Welcoming Brinnington’s New Pride in Place Chair to Parliament
I was delighted to recently welcome Nicola Thompson to Parliament following her appointment as Chair of the Brinnington Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board.
Nicola is a lifelong resident of Brinnington, and her deep roots in the community make her an excellent choice to lead this important project. She understands Brinnington’s strengths, its challenges, and the opportunities that lie ahead. I have no doubt that her leadership will help ensure this programme truly reflects the voices and priorities of local people.
The £20 million Pride in Place funding allocated by the Labour Government represents a significant opportunity for Brinnington. However, its success will ultimately depend on the extent to which local residents are at the heart of shaping its direction. This must be a programme driven by the community - by the ideas and experiences of those who live here. Nicola’s role will be key in making sure that happens, working closely with residents, community groups and local partners.
It was a pleasure to host Nicola in Westminster to meet with other Pride in Place Chairs from across the country. We joined MPs and Ministers to hear about early experiences from the first phase of the programme and discussed how we can build on that moving forward. It was a valuable session, and it reinforced the importance of collaboration and community-led thinking.
I strongly urge Brinnington residents to get involved in the next stage of Pride in Place. Stockport Council is inviting applications to join the Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board, giving local people a direct role in shaping the future of their community. Since the announcement of this funding, I have been encouraging residents to get involved, from my online survey asking local people's views and delivering direct information to hundreds of households across Brinnington to holding several community drop-in events so that people could come together to discuss their ideas.
You can read the outcome of my community survey here, and these insights have been shared directly with Nicola - https://www.navendumishra.co.uk/research-projects
This is an opportunity to make a real difference to Brinnington by helping to guide investment, influence decisions, and ensure Brinnington’s future is shaped by the people who know it best.
Applications are open now and must be submitted by midday on Friday 26 June. Shortlisting will follow shortly after, with appointments confirmed the following week. The first Board meeting is expected to take place in early July.
Residents can find out more and apply online here:
https://www.stockport.gov.uk/pride-in-place-brinnington
There will also be an informal drop-in session where people can learn more about the opportunity, ask questions, and meet the team before applying. This will take place on Friday 5 June, from 10:00am to 11:15am at St Luke’s Church Hall, Brinnington, SK5 8LS.
I hope to see many residents from across the community stepping forward. Together, we can ensure Pride in Place delivers lasting, positive change for Brinnington.