Certificate in BID Management

Day 1 - Induction & Principles of BIDs

• Background to BIDs
• The principles of establishing and managing a BID
• The BID ballot
• The challenges that BIDs face
• Your structured research report

Day 2 - BID regulations, Policy, Financial matters & BID governance

• Understanding the BID regulations
• National BID Criteria
• Technical guidance
• Governance structures
• Good governance principles
• Business plan essentials
• Role & responsibilities of Directors
• Financial controls in BIDs
• Cashflow principles

Day 3 - Research methodologies and data collection techniques

• Principles of research
• Collecting and analysing data
• Choosing your research topic

Day 4 - Marketing & communications in BIDs

• What is a brand and what do you want from it?
• Things to consider when preparing a marketing & communications plan for a BID
• The importance of marketing in a BID
• Preparing a marketing & communications plan for an event

Day 5 - Contract management & operations

• Roles & responsibilities
• Managing the BID operation
• Contract law and management
• Managing risk
• Managing expectations

Day 6 – Presentation skills - Research papers presentation tips, guidance & rehearsals

Advice and preparation on the presentation of the chosen research topic including;

• Considering and applying the core steps to being a good presenter
• Understanding and applying some top tips for delivering effective presentations to any audience
• Effective verbal and body language

Day 7 – Presentations day

• Presentation delivered to panel

The cost of the course is £2,000 for Bb members, including their 25% discount. For non-members, please get in touch.

Amy Whitehouse, Bilston BID 

Amy has with worked with Bilston BID since February 2020, taking over as BID Manager in July 2024, she's keen to deliver both marketing and events to increase footfall within Bilston Town Centre.  

Amy has experience in retail, owning her own Bridal shop for 7 years and 17 years' service with Lloyds Bank as a Senior Personal Banking Manager, and a wealth of knowledge in the world of business. 

She is also a committee member of Willenhall’s Town Centre Partnership, helping to organise events and initiatives, including Willenhall in Bloom, Lockstock Music Festival and Willenhall Transport Show to name a few. 

Jenni Tamlin, Bristol City Centre and Redcliffe & Temple BID 

Jenni is the Marketing Manager at the Bristol City Centre and Redcliffe & Temple BIDs and has 15 years of experience in marketing, branding, and communications. With a varied background working across B2B and B2C communications from housebuilding to hoteliers, retail to tourism, she joined the BIDs in March 2023. Jenni is passionate about supporting businesses and supporting the BIDs’ drive to make Bristol City Centre a better place to work, live, visit and study. 

Graham Schofield, Coventry BID 

Graham is the Deputy BID Manager at Coventry BID. He joined the BID 18 months ago after a 27-year career with Tesco as a Manager, delivering in many of the management roles from in-store to head office. His final role was for the Loss Prevention Team delivering multi-million-pound projects across the whole estate. Graham is a strong communicator and feels very comfortable when supporting the levy payers to help their businesses thrive and succeed. He also plays a large part with BID initiatives like Cocktail and Restaurant week, making them a huge success. 

Christine Martin, Cranleigh BID 

Christine joined the BID as the BID Manager in September 2024 and is utilising her project and organisational skills to deliver the four key business plan pillars which are: to bring digital connectivity to the High Street, market Cranleigh as a destination, ensure the area is safe and secure and lastly provide business support. Christine started her career in Hotel Management but got distracted by the travel bug and joined the airline cabin crew for British Caledonian. During her time at B.Cal, she was seconded into the marketing, publicity and training teams. Fast forward 8 years and she started her own sales and customer service training company specifically for front line people in the Travel Retail industry. She was responsible for introducing emotional intelligence training into the airline world and organised an annual training, reward and recognition event for airlines worldwide between 1999 and 2016. 

Rachel Noel, Horsham BID 

Rachel is the BID Manager for Horsham Town Centre BID (Your Horsham), established in 2024. With a diverse background in sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Rachel spent the first 15 years of her career travelling all over the world holding major corporations to account for their CSR practices and leading stakeholder engagement initiatives and audits. 

