Meet the Board
The Ribbleton Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board will be responsible for creating a 10-year plan for Ribbleton.
Our Board is made up of local residents, business leaders, and local stakeholders, who are committed to ensuring that the funding is well spent in Ribbleton, on what the residents have told us what they want. Together, we will bring diverse skills and experience to make sure our community-led Pride in Place projects thrive over the next decade.
Cllr Pat Varty
Ribbleton Councillor
Having lived and worked her entire life in Ribbleton, Pat has a wealth of local knowledge and insight about the various parts of the Ribbleton ward and is a dedicated and trusted local representative.
Cheryl Taylor
Chair
Cheryl will lead a dynamic and forward-thinking Board made up of local people to make once-in-a-lifetime improvements to the Ribbleton area. With over 16 years experience as a Headteacher in Ribbleton, Cheryl will focus on achieving the best possible outcomes.
Sir Mark Hendrick MP
MP for Preston
Labour Co-operative MP for Preston over the last 25 years. Sir Mark will work with the Chair, the Board and the local authority to ensure that every pound of this Government funding is spent on the area of Ribbleton and its people.
Project Professional, BAE Systems, and Ribbleton Resident
Naeem Badat
Naeem is a Ribbleton resident who brings expertise in project management, governance, business improvement and operational delivery. He currently works as a Project Professional at BAE Systems, leading strategic improvement initiatives, managing governance frameworks and supporting evidence-based decision-making across complex projects.
His background also includes retail management with responsibility for financial performance, team leadership and customer services, as well as experience in education. Naeem offers strong skills in project delivery, performance monitoring, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning and operational effectiveness, which will support the Board in overseeing and delivering long-term Pride in Place projects.
Joanne Afrin Black
Community Programme Manager, Mandala Preston CIC and Ribbleton Resident
Joanne resides in Ribbleton and brings extensive expertise in community development, education, health and wellbeing, funding programmes and partnership working. Following a 30-year career in education and learner support, she now works as a Community Programme Manager for Mandala Preston CIC, designing and delivering community projects, managing budgets and overseeing grant-funded programmes.
She has direct experience of community-led investment through the Fishwick & St Matthew’s Big Local Partnership Board, including funding decisions, programme development and legacy planning. Joanne offers strong skills in governance, community engagement, inclusion, health and wellbeing, arts and culture, and supporting under-represented communities.
Sian Coulton
Senior Engagement and Communications Manager, Community Gateway Association
Sian brings extensive expertise in community engagement, resident involvement, housing, regeneration, neighbourhood development and marketing and communications.
She is currently Senior Engagement and Communications Manager at Community Gateway Association, leading community investment and empowerment strategies, resident engagement programmes, and customer voice initiatives. Sian has a strong track record of working with residents, voluntary organisations, local authorities, and housing providers to develop community-led solutions and influence investment decisions. Having grown up in Ribbleton and worked across Preston communities throughout her career, she offers exceptional strengths in community consultation, governance, partnership working, communications, funding management and ensuring local people shape decisions affecting their neighbourhoods.
John Ekins
Director, Farringdon Park RAFT CIC and Ribbleton Resident
John is a lifelong Ribbleton resident with extensive experience in strategic leadership, programme management, governance and public service. Following a senior career in government departments including HMRC, he led major projects, managed multi-million-pound programmes and developed expertise in policy, risk management, financial oversight and organisational change.
He now serves as a voluntary Director of FP RAFT CIC, supporting more than 750 households through food support, youth development, community resilience and later-life initiatives. John brings a strong resident voice, deep local knowledge, strategic leadership skills and a long-standing commitment to improving opportunities and outcomes for Ribbleton residents.
Andie Hogan
Continuous Improvement Coordinator, Progress Housing Group, and Ribbleton Resident
Andie is a Ribbleton resident with expertise in housing services, tenant engagement, continuous improvement and community consultation. She currently works as a Continuous Improvement Coordinator at Progress Housing Group, leading service improvement projects, redesigning processes and working closely with tenants, community representatives and colleagues to improve services. She has extensive experience gathering resident feedback, facilitating engagement activities and ensuring local voices influence decision-making.
