Locals appointed to Pride in Place board

Locals have been appointed to the neighbourhood board that will lead the £20 million Pride in Place programme for Sheppey East.

The membership of the neighbourhood board for Pride in Place in Sheppey East has been confirmed, marking a significant milestone for a programme that will bring up to £20 million of investment to the area over the next ten years.

Pride in Place is a central government funded programme investing up to £5 billion across UK neighbourhoods.

Sheppey East can receive up to £20 million over 10 years from March 2027 to deliver the changes that matter most to local people.

The programme is deliberately community-led: local people decide the priorities, shape the plans and guide the funding, supported by the council and central government.

It is a partnership between the Neighbourhood Board, local government and the local MP, and aims to build stronger communities, thriving places, and to help communities take back control.

The board is chaired by Garry Ratcliffe and brings together residents, business owners, community volunteers and professionals from across Sheppey East, with backgrounds spanning education, healthcare, governance, the voluntary sector, business and the arts.

In line with the programme’s partnership model, the board also includes Kevin McKenna MP and a local ward councillor, working alongside community members and the council.

Garry Ratcliffe, Chair of the Pride in Place Sheppey East Neighbourhood board:

“I am delighted that such a talented board is now in place. With so many applicants, it was a genuinely tough choice, and I very much hope that those who were not chosen to sit on the board will still be heavily involved in the success of this programme – there is a role for everyone here.

“We are lucky to have a wide range of skills, knowledge and experience around the table. But the thing that shone through above everything else was each person’s commitment to the people of Sheppey East, and their determination to make this programme a success.

“Work now begins on gathering even more ideas from local people. I am tasking every board member with hearing from as many residents as possible before our first formal board meeting in September. 

“This is your money and your community – we want to hear what matters most to you.”

Kevin McKenna, MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, said:

"The east end of the Island is a place with real pride, resilience and community spirit, and this funding is about turning that pride into lasting change.

“It's a fantastic opportunity to back the people, places and ideas that make this part of Sheppey so special, while delivering improvements that residents will see and benefit from for many years to come.

“I'm excited to be working alongside the Neighbourhood Board, Swale Borough Council and local councillors to help make the very most of this investment.

“This programme will succeed because it starts with local people, their ambitions and their vision for the future. I would encourage everyone across the east end of the Island to get involved, share their ideas and help shape a legacy we can all be proud of."

Alongside the Chair, Garry Ratcliffe, the community members of the board are:

• Nathan Wood – born and raised on the Isle of Sheppey, he runs a family business providing skilled jobs, training and apprenticeships, and volunteers as a youth football coach with Sheerness East Youth Football Club.

• Jamie Woodrow – has worked at Nore Academy and Estuary Academy engaging with young people, families and community stakeholders, with a strong focus on transparency and the effective use of public funding.

• Bobbie Taiano – a long-standing Sheppey East resident who has worked with a charity for family carers and has experience with both a Health Authority and local council.

• Tracy Rogers – has called Eastchurch home for over 13 years and is actively involved in village life, including the Big Lunch, Christmas Lights and Hug in a Mug, and previously with Starquest Performing Arts at Sheppey Little Theatre.

• Serena Williams – works in a senior governance role in the Civil Service, with a career spanning education and policing, and a particular commitment to ensuring less represented voices are heard, including disabled people and those from ethnic minority backgrounds.

• Gary Hunt – brings a career in public service, central government, governance and the voluntary sector, having led local charities, with interests in heritage, the arts, music, science and the natural environment.

• Nicola Waghorne - has lived on the Isle of Sheppey for most of her life. Before moving into the charity sector, Nicola worked for British Airways, developing strong customer service and organisational skills. For more than 13 years, Nicola has worked for Sheppey Matters in Eastchurch, where she has developed and delivered a wide range of community projects.

• Dean Grace-Hicks – has over 23 years’ experience caring for people and leading large healthcare teams across acute, community, corporate and prison healthcare, and has lived on Sheppey for the past eight years.

• Peter Constant – has long-standing connections to the Island and lived experience of supporting a family member with a dual diagnosis of Down’s syndrome and autism, alongside international business development and tourism experience.

• Lee Jarmain – a local leader who brings extensive experience of partnership working and involvement in numerous projects across the Island.

The other members of the board are Kevin McKenna MP, and Swale Borough Council ward member for Sheppey East, Cllr Lee-Anne Moore.

The board members will now begin an intensive period of community engagement across Sheppey East, hearing from as many residents, groups and organisations as possible ahead of the first formal board meeting in September.

Those conversations will shape the board’s investment plan, which is due to be submitted to government by the end of November 2026, with approval and the start of delivery expected in spring 2027.

Residents with ideas, or who would like to get involved, can find out more at: www.news.swale.gov.uk/campaigns/pride-in-place

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