When I read about the ambitions of the Birchwood Pride in Place team, I knew straight away that I wanted to be involved.
As someone who is Birchwood born and bred, I’ve always been proud of where I come from. I know our community is full of passionate people, creative ideas and a shared ambition for a brighter, fairer and more connected future. Joining the Pride in Place Board is an opportunity to help turn those aspirations into lasting change.
Helping shape the future of Birchwood:
What excites me most about joining the Board is the chance to help empower local people, groups and organisations to think boldly about the future we want to create together.
This will be my first experience of serving on a board, so I’m also looking forward to learning more about governance and how decisions are made at a neighbourhood level. It’s a new challenge, but one I’m excited to embrace.
For me, Pride in Place is about much more than funding projects. It’s about building stronger relationships, investing in community leadership and creating the conditions for long-term change that is shaped by the people who live here.
Listening to our community:
One of my biggest hopes for Pride in Place is that people across Birchwood feel they can trust the Board.
I want local people to know that their ideas, experiences and ambitions matter, and that decisions are made with their voices at the heart of the process.
Whether someone wants to organise a community event, apply for funding, volunteer, or simply share an idea for improving their neighbourhood, I hope they feel Pride in Place is something that they can be part of.
I genuinely believe there are so many brilliant ideas still waiting to emerge, and I’m excited to see what happens when people are given the opportunity to shape the future together.
Bringing learning into leadership:
Through my work with LocalMotion, I’ve been fortunate to explore new ways of working that put relationships, learning and reflection at the centre of change.
I’ll be bringing some of these approaches into my role on the Board, including using reflective check-ins inspired by Deep Democracy and tools such as the Iceberg Model to help us think beyond immediate challenges and explore the systems, behaviours and assumptions that shape our decisions.
Being part of LocalMotion’s Learning and Culture Nested Teams has taught me that good leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being curious, listening well, creating space for different perspectives and being willing to learn and unlearn together.
Looking ahead:
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Birchwood Pride in Place Board and to work alongside so many passionate people who care deeply about our community.
This is an exciting moment for Birchwood. By working together, listening to one another and investing in local ideas, I believe we can build a place where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, belong and thrive.
I’m looking forward to the journey ahead.
What is Pride In Place?
The Pride in Place initiative in Birchwood (Lincoln) is a government regeneration program that provides the local community with an investment of up to £20 million over the next 10 years. It aims to empower local residents to improve their own neighbourhood, focusing on three core goals: building stronger communities, creating thriving places, and empowering people.
You can find out more here.