History of LGEC

Below is an extract from our 25 year birthdays celebrations in 2005. Now in 2008, we're 28 years old and looking forward to our 30 year celebrations in 2010!

Lancashire Global Education Centre 1980 - 2005

LGEC started life as the Lancashire Churches Development Education Group in the autumn of 1980, with input especially from Christian Aid and the Fishergate Baptist Church. The premises were rooms above a shop on Fishergate, open for 2 hours (a day? a week?) between 5& 7pm. One of the early volunteers, Joyce Clarke, remembers being anxious not to get locked in, while Sheila Miller recalls addressing envelopes with Gill Pacey in very cramped conditions.

The purpose in those days was to raise awareness of development issues and developing countries, in schools, mainly in order to increase support for the work of agencies such as Christian Aid and Oxfam. In 1983 LDEG (it had dropped the churches bit by then) moved to offices at the back of the One Village shop in Fox Street  these were paid for in kind by providing volunteers to staff the shop.

Avenham was the next move, in 1986  all Greek pillars and crumbling stone! It was part of Lancashire Polytechnic (now the University) Arts Centre and they gave us one big room, which housed the offices, library, meeting room  everything! During this time LDEG employed about 10 workers, all temporary and part-time, on the Government Manpower Services Commission (MSC) scheme. As well as schools workers, admin and library staff we had a minority ethnic worker, a black history worker, and a community worker (Julie).

We also managed to obtain funding, through the European Union, for a full-time project worker, Judith Brennan, on the CATE project  Co-operatives, Alternative Trading and Employment. This looked at alternative ways of working in developing countries, especially Nicaragua and Brazil, where Judith once had contacts, and the lessons we could learn from these in our own country, at a time of high unemployment. This led to our first publication, What's the Alternative? in 1989/90  and also the acquisition of a wooden rocking chair made by a Nicaraguan co-operative, which took up far too much space but everyone loved! It was eventually bought by a keen supporter who was a head teacher in Lancaster.

In 1990 we moved to our current premises on St Peter's Square, and had a grand opening attended by lots of Mayors! Over the last fifteen years, the premises have been refurbished and a new reception desk put in, sources of funding extended, community and schools work expanded, management structures overhauled, and our budget increased. We also changed our name again, to Lancashire Global Education Centre (LGEC, and became a limited company. A close link was developed with a Kenyan community organisation WAC (Welfare Advisory Committee). Funding remains a constant challenge  it is rarely for more than three years at a time but due to careful planning we are going from strength to strength.

A few recollections from those early days

South American pan pipe music I will always associate this now with One Village

Mary Winnington was one of the first volunteers, and stayed with us until her death in the early nineties

Gill Pacey was busy cataloguing and sorting out all the resources at the back

Today LGEC works with communities and schools in Lancashire and has links with a community in Nairobi in Kenya.

What has LGEC meant to you?
(thoughts from people who have had connections with LGEC from the past)

"Caring, professional organisation"

"Educating, inspiring, supportive and excellency"

"A two-way mirror of living"

"To inform and promote awareness"

"A place where more or less like-minded people work towards a better world"

"Reliability, support, global awareness, innovation"

"Equality, justice, helpful , friendly"

"Commitment/vision/intensity/energy"

"Actually enjoying going to work "going because I want to, not because I have to"

"Raising awareness and personal development"

"Dedication- going the extra mile laughter hard thinking about fairness and community, locally and worldwide, and ACTION to follow it. A lively vibrant and caring group."

"It gave me more understanding of the many complex issues affecting world poverty and an appreciation of all the efforts being made to combat injustice in the world"

"Working for a better community and world."

Committed" to the community at a local level. Outward" looking in that you address global poverty, education and racial equality". Positive" in your actions to achieve your aims"

"A resource bank of ideas and support"

"Belief in people"

"Courage to challenge the way the world works"

"Nurture and support for my career in DE"

"LGEC is always changing, the sign of a healthy organisation"

"Most people contributing to work at LGEC left their egos at home a rare characteristic of most workplaces. I'm glad you're there!"

"LGEC has enriched my life."

"A bunch of very committed, dedicated and lovely people"
"A criss-crossing of really friendly and supportive people making a better, wider, outward looking Preston."

"There's another 25 years work ahead still, to build the inclusive, sustainable, globally aware society. Keep on reading outwards and onwards. "

"I started as a volunteer at LGEC in 1997, and have never tired of going in  it's such a good environment to work in"