Our Meet Our Members series gives an insight into the Heart of the South West LEP Board members, their careers, industry insights and how they joined the LEP. In this blog, we hear from Vince Flower, Chair of the Torbay Economic Development Company and Visit Devon.
I joined the LEP in 2021 to help deliver ‘the big picture’. The LEP is a unifying force, driving regional development, and promoting sustainable growth while prioritising the welfare of the local community.
Possessing a deep passion for education I recognise its pivotal role in the lives of young people. I am particularly focused on assisting disadvantaged youth within our community, as recent data indicates a widening gap that threatens social mobility. In addition, I have served as Chair of the Torbay Development Agency for several years and, more recently, assumed the role of Chair for Young Devon, a remarkable charity that supports approximately 3,500 young people annually throughout the County. I have also maintained my involvement in the tourism sector as Chair of Visit Devon.
My career in tourism started at a young age, when I secured my first part-time job at Beesons Holiday Village in Torquay. Working there exposed me to the leisure and tourism industry, and I quickly developed a passion for it. Initially tending gardens, clearing rubbish, cleaning glasses and assisting wherever needed. The work and the people at Beesons left a lasting impact on me.
From 1981, I built a successful career managing various holiday parks across the country. This experience allowed me to further develop my skills and broaden my expertise. Towards the end of the 1980s, I managed Perran Sands Holiday Village and, finally, Lyme Bay Holiday Village in Seaton. These chapters of my life provided valuable learning experiences, and I had the privilege of working with many exceptional individuals.
In 1993, I undertook the responsibility of overseeing the merger of eighteen hotels in the south for Shearings Holidays with another chain of eighteen hotels in Scotland. In 1996, following a strategic review, Shearings was put up for sale by the Rank Organisation, and the management team, including myself, raised the necessary funds to acquire the business. This period marked a mixture of fear and excitement, and we managed to achieve great success.
By the end of 2010, our group had amassed over 1 million UK customers, operating holidays throughout the UK and Europe. Employing over 2500 people, we operated 240-holiday coaches and owned and operated 50 hotels in the UK. Our success was largely attributed to our dedicated and professional team, whose passion for their work was unparalleled.
During my tenure, which spanned over 25 years. I’ve been fortunate to work collaborate with exceptional people and their teams. My advice for anyone at any stage in their career is to embrace every experience that presents itself, whether positive or negative. Life is an ongoing journey of learning and personal development. Embrace it fearlessly, knowing that every encounter holds valuable lessons. Recognise the power of saying “no.” Feel free to decline opportunities or requests that do not align with your beliefs, values, or aspirations. Above all, remain respectful, authentic, and humble in your interactions and actions.
I became a member of the LEP because I believe every region requires a strategic entity that can effectively unite partners and resources, fostering collaboration across the area. It’s this blend of public and private sectors that for me is so important. This collaboration enables the region to collectively identify and establish core strategic objectives, formulate plans and strategies, and implement initiatives.
The LEP plays a crucial role in facilitating access to funding, thereby unlocking the immense potential present in the South West region. By focusing on creating a cleaner, greener, and more highly skilled economy, the LEP strives to deliver tangible benefits to the community it serves.
The LEP still has a very important job to do, and I am looking forward to playing my part in that work. I look forward to the numerous significant initiatives coming up, and playing a role in delivering the LVEP and Tourism Datahub projects this year.
I am l also looking forward to helping the Skills Advisory Panel deliver its objectives in supporting workers, and supporting South west Social Mobility Commission, on the mission to close the gap for the disadvantaged in society.
Meet the rest of our Board members.
