011. Brenda got me along and introduced me to Pauline Morris, who runs the group, and I have been coming along ever since. They do so much work to make Southport town centre look really good.
“We have some exciting things we’re working on for next year that people will love.
“There is a wonderful sense of community in Southport.
“That is evident in the way that Southport BID levy payers operate; everyone pulling together to make Southport a better place for everyone. We all need to work together.”
Sharon is coming on board at a time when local businesses are eager to enjoy a busy autumn and Christmas season.
Southport BID has lots of plans in place to support them.
Sharon said: “Southport BID has done a fantastic job in attracting people to Southport town centre over the years in so many ways.
“There is lots of success that we can build on.
“Southport really needs a great Christmas this year and I love the festive spirit we have in town.
“I love all the lights the BID has created along Lord Street; the new canopy of lights above Scarisbrick Avenue; the giant 60ft illuminated Christmas tree, and new attractions such as the Bear and Reindeer and everything else happening.
“I wish I could have that Christmas tree in our house!
“I love the Gingerbread Trail, kids always love that.
“I am someone who really loves Christmas! I am like a kid in a candy shop during the festive season. We always go all out to bring some Christmas magic to ASDA.
“We need a really busy Christmas in Southport this year. We need to go all out and show what a superb place Southport is to visit at this time of year.”
Southport BID is an independent not-for-profit organisation that represents over 750 businesses in Southport town centre.
The programmes Southport BID delivers are decided by the Southport business community and are designed to make a real difference.
- For more information about the work of Southport BID please visit: southportbid.com
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: [email protected]
