Chair of the Neighbourhood Board
Published
Wednesday 27 May, 2026
Updated
Wednesday 27 May, 2026
Introducing Sheppey East Neighbourhood Board Chair
Garry Ratcliffe is the newly appointed independent Chair of the Neighbourhood Board for "Pride in Place, Sheppey East," bringing three decades of public sector leadership and deep local roots to the £20 million long-term investment programme.
Garry, 53, lives with his husband, Kyle, and their four adopted children just off the Lower Road, positioning him directly within the community the programme serves.
Locally, Garry is well known as the co-founder of Curly’s Legacy, the charity behind Curly’s Farm. He currently serves as the Head of Provision for the farm, which operates as an independent special school dedicated to supporting the most vulnerable young people in the community.
With 30 years of experience in education—spanning roles as a teacher, headteacher, and most recently as the CEO of a multi-academy trust—Garry is highly skilled in managing large, complex budgets and driving strategic collaboration across diverse groups.
His extensive governance experience includes successfully chairing the board of We Are Beams, a disabled children’s charity in North Kent, for five years.
As Chair, Garry is dedicated to ensuring the Pride in Place programme remains entirely community-led.
He is excited to bring local voices together to shape a long-term investment plan that will deliver sustainable, positive change for the people of Sheppey East for years to come.
If you would like to discuss Pride in Place with Garry please get in touch via email: Prideinplace@swale.gov.uk
