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CXL puts Families First

With young people’s attitudes to education and employment formed at an early age by family role models, social business CXL has launched an innovative pilot in the Shadsworth and Whitebirk areas of Blackburn, which aims to break the unemployment cycle that can exist in families, leading to young people becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training).

Lancaster and Morecambe businesses “missing out” say recruitment experts

Lancaster and Morecambe businesses are missing out by not employing young people, according to Lancashire recruitment experts CXL.

CXL scoops top customer service award

CXL’s Business and Meeting Centre has won a prestigious regional award for its first class service to customers.

Cash Boost for East Lancs Employers

Businesses in East Lancashire are set to benefit from nearly £1m to help them survive and thrive through the economic downturn.

CXL charity fundraising smashes all targets

Staff at CXL have smashed their own target by raising an amazing £3249.21 in support of their sponsored charity Nightsafe.

Blackpool MP views innovative education retention package

Blackpool South MP Gordon Marsden dropped in on a seminar showcasing an online careers package that’s been developed to identify and support students who are at risk of dropping out of college.

Meet the Board

Harry Catherall

Harry Catherall: a member of the corporate management team, Harry is Deputy Chief Executive (Community and Personal) which incorporates Childrens Services, Adult Social Services and Culture Leisure and Sport.  He is also lead officer for interface with NHS and various LSP Groups. Harry also leads on a variety of cross cutting development programmes agreed by the Executive Board (Cabinet): these currently include development of neighbourhood agency partnerships, project sponsor for building schools for the future and Academy Development and Integrated Commissioning Structures with the PCT.

 

Don Clapham

Cllr Don Clapham was brought up in Harrogate and completed an engineering apprenticeship with the CEGB in Yorkshire.  He gained an ONC and HNC in Electrical Engineering and a BSc (Hons) in Systems and Control Engineering.  Cllr Clapham had a 20 year career teaching Maths and Computing in the Blackpool area including the Blackpool 6th Form College where he is a Governor.  He is currently the Chairman of the Building Schools for the Future Board in Blackpool; Blackpool's Children Trust Board; Blackpool's Corporate Parent Panel and Bispham Conservative Ward Committee. Cllr Clapham has served on Blackpool Council for over 16 years and is currently an Executive Member for Children and Young People.

 

Helen Denton

Helen Denton joined CXL as a Board Member in August 2008 following her appointment to the post of Executive Director for Children & Young People, Lancashire County Council.  Helen was the Operations Director for Serco’s Education and Children’s Services Group and was responsible for the operational management of Serco’s education and children’s services contracts particularly across Walsall, Stoke-on-Trent and Bradford. Helen started her career as a teacher, and having taught in Hong Kong, and worked for central government, has also held several senior leadership positions in Education and Children’s Services for Local Authorities across the country.

 

Ian Fisher

Ian Fisher is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court; County Secretary and Solicitor for Lancashire County Council (a role that is part of his Executive Director portfolio of responsibilities) and Company Secretary for Connexions Lancashire Ltd, CX Limited and a range of public/private sector bodies.

 

David Lund

David Lund is Executive Director of Children’s Services, Blackpool Borough Council, David has been Director of Children’s Services in Blackpool since 2004 (prior to this he was Director of Education, Leisure & Cultural Services). Born and brought up in Liverpool he trained as a middle school teacher and then gained an honours degree in the field of SEN and an MSc in Organisational Management. Prior to moving to Blackpool he worked in North Wales for 10 years undertaking various officer and adviser roles for Clwyd County Council and Wrexham  LEA; this period also involved significant interagency working and Child Protection.

 

Karen O'Donoghue

Karen O’Donoghue has been Managing Director of CXL since its inception in April 2007.  She has been a Chief Executive since 1997 when she was first appointed to lead the Careers Service for Lancashire North and West (trading as CareerLink).  She subsequently became Chief Executive of Connexions Lancashire, one of the country’s highest performing Connexions Services in terms of target achievement and value for money, and has overseen each of the structural and strategic changes  to move from the Careers Service to CXL as it is today.  Karen has  a broad range of Board level experience in the public, private and voluntary sectors, including at chair and national level and she is strongly committed to the social enterprise ethos that makes CXL unique.   

 

David Sanders

Dr David Sanders is the former Strategic Director at Blackpool Council with responsibility for children’s education and social services, leisure services and housing. David is the Chair of CXL and an independent consultant specialising in performance and change management in the public sector.

 

Chris Thayne

Cllr Chris Thayne is Executive Member Children's Services (Blackburn with Darwen) and responsible for education services including school services, youth services, children’s social care, health related functions for children.



County Cllr Mark Perks joined the CXL Board after being appointed as the Cabinet Member for Young People in June 2009.  After a career in banking and finance he retrained and became a teacher.  Mark was elected to serve as a Chorley Borough Councillor for Astley and Buckshaw in 2002 and was first elected as a County Councillor for Chorley North in 2005.  He serves on the Governing Bodies of Parklands High School and Buckshaw Trinity C of E/Methodist School.  He is currently Chairman of The Arts Partnership, a charity aimed at improving the lives of young people based in Chorley.  Mark is a member of the Chorley LSP Board, the Children's Trust and Crime and Disorder Partnership Board.