Eamonn O’Neal OBE Appointed as BW3 Honorary President

Business charity BW3 has announced Eamonn O’Neal OBE will be its new Honorary President

BW3 channels the resources of businesses to inspire young people about careers they could pursue and works to remove barriers preventing them from reaching their full potential.

Wythenshawe-born Eamonn, a broadcaster and charity leader, has supported the community where he grew up for many years, making the organisation a perfect fit.

Both his parents taught in Wythenshawe schools, and he followed in their footsteps when he started his working life as a teacher in Stockport.

Since then, he has enjoyed a long and successful career in media, including roles as Executive Producer on This Morning and Regional Commissioner for Granada. He later became Managing Editor of the Manchester Evening News and continues to present on BBC Radio Manchester.

In the charity sector, Eamonn has a long association with St Ann’s Hospice, having served as both Chief Executive and Chair of Trustees. He is currently Chair of Prevent Breast Cancer, the national charity based at The Nightingale Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital.

The father-of-three is a founder of The Dianne Oxberry Trust and Chair of The Edge, a community theatre and arts centre in Chorlton. He is also Joint-President of The Ticker Club, based at Wythenshawe Hospital, and Patron of the Wythenshawe Waste Warriors.

In April 2024, Eamonn received an OBE for services to charitable causes and people with disabilities and is unique in having served as High Sheriff of Greater Manchester twice. He is also a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester.

In his role with BW3, Eamonn will support the delivery and promotion of its programmes, ranging from Reading Mentoring and Aspirational Mentoring to events and volunteering projects involving BW3’s business members.

Eamonn O’Neal OBE said:
“Both my wife Sheila and I owe a lot to the communities of Wythenshawe and we’ve championed our home town at every opportunity. BW3’s commitment to improve the chances of young people by removing barriers is very impressive and something I’ve been associated with for many years, so the opportunity to work closely with BW3 allows me to make a contribution in a number of different ways. I think it’s a perfect fit.”

BW3 Chair Adam Jupp added:
“There won’t be many people in Greater Manchester who haven’t come across Eamonn at some point in their lives, and he continues to be a familiar face and voice to many.

“That’s why we are so delighted he has accepted this role, which will make a huge difference to the programmes we deliver and the profile of the organisation as a whole. Ever since I met Eamonn, it has been clear how proud he is of his roots, and that is why it felt so right to explore how we could work together.”