Certificate in BID Marketing

Simon Edward

Simon is the Former Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at IBM, and a BID Board Director. Simon is an Advisor to several marketing professional bodies, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and a Chartered Marketer. 

Philip Collins

Philip is the Writer-in-Chief at The Draft, an agency which has written for many corporate and political leaders. He is columnist on many national newspapers and was the Chief Speech Writer to the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, between 2003 and 2007.

John Thornton 

John is the Senior Creative at SURREAL and former Social Media and Copywriter at Innocent Drinks.

The cost of the course is £1,500 for Bb members, including their 25% discount. For non-members, please get in touch.

Ben Beardmore-Gray, Newbury BID 

Ben joined the Newbury BID team full-time as Marketing Manager in December 2024, after several years of account managing Newbury BID in his previous role at a leading local media company. 

With extensive experience in local marketing and well-established relationships with BID businesses and suppliers, he brings valuable insight and expertise to the team and looks forward to championing all the fantastic work that local businesses already deliver throughout Newbury town centre. 

His role includes managing the public-facing Visit Newbury website and social media channels, as well as contributing to the development and execution of a long-term marketing strategy as Newbury BID prepares for its re-ballot in 2027. 

Wendy King, Poole BID 

Wendy is the Communications and Operations Manager at Poole BID. Since joining in 2022, she’s played a key role in helping the area recover from the challenges of the pandemic. She’s been instrumental in Poole BID earning British BIDs accreditation, a recognition that only a small number of BIDs across the UK achieve. Wendy is passionate about making Poole a great place to live, work, and visit, always looking for ways to boost the local economy and bring the community together. 

Charlotte Perry, Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID - Marketing Officer

Joining the BID from the Staffordshire University Accellerator Graduate scheme initially, Charlotte now supports with content for BID social media and website, along with events and activities promotion. 

Sally Boyd, Bury BID

Sally joined Bury BID in 2023, initially as Business Liaison before becoming Marketing and Communications Manager in 2024. She leads-on the town centre’s Destination Marketing Strategy, overseeing campaign planning, budgets, PR, and digital engagement to strengthen Bury’s profile as a cultural and retail destination. Her work has included delivering high-profile initiatives such as ComicCon, the Lantern Parade, and the Bury Food & Drink Festival, all aimed at attracting new audiences and increasing footfall. 

With over 15 years’ experience in marketing and communications across the arts, hospitality, and agency sectors, Sally brings a wealth of expertise to the BID. She is passionate about using creativity and collaboration to support the business community and is committed to ensuring Bury remains a vibrant, welcoming, and connected place for residents, visitors, and businesses. 

Beth Bennett, Globe Business Park & Cressex Business Park BIDs 

Beth joined the Globe and Cressex BID Team in February 2024 as BID Project Officer, taking responsibility for events and marketing. She played an integral role in the successful BID ballot at Globe in December 2024 and continues to work closely with local businesses and stakeholders to deliver impactful events and initiatives. Beth is committed to raising the profile of both districts, strengthening community connections, and supporting the long-term growth and success of the BID areas. 

Courtney Harrison, Lincoln BIG

Courtney joined Lincoln BIG in 2024 as Marketing Coordinator and has quickly become a key part of the team, supporting the promotion of the city and everything that makes it unique. Her role focuses on highlighting the wide range of services and events delivered by the BID, while shining a spotlight on the businesses within the area to help attract footfall and celebrate their contribution to the city’s success.

Lincoln born and bred, Courtney is passionate about supporting her home city, championing all the positive things it has to offer, and helping to make Lincoln a great place to live, work, visit, and study. She particularly enjoys working on events and exploring new ideas that can be brought to the city to enhance its vibrancy as both a business hub and a tourist destination. 

Nicola Wooldridge, Hemel Hempstead BID - BID Manager

Georgia O'Connell, Stratford upon Avon BID - Projects Coordinator

Jade Sandground, Wakefield BID - Marketing and Events Assistant

Marcia Greenwood, Northfield BID - Town Centre Manager 

Lauren Furey, Wandsworth Town BID - Marketing and Communications Manager

Lauren Furey, Wandsworth Town BID
"Taking part in the British BIDs marketing course enabled me to gain valuable insights, not only from the experts who delivered the course but also from other marketing professionals based at BIDs up and down the country. Even if you think you know everything there is to know about marketing, there's a good chance you'll be surprised by what can be further understood, specifically, about BID marketing."

Rifat Iqbal-Khan, Slough Town Centre BID
"I feel truly honoured to have completed this course. I really appreciate the guidance provided by our wonderful tutors, whose expertise and encouragement played a vital role in my success. Graduating from the BID Marketing course has empowered me with knowledge and skills to take on new challenges in my career. Thank you British BIDs."

Suzy Dierckx, Winchester BID 
"The Certificate in BID marketing provided great insights, but what really stood out for me was the collaboration and networking it encouraged. It created a fantastic space for BIDs to share ideas, learn from each other, and build connections across different districts."

Melissa Hanley, One Maidstone BID 
"I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Certificate in BID Marketing course in 2024. Each week was something I looked forward to, and I stayed engaged throughout the sessions. Although the course was entirely online, the flexibility it offered was perfect, especially considering the demanding workloads at BIDs! It was fantastic to connect with marketing and events colleagues from across the BID sector, exchanging best practices and staying connected even after the course. I've gained valuable insights that I've already implemented into our BID marketing strategy. I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to deepen their understanding of BID marketing and expand their network with other BIDs."

2025

Sam Murray, (formerly) Crawley Town Centre BID

Sally Boyd, Bury BID

Beth Bennett, Globe Business Park & Cressex Business Park BIDs (Groundwork)

Nicola Wooldridge, Hemel Hempstead BID 

Courtney Harrison, Lincoln BIG

Ben Beardmore-Gray, Newbury BID 

Marcia Greenwood, Northfield BID

Wendy King, Poole BID 

Charlotte Perry, Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID

Georgia O'Connell, Stratford upon Avon BID

Jade Sandground, Wakefield BID

Lauren Furey, Wandsworth Town BID 

2024

Lois Churcher, BID Leicester

Rachael Aldridge, Central District Alliance

Ryan Mitchell, Chelmsford For You

Kate Keene, Coventry BID

Joanna Breuer, Fulham Broadway BID

Stephanie Vlamis, Huddersfield BID

Cyril Bekoe, Ilford BID

Melissa Hanley, One Maidstone BID

Rifat Khan, Slough Town Centre BID

Elaine Weir, Westside BID

Luisa Huggins, Westside BID

Suzy Dierckx, Winchester BID