A man who has championed West Cumbria for the last 40 years will have a building named after him.
Professor John Fyfe has helped to regenerate the area since the 1980s. Now the University of Central Lancashire will rename its building at the Westlakes campus, near Whitehaven, in his honour.
Prof Fyfe is an international strategic development specialist and an influential speaker on partnership development and public value.
Awarded the CBE for his services to West Cumbria in 2009, John set up a radical partnership model in 1986 that was central to the regeneration of the Cumbria area by encouraging government agencies, stakeholders, and businesses to work together for the community’s greater good.
This project also drove the creation of Westlakes Science and Technology Park, which now houses UCLan’s Westlakes Campus, and Prof Fyfe has maintained a close relationship with the campus ever since.
Most recently, he was instrumental in supporting the development of the National Centre for Remote and Rural Medicine that was established to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills to provide gold standard care in remote and rural locations.
The building will now be known as the John Fyfe Building.
Prof Fyfe, who was awarded an honorary doctorate by the university in 2022 and is a long-serving member of the university’s Applied Policy Science Unit, said: “I am grateful to the University of Central Lancashire for this accolade.
“I felt an affinity with West Cumbria and the university’s Westlakes campus from the moment I arrived and through the power of partnerships the county has made huge strides, both economically and socially.
“The university’s Westlakes Campus is one of many important partners that make a positive contribution to the region and long may this continue.”
University of Central Lancashire Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Baldwin said: “This is a fitting tribute to a man who has worked hard for decades on the regeneration of West Cumbria.
“Through his work with the Applied Policy Science Unit John has inspired students and supported academic research for more than 15 years.
“As a board member of the Samuel Lindow Foundation, he continues to provide significant insight and credibility to our own strategic development, especially in public value management and delivery.
“We want to thank John for everything he has done for Westlakes and the University of Central Lancashire.”