She ran her own business for 7 years and has worked in education, including supporting the leadership team of a university medical school. Stepping into the world of Business Improvement Districts has been both a learning curve and a natural progression, drawing on her experience in leadership, strategy, and engagement. 

Now leading a dedicated team of town ambassadors, Rachel oversees the day-to-day operations of the BID, working in close partnership with businesses and stakeholders to deliver positive impact across Horsham Town Centre. She is passionate about revitalising high streets and helping businesses thrive. Every day brings new challenges and opportunities, but that’s exactly what she loves about working in this field. 

Tyler Smith, Orpington 1st BID 

Tyler is the recently appointed BID Manager for Orpington 1st BID. Following his extensive Small Business Support and Town Centre Management experience working for the London Borough of Bexley and as a consultant for several other public sector organisations, Tyler looks forward to delivering the Orpington 1st BID Business Plan and improving outcomes for local businesses and residents. 

Orpington 1st BID was established in 2013 and currently represents over 325 town centre based traders. The BID is currently in its Third Term. 

Svanitha Barlow, Positively Putney BID 

Svanitha serves as the Business Engagement Manager at Positively Putney BID, where she has already made contributions, including the successful implementation of the Prefer Putney digital card. Her focus lies in fostering collaborative relationships with local businesses and supporting successful events run by the BID. As the BID prepares for its ballot in 2027, Svanitha is eager to further strengthen her knowledge and understanding of BID management, ensuring she can continue to make a positive impact in her role. 

Svanitha brings a wealth of experience and a dynamic perspective to the BID management sector. With a career spanning over a decade, she has excelled in roles such as advertising sales, public relations, and event management across international markets, working with globally recognised brands like Cosmopolitan Malaysia, Singapore Airlines, Classic FM, and Time Inc. UK. 

In addition to her professional achievements, Svanitha is deeply involved in her local community. She has taken on leadership roles as PTA Chair, Parent Governor, and volunteer coordinator for a local charity, where she demonstrated exceptional skills in stakeholder engagement, project management, and strategic planning. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to earn a Diplôme de Pâtisserie at Le Cordon Bleu, further showcasing her diverse talents.

John-Jo Von Johnson, Colmore BID
“A Business Improvement District (BID) management course is valuable for anyone involved in revitalising and supporting local areas. It provides practical skills, stakeholder engagement, project planning, and financial management tailored to the unique needs of BIDs. By understanding how to run a BID effectively, participants can make a real impact on local economies, enhance public spaces, and drive community collaboration.” 

Suman Marygiri, Central District Alliance
"I recently had the opportunity to participate in the CiBM course. The comprehensive curriculum covered a wide range of topics, from the foundations of the BID framework to governance, funding, marketing, and events management. The course professors shared invaluable insights and practical advice, fostering a collaborative and supportive learning environment.

One of the most significant benefits of the CiBM was the opportunity to connect with BID professionals from across the UK. Sharing experiences and best practices on how to deal with different aspects of working in a BID.

I highly recommend the CiBM, whether you are new to the role or seeking to enhance your existing skills, this course will equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to succeed in your role within the BID sector."

Wendy Bell, (formerly) Crawley Town Centre BID
"The CIBM really helped me to consider an issue within our area and then take some time to focus on possible solutions. The time I spent researching my project with other BIDs was really beneficial; as it showed where different BIDs challenges were similar but also our differences too. I would highly recommend this course to new and experienced BID team members."

Cyril Bekoe, Ilford BID
"Joining the BID industry from an external sector, the British BIDs CiBM course has provided me the guidance and support to build a strong foundation on which I can better support my businesses and board. I would strongly recommend the course structure, content and facilitators."

Rachel Dingsdale, South Bank BID
"I would thoroughly recommend the CiBM having recently completed it. The teaching sessions gave a really comprehensive overview of the BID industry and the individual sessions were well presented and involved a good balance of teaching alongside peer to peer learning and collaboration. The chance to network with key figures in the BID world and meet colleagues from across a wide range of BIDs and learn from their experience was invaluable. The written dissertation element of the course gave the opportunity to engage in an in-depth investigation and while challenging was a really important element of the course."

