Our Lancashire Civic Pride Charter

Across Lancashire, residents care deeply about where they live, but there is also a growing sense that pride in some places has been tested by visible decline, antisocial behaviour, neglected environments and a feeling that too many everyday spaces are not living up to their potential. Civic Pride is important because it responds directly to these concerns and creates a shared way for organisations to act together.

Lancashire’s Civic Pride approach is built on practical action and partnership. As the plan makes clear, small, everyday improvements can make a big difference to how people feel about their local area, and progress will be shaped by resident feedback as well as local data. This Charter is an opportunity for partners to turn that ambition into collective action.

We commit to a Lancashire where all partners:

• Actively promote pride in place

• Work collaboratively to address local challenges

• Respect and reflect local identity

• Contribute to cleaner, safer and more welcoming environments. Together, we aim to create cleaner, safer, more welcoming places that reflect local identity and support thriving communities.

By signing the Charter, organisations formally commit to using their influence, resources and activities to support civic pride across Lancashire. In doing so, signatories will seek to:

Caring for our places

• Keep public spaces clean, safe and welcoming

• Use organisational influence and assets to benefit local places

Reflect local identity

• Design services and buildings that reflect Lancashire’s character and local identity

• Celebrate Lancashire’s heritage, culture and stories

Invest in communities

• Invest in visible improvements valued by local communities

• Support community leadership and locally led action

Value people and contribution

• Recognise volunteering and civic contribution

• Support staff volunteering and community involvement

This Charter is based on shared values rather than uniform actions. Each organisation commits to contributing in ways that reflect its role, capacity and local context. What matters most is that partners translate commitment into visible action and work collectively to deliver for Lancashire residents.

• Develop proportionate civic pride commitments, projects or action plans that reflect organisational role and local need

• Work collaboratively across sectors to deliver practical improvements that residents can see and feel

• Share learning, insight and examples of what works so successful ideas can be scaled across Lancashire

• Support communication and engagement that encourages residents, staff, volunteers and communities to get involved

• Contribute to a collective culture of pride in place, shared responsibility and long-term partnership working across Lancashire

Public sector partners can help by aligning services to pride in place outcomes, improving reporting and response routes, sharing insight on local issues and working together on visible environmental and community safety improvements.

Businesses and employers can contribute through sponsorship, volunteering, staff involvement, environmental improvements, and championing local pride through their premises, supply chains and community activity.

Voluntary, community and faith organisations can continue to play a vital role by mobilising residents, supporting grassroots action, identifying local priorities and building community connection and belonging.

Schools, colleges and youth organisations can inspire the next generation through youth social action, volunteering, local heritage activity and projects that encourage pride, responsibility and participation.