Last weekend saw the return of the popular Chorley Flower Show, with around 11,000 attendees enjoying the sunshine near the Grade II-listed Astley Hall.

Elsewhere in the region, encouraging news for job seekers appeared in the form of two exciting announcements, with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service seeking apprentice firefighters and BAE Samlesbury and Warton calling for local engineers for their new Tempest fighter.

Here are five other stories you may have missed from Preston this week.

More than 100 officers join Lancashire Police thanks to new UCLan degree

The first cohort of the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) for policing has graduated from the University of Central Lancashire, ready to serve in Lancashire Police.

The 108 new officers are among the first to graduate from this innovative new programme – specifically for people who already hold a bachelor’s degree and want to train as police officers.

The DHEP route is one of three new entry routes into policing in line with the new Police Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF).

Read the full story here

Wyre and Preston North MP Ben Wallace presents wheelchairs to injured veterans

Wyre and Preston North MP Ben Wallace has joined The OppO Foundation to donate three custom-built sports wheelchairs to injured veterans.

The presentation at Ambassadeurs Group in Mayfair on Tuesday 12 July saw Rob Bugden, Chris Anslow, and Dave Anderson receive the life-changing equipment, which was bought with a £25,000 donation from the Ambassadeurs Group (AG).

The donations were made as part of Team OppO – the foundation’s project to support a large number of injured veterans wishing to use sports as a way of recovery.

Read the full story here

Outstanding UCLan alumni receive special inaugural awards 

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has named three outstanding graduates as the first recipients of the inaugural Alumni Achievement Awards.

The special awards have been established to honour and celebrate the achievements of the University’s global community of more than 200,000 alumni.

Software engineering apprenticeship graduate Jack Bishop and management alumna Sarah Gardner BEM received the UK awards, while Sultan Al Maskri, who studied BEng (Hons) Fire Engineering and MSc Fire Safety Engineering at the Preston Campus, accepted the international prize.

Read the full story here

Preston’s Dick, Kerr Ladies honoured in new rail firm postcards

Two rail firms have launched a postcard series as part of an ongoing project honouring the legacy of the record-breaking women’s football team Dick, Kerr Ladies.

The project, created by Community Rail Lancashire (CRL) and Avanti West Coast, aims to raise awareness of the Preston team, supporting young people in Lancashire as they retell the forgotten story of the most successful women’s team in history.

It follows the release of a short film, Granny, commemorating Dick, Kerr Ladies team member Lizzy Ashcroft, and was written and produced by Blackpool-based actress Michelle Crane.

Crane felt inspired by an article about the footballer’s life, penned by Lizzy’s grandson.

Read the full story here

Freddie Flintoff bowled over by Afghan wonder-kid who is turning cricket into his own field of dreams

TV presenter and former international cricketer Freddie Flintoff MBE was amazed when he saw a young teenager in Preston showcasing his cricket skills.

A chat with the boy and his foster parents led to the discovery of a heart-warming story.

While filming his Field of Dreams documentary for the BBC, in which he tries to turn an unlikely group of teenagers into a cricket team, Freddie’s attention was drawn to 16-year-old Adnan, who is a refugee from Afghanistan.

Read the full story here

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