SHOUTING about Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich and encouraging businesses to invest in their future are the top priorities for Weaver Valley's new boss.

Nicola Dufty has been announced as the new chairman of the Weaver Valley Partnership, which aims to plan, co-ordinate and deliver regeneration across the area.

"I've lived here for a long time, about 20 years now, and seen the area tread water," she said.

"But now there's so many projects coming together, it's really exciting to be involved in that.

"There's a lot of expertise on the Weaver Valley Partnership Board and people have worked very hard over a number of years to get things to this point, it's an exciting time to be a part of it."

The mum-of-two has strong roots in all three mid Cheshire towns.

She was chief reporter at the Winsford and Middlewich Guardian in the early 1990s and then editor of the Crewe and Congleton Guardian and the Northwich and Winsford and Middlewich Guardians in the late 90s.

She set up PR and advertising consultancy Profile Communications in 2002, which includes publishing Business Update magazine.

"The area has got so much to give now because there's so much happening," she said.

"To get more investment and develop business links is my key driver.

"In my current job at Profile I'm involved with a lot of businesses.

"I've run Business Update magazine for 10 years and you meet a lot of businesses big and small, and through that I've attended lots of networking meetings as well, and we've worked with some of the area's big organisations like the Cheshire Show.

"It's really bringing networks together and trying to connect with as many businesses as possible.

"When a business is looking to invest we want them to look at Weaver Vale and see that the business support is fantastic, the network is good and that business works together."

Nicola, 46, is also keen to start promoting all of the good things about the mid Cheshire area to residents and visitors as well as businesses.

"We're at the heart, between the cities and the countryside, close to Manchester and Liverpool airports with top schools and fantastically successful business," she said.

"We need to shout about Weaver Vale and what a great place it is to live, to work in and to invest."