Patricia to move Lurgan Forward

Patricia McEvoy, who is operations director at Wade Training, took up the post earlier this week.

“It’s going to be a tough year, but I’m looking forward to it,” she said.

“I want to try and bring in some new blood. We want a new vision and a new strategy, and we want to take a good look at what we are trying to do.”

Ms McEvoy said her priorities will lie on a number of unresolved issues.

She said: ““We need to continue our lobbying on the issues surrounding Millenium Way and the railway gates.

“We will be pushing for Millenium Way to be completed. We would also like to see the railway gets closed for a much shorter time. There is no need for them to be closed for as long as they are.” Ms McEvoy, originally from Kinnego, now lives in Bleary.

She ran her own company, called Business Circles, for five years before eventually merging with Wade Training.

She continued: “I want to show people that Lurgan Forward are doing something for the community.

“We will be reaching out to other sectors apart from businesses in the coming period, especially community groups and sports clubs.

Charles Gardiner, chair of Lurgan Chamber of Trade, welcomed Ms McEvoy’s appointment.

He said: “Patricia has been vice chair of Lurgan Forward in the past and has worked tirelessly behind the scenes for the good of the whole town.

“She is in a fairly unique position in that she deals a lot with the community, and can bring a lot to Lurgan Forward.

“She has a broad remit of both community and commercial, and that will prove to be useful.”