A new initiative is aiming to unite the North of England under one powerful brand — and it’s inspired by one of the country’s most iconic sporting events. Sir Brendan Foster, founder of the Great North Run, says the same spirit that made the half marathon world-famous could now help “power the North.”
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00:00A new initiative is aiming to unite the north of England under one powerful brand and it's inspired by one of the country's most iconic sporting events. Sir Brendan Foster, founder of the Great North Run, says the same spirit that made the half marathon world famous could now help power the north.
00:17Speaking in Leeds, Foster announced his support for the Great North, a new political and economic partnership between mayors and leaders from across the region. The initiative is designed to unlock up to £118 billion in investment and generate thousands of new jobs in areas such as green energy, defence and advanced manufacturing.
00:37Sir Brendan described how the Great North Run became a symbol of pride and community for the region, saying that its success came not from marketing but from the people who embraced it. He believes those values can now drive wider changes.
00:52The Great North Partnership has laid out a series of major proposals including the creation of an energy coast, stretching from Hull to Northumberland, to lead the UK's net zero transformation, as well as a northern security corridor, linking key defence and cyber industries across the region.
01:09North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said that this was about building something from the north upwards, not waiting for ideas from Westminster.
01:17She argued that past initiatives like the northern powerhouse or levelling up fail to deliver lasting change, while the effort is rooted in real collaboration among local leaders.
01:29Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner echoed that sentiment, calling the creation of the Great North a whole new era.
01:37She said that the region is central to Labour's mission for economic growth and promised cooperation with all mayors, regardless of the party.