Andie brings strong skills in collaboration, organisational improvement, customer insight, change management and community engagement, alongside a practical understanding of the issues affecting local residents and families.
Jeni Kelly
Art Tutor and Community Artist and Ribbleton Resident
Jeni is a lifelong Preston resident and current Ribbleton resident who brings expertise in community engagement, arts and culture, inclusion and wellbeing. An Art Tutor and Community Artist, she has over 20 years’ experience as an artist delivering creative projects and more recently an educator and facilitator delivering learning programmes with prisoners, neurodivergent individuals and other marginalised groups.
Jeni has led community arts projects, exhibitions and wellbeing initiatives that encourage participation, strengthen community connections and celebrate local identity. She offers valuable expertise in inclusive engagement, creative placemaking, community cohesion and empowering residents to shape positive change within their neighbourhood.
Sultan is a lifelong Ribbleton resident and senior NHS programme leader with extensive experience delivering large-scale transformation programmes, governance frameworks and strategic change initiatives. He has operated at director level across major NHS programmes, managing complex partnerships, significant budgets and board-level stakeholder relationships.
Sultan brings strong expertise in programme delivery, governance, risk management, performance monitoring and translating strategy into practical action. His professional background in health, wellbeing and digital transformation, combined with his deep local roots and commitment to community-led decision-making, provides valuable skills to support the long-term delivery of the Ribbleton Pride in Place programme.
Sultan Mukhtar
Senior NHS Programme Leader and Ribbleton Resident
Jeanette Smalley
Senior Leader and Trustee, Charity Sector
Jeanette brings extensive strategic leadership, governance and health-sector expertise gained through more than 20 years working across public services, the voluntary sector and cancer support organisations. She has significant experience in board-level governance, organisational leadership, partnership development, financial sustainability, income generation and community advocacy.
As a senior leader and trustee, Jeanette has worked closely with NHS organisations, local authorities, charities and community groups, ensuring that service-user and community voices shape decision-making. She offers particular strengths in health and wellbeing, stakeholder engagement, funding, strategic planning, volunteer leadership and governance assurance.
Lesley-Ann Stickley
Business Owner, School Governor and Scout Group Lead Volunteer, Ribbleton Resident
Lesley-Ann is a lifelong Ribbleton resident, local business owner and experienced community leader with strong expertise in governance, finance and youth development.
She has served as a school governor for more than 15 years, including as Vice Chair of Governors and Chair of Finance Committees, providing extensive experience in accountability, scrutiny and financial oversight. As Group Lead Volunteer for Central Ribbleton Scout Group, she works closely with local children, young people and families. Lesley-Ann brings deep local knowledge, strong community networks, financial management skills and a longstanding commitment to improving opportunities for Ribbleton residents.
Mark Tierney
Director, Paisley Training and Consultancy and Ribbleton Resident
Mark is a lifelong Ribbleton resident with deep family roots in the community and extensive expertise in adult social care, regulatory compliance and business leadership. As co-founder and Director of Paisley Training and Consultancy, he supports care providers with workforce development, Care Quality Commission compliance and service improvement.
Mark has substantial experience managing residential and domiciliary care services, working with people with disabilities, autism and mental health needs needs. He brings strong knowledge of health and social care, inclusion, training, regulatory governance and community support, alongside a long-standing commitment to improving outcomes for Ribbleton residents.
Geoff Tyson
Retired Housing & Community Professional, Chair of Governors and Ribbleton Resident
Geoff brings extensive expertise in housing management, neighbourhood regeneration, community development and governance, supported by more than 40 years of residency in Ribbleton. He has led large-scale housing improvement programmes, managed significant budgets and resources, and worked closely with residents, councils, MPs and community organisations.
His experience includes over 20 years as Chair of Governors at Greenlands Community Primary School, trustee leadership within the homelessness sector, youth work, safeguarding, strategic planning and partnership development. Geoff offers strong local knowledge, financial oversight, governance expertise and a proven commitment to improving outcomes for local communities.
Get in Touch
We welcome your questions, suggestions, and feedback. Connecting with the board is the first step toward collaborative community regeneration.
Email Inquiries
info@ribbletonpip.org