It’s been 10 years since Preston was awarded city status, but did the town ever move on and make the most of the opportunity?

Perhaps the real issue is what is Preston? What does it mean to be from Preston? Preston has an identity crisis: a city with a town mentality.

So how do we move on? This month’s Preston Social is set to be a good one: we will be drawing up a panel of Preston’s finest from art, culture, business, high profile and political. And of course, the vital ingredient: you.

The panel so far:

Ben Casey

Co-founder and Creative Director of The Chase – designers of the Guild 2012 branding and whose portfolio also includes Preston North End’s football stadium.

Over the years Ben has been invited onto the boards and steering committees of some of the country’s most respected and influential design advisory panels including the British Design Council’s Design Skills Advisory Panel; the City of Manchester’s Creative Panel and the Chairmanship of the British Design & Art Director’s Club’s Education Group.

In 2003 Ben was appointed Professor of Visual Communication at the University of Central Lancashire. In 2004, The Chase was ranked 2nd most creative agency in the UK and is now one of an elite band of companies to have had work accepted by D&AD in each of its 18 years of existence.

Ben has won numerous creative awards including The Grand Award for Creativity at The New York Festival of Advertising & Print. Ben has also chaired and directed judging juries for all the major UK creative awards and many international ones.

Kirsty Henshaw

Described by herself as ‘that northern lass from Dragon’s Den,’ Kirsty has worked phenomenally hard to establish her food products and personal brand to the one we recognise today.

With a genuine passion for nutrition, health and vitality, Kirsty has not only applied her business savvy to achieve her successes but has, in the process, become something of an ambassador for the north and for Preston.

As a professional speaker, Kirsty is often asked to share her views on formulating lasting relationships in business, selling into retailers, pitching products and building brands - for the Preston Social we’ll be sure to get her views on Preston’s position and future.

Ruth Heritage

Ruth is the director of They Eat Culture – an organisation that runs new arts programming, inclusion events & cultural projects in Preston and across Lancashire.

They also deliver quality community based participatory projects around inclusion and media/arts-based literacy, working with emergent and nationally recognised creative practitioners.

A stalwart of the arts and culture scene in Preston, Ruth’s place on the panel is vital and relevant. As Ruth said: “Preston needs a thriving independent sector across arts, culture, entertainment and retail, and shouldn’t just focus on chain stores, pubs, cinemas, or local authority venues.” Discuss!

John Potter

Born in Whitehaven, Cumbria, Councillor John Potter moved to Preston to study in 2001.

He became active in Preston politics in 2005 and have since stood and campaigned in a variety of ward seats. John was elected as a councillor for Cadley Ward on September 16th 2010 in a by-election and was re-elected in May 2012 with more votes and a greater share of the 44% turnout.

John is a voting Federal Conference rep for the Liberal Democrats as well as the secretary of the Wyre and Preston North local party and campaign coordinator for the Fulwood and Rural areas.

We’ll be tweeting using the #prestonsocial hashtag to make sure the conversations spreads far and wide.

And exciting news: a venue change. We’re back at the event space at The Continental. Cue the stage, huge screens and ambience of one of Preston’s finest arts/culture and entertainment establishments.

6.30pm – Doors open

7.00pm – Event start

8.00pm – Event Finish

8.01pm – Be social, stick around and chat!