Nick Bishop, Bath BID
"I recently completed the Certificate in BID Management and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has aspirations for a career in the BID industry. The course has provided me with comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of working in BIDs, and I now feel confident in communicating and delivering services to our levy payers. I really enjoyed meeting colleagues from BIDs all over the UK and sharing best practice with one and other. Thank you British BIDs."

Julie Frost, Romford BID
“Having just completed the CiBM I would definitely recommend the course to anyone involved in BIDs around the country. I am new to BID management and found all teaching sessions so helpful, with very knowledgeable presenters and the opportunity to share experience with fellow colleagues in the BID world. Due to covid-19 our course was all completed via Zoom so we did miss out on the personal contact however it did work well and I would highly recommend."

Susan Shaw, Richmond Council
“I enjoyed this very professional and comprehensive BID course and having the opportunity to meet other BID Managers from around the UK. Doing the research project was both demanding and rewarding at the same time!”

Chris Travers, Orpington 1st
“The CIBM was a fantastic experience and one which I would thoroughly recommend to both aspiring and experienced BID personnel. It provided an excellent opportunity to network with peers and a comprehensive look at all aspects of working in the BID industry. The speakers were engaging and knowledgeable and offered unrivalled insights into their respective topics.”

Jo McGowan, Hello Dorking  

Jo is a passionate supporter of local businesses and has a diverse and experienced background, from being a family events coordinator to running a local business hub in Guildford. A natural networker and strategic thinker, Jo is excited to share her skills with Dorking as the BID Manager, focusing on strengthening their business community's growth and adaptability. In just 4 months Jo has organised the large-scale Christmas Festival and is busy working with the BID on Fresh Start Feb, Wedding Week, Surrey Day/VE Day celebrations and other initiatives to highlight that Dorking is the place to say Hello to in 2025. 

Stuart Grainger, Coventry BID 

Stuart is the Security Manager at Coventry BID, with 27 years of diverse experience in security, emergency response and customer service. Stuart brings a wealth of knowledge and practical expertise to any role. His career spans key sectors including HM Prison Service, retail security management, the hospitality industry and frontline volunteering as a First Responder with West Midlands Ambulance Service. 

John-Jo Von Johnson, Colmore BID 

John-Jo is the Community Operations Manager at Colmore BID and has been with the BID since May 2016.  

He manages the Community Operations team which consists of five security officers, one Community Liaison Executive and a cleaner. The team’s main role in the District is keeping the businesses, staff and public safe and sound. The team works closely with local partners such as West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. The Community Operations team are part of the Safe and Sound Working Group.

One of John-Jo’s achievements while working at the BID is acting as an Advisor of the Local Partnership Deliver Group, which has enabled John-Jo to work more closely with local partners across the City Centre. He also sits on the ‘Change into Action’ charity panel. 

Heather Woodhouse, Colmore BID 

With over eight years of experience in PR and communications, Heather specialises in relationship building, stakeholder engagement, corporate communications, social media management, and crisis communications.  

Heather joined Colmore BID in 2024 as Communications Manager to support the delivery of the BID4 Business Plan, working closely with businesses, including SMEs, to foster engagement and collaboration. Passionate about place-based campaigns, Heather is driven by a desire to align local initiatives with the broader city vision, creating lasting impact and helping shape vibrant, thriving communities. 

Kelsey Dwyer, Partnerships & Events Manager – Colmore BID 

Kelsey is the Partnerships & Events Manager at Colmore BID, where she has worked for 3 years. Kelsey is responsible for the planning of Colmore BIDs event programme including the multiple award winning Colmore Food Festival. 

As well as managing a range of different events Kelsey also leads on Social Impact projects, extending her support beyond the Colmore BID boundary supporting their neighbours. She has launched a wellbeing programme in the local school for children from the most deprived households, as well as supporting deprived areas with several different projects to feed families, open new opportunities, create career aspirations and to open the district doors to a new and diverse audience. 

Aaron Corsi, Stratford upon Avon BID  

Aaron is a person who thrives on positivity, making the most of what life has and strives to empower others to share the responsibility for making our places better. Known for his enthusiasm and friendly demeanour, Aaron is passionate about community engagement and improving local business environments. 

Since taking over as BID Manager in late 2024, Aaron has switched on the Christmas lights and hosted in person business networking to try and understand how the businesses are feeling since the ballot in early 2024. He is busy working on creating a ranger scheme in town to deal with the perceived ASB and retail crime, while organising the business support events as part of Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebrations, the Festival of Motoring, Food festival and looking at how to switch on the Christmas lights in a different way this year. 

Aaron loves to support his local community by organising and modelling in charity fashion shows and can usually be seen walking around the BID area with his faithful Golden Labrador, Rufus! 

2025

Jo McGowan, Hello Dorking

Stuart Grainger, Coventry BID

Aaron Corsi, Stratford upon Avon BID

John-Jo Von Johnson, Colmore BID 

Heather Woodhouse, Colmore BID 

Kelsey Dwyer, Colmore BID 

2024

Jenny Dunlop, I Love Clarkston & All About Barrhead

Michelle Woodland, One Maidstone

Ash Durling, Harley Street BID

Charlotte Ashworth, Station to Station BID

Sarah Walmsley, Brentwood Connected

Ciara Wilczur, Fleet Street Quarter & Positively Putney

Kavita Chauhan, Coventry BID

Simone Brown, South Bank BID

Richard Turner, Newcastle NE1 Ltd

Izabella Kasinska, Aldgate Connect

Liam Sheppard, Newbury BID

Charlotte Irvine, Linen Quarter BID

Louise Whitworth, South Bank BID 

Alexa Volker, Abbey Quarter & Reading Central BID

Thomas Wales, Wakefield BID

Tom Swithinbank, Bristol BIDs

Suman Marygiri, Central District Alliance 

2023

Sara Tupper, Chelmsford for You

Lottie Stanley, InExeter BID

Joanna Breuer, Fulham Broadway BID

Kelly Bliss, South Bank BID

Clarissa Parker, Slough BID

Lee Roberts, Lincoln BIG

Roberta Redecke, Sunderland BID

Angela Grey, Lowestoft Vision

Aaron Finn, Hatton Garden BID

Heather Card-Jones, Hemel Hempstead BID

James Mbanefo, Wandsworth Town

2022

Dan Collins, Salisbury BID

Marcos Gold, Central District Alliance

Andrew Bell, Fulham Broadway BID

Dawn Rondeau, Weymouth BID

Elche Doluner, Colchester BID

Nikita Hart, Sidcup BID

Kate Blenkinsop, Nottingham BID

Mujibur Rahman, Redditch BID

Sean Kennedy, MyMiltonKeynes

Wendy Bell, Crawley Town Centre BID

2021

Emily Stedman, South Bank BID

Richard Green

Joe Sentance, North Notts BID

Cassy Staal, MyMiltonKeynes

Nicki Palmer, Victoria BID

Lyndsay Smith, Coventry BID

Fran Inman, Bristol City Centre BID

Gail Buckland, Hemel Hempstead BID

Claire Dumontier-Marriage, Cheapside Business Alliance

Rachael Smith, Primera Corporation

Gail McGibbon, Sligo BID

Finbarr Filan, Sligo BID

Jenny Granshaw, Cambridge BID

Ellen Fife, Wandsworth Town Centre BID

Kristian Foreman, Cambridge BID

Sarah-Jane Adams, Royal Tunbridge Wells Together

2020

Johnny Englishby, MyMiltonKeynes

Suzanne Gloyne, Southend BID

Cyril Bekoe, Ilford BID

Vicky Lee, Bristol City Centre BID

Vicky Rogers, Halesowen BID

Sophia Beckford, Our Colchester BID

Nick Bishop, Bath BID

Adrian Cousins, Witham Industrial BID

Sarah Davis, Winchester BID

Paula Ratcliffe, Bristol City Centre BID

Olivia Murray, Ilford BID

Julie Frost, Romford BID

Rachel Dingsdale, South Bank BID

Katy Paddock, Colmore BID

Alex Powell, Kidderminster BID

2019

Melanie Beck, MyMiltonKeynes

Abdel Najid, South Bank BID

Ilsa Butler, One Maidstone

Sam Good, Our Colchester

Neil Haggartay, South Bank BID

Amy Coulson, Nottingham BID

Chloe McNeil, Halifax BID

Livia Caruso, Hammersmith BID

Gordon Brockie, Hammersmith BID

Steve Bluff, Broadmead BID

Ellen Storrar, Richmond BID

Jack Cripps, Ipswich Central

Jodie MacAndrew, Collectively Camberley BID

Richard Buxton, Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID

Selina Cresswell, Our Colchester BID

Vanessa Sharp, St Albans BID

Caron Linyard, Bexleyheath BID

2018

Shahrukh Bhatty, South Bank BID

John Coward, Nottingham BID

James Dunham, BID Leicester

Jill Farnsworth, Watford BID

Sally Gilborn, North Notts BID

Glen Hempenstall, Uxbridge BID

Craig Hurring, South Bank BID

Simon Jenner, BID Leicester

Claudia Moore, Weymouth BID

Amie Mullen, Lowestoft Vision BID

Sam Murray, Manor Royal BID

Patricia Park, Successful Sutton BID

Indranie Sookdeo, South Bank BID

Paul Spencer, Winchester BID

Lucy Stanford, Nottingham BID

Leonna Staple, Twickenham BID

Amy Williams, Newcastle-Under-Lyme BID

Cheryl Williams, Colwyn BID

2017

WIlma Sagoe, Ilford BID

Sarah Nelson, Mansfield BID

Jane Bastock, Winchester BID

Patrick Knight, Plymouth City Council

Mike Crane, Uxbridge BID

Diane Mansell, Soho Road BID

Nikki Rolls, Walsall Council

Gerry Barwick, Twickenham BID

Susan Shaw, Richmond Council

Mike Truelove, Hereford BID

Natalie Dickson, Nottingham BID

Daniel O'Neill, Acocks Green Village BID

Brian Albuquerque, Wandsworth Council

Marcia Greenwood, Northfield BID

Thomas Zane-Black, Your Bromley BID

Amy Sheppard, Winchester BID

Lorinda Freint, Wandsworth Council

Charlotte Wickins, Chichester BID

Tony Garrett, Bexleyheath BID

2016

Steve Sawyer, Manor Royal BID

Matthew John, Hammersmith London

Nic Durston, Southbank BID

Nicola Grant, Putney Town Centre

Alicia Mosquito, Westside BID

Will Dyson, WeAreWaterloo

Chris Travers, Orpington 1st

Rupert Basham, HammersmithLondon

2015

Jo Hawkins, Destination Bristol

Ross Feeney, Successful Sutton

Andrew Mitchell, Alloa BID

Tammy Sleet, Wimborne

2014

Ben Collins, Ilford BID

Rebecca Handley, Kingstonfirst

Lee Walker, Ipswich Central

Katie Lindsey, Baker Street Quarter

Andrew Cooper, Bath BID

Maris Puks, Waterloo Quarter

Alison Shaw, BID Leamington

Josyanne Thatcher, Cornwall Council

Alison Dewey, Southend BID

2013

Julie Thorneycroft, Northampton BID

Hasanul Hoque, Camden Town Unlimited

Frances Forrest, Vauxhall One

Ann Hunter, Ealing Broadway

BID Russell Downing, Newbury BID

Cherry Shine, Wolverhampton Council

Robin Hibbert, New West End Company

Catherine Turness, Winchester BID