Pride in Place Chairs Appointed As Whitehouse And Stoke Park Boards Take Shape

Pride in Place has reached a new milestone in Ipswich, with Chairs now appointed for the Whitehouse and Stoke Park Neighbourhood Boards.

Jess March has been appointed Chair of the Whitehouse Neighbourhood Board, while Lee Walker has been appointed Chair of the Stoke Park Neighbourhood Board. The appointments are an important step in the government-backed Pride in Place programme, which will see Whitehouse and Stoke Park each receive up to £20 million of investment over the next ten years.

But while today’s news gives the programme named local leadership, the bigger story is still about the communities themselves. The Boards will bring together residents, community organisations, businesses and partners to help shape local priorities, build a shared vision and make sure investment reflects what local people say is needed. In other words, this is not simply about forming a committee. It’s about creating a structure through which local knowledge can start to influence long-term change.

A Chair for Whitehouse

Jess March has been appointed Chair of the Whitehouse Neighbourhood Board. As a local resident and new parent, Jess spoke about wanting Whitehouse to be a place where people feel safe, connected and proud. She said:

“I’m so honoured to be appointed Chair of the Whitehouse Neighbourhood Board. It’s a community with some great green spaces, local amenities and people who care deeply about the area. As a local resident and new parent, I hope we can create a neighbourhood where people feel safe, connected and proud of where they live. I’m excited for the people in Whitehouse, from all different backgrounds and experiences, to have the opportunity to make changes to our local area. I’m confident that together we can deliver long-lasting and meaningful improvements for families, young people and the wider community.”

That sense of Whitehouse being shaped by people from different backgrounds and experiences is central to Pride in Place. The investment is long term, but the process needs to begin with listening properly to people who know the area best.

A Chair for Stoke Park

Lee Walker has been appointed Chair of the Stoke Park Neighbourhood Board. Lee is Chief Executive of Ipswich Central and has experience in regeneration, partnership working and place leadership. He also has a personal connection to Stoke Park, having grown up in the area and now living there. He said:

“Stoke Park isn’t just the place where I live – it is home. Having grown up here and built my career helping places secure investment and deliver regeneration, I understand both the opportunities and the importance of ensuring local people are at the centre of decision making. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build on the incredible community spirit that already exists in Stoke Park. I look forward to working with residents and partners to ensure this investment creates a lasting legacy that local people can be proud of for years to come.”

His appointment brings regeneration experience to the role, but his quote also points to something important: Pride in Place will only work well if it builds on what already exists locally. That means community spirit, local groups, residents, families, businesses, volunteers, services and the everyday knowledge people have about their own streets and spaces.

What the Boards will do

The Pride in Place Neighbourhood Boards will help develop a ten-year vision for their areas, agree local priorities and oversee how the investment is used. The funding could support projects that improve public spaces, strengthen local organisations, create opportunities for young people, support local businesses and help build pride in the neighbourhood.

Councillor Neil MacDonald, Leader of Ipswich Borough Council, welcomed both appointments, saying the programme is a significant opportunity to deliver lasting, community-led change. Councillor George Lankester, Portfolio Holder for Communities, said the Pride in Place scheme is designed to put power into the hands of local residents, empowering communities to identify priorities for change through the £20 million investment.

Jack Abbott MP, Member of Parliament for Ipswich, welcomed Lee Walker’s appointment for Stoke Park, describing Pride in Place as “a new way of doing regeneration” and saying the programme gives local people the power to shape the future of the places they know best.

Patrick Spencer MP, Member of Parliament for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, welcomed Jess March’s appointment for Whitehouse, describing the area as “a thriving and growing community with huge potential”.

Why local voices still matter

It would be easy to see the appointment of Chairs as the point where local people step back and wait to see what happens. But Pride in Place is not meant to work that way. The Chairs and Boards will have important roles, but they cannot know everything on their own – they will need to hear from people who live in the areas, people who work there, people who volunteer there, people who use local services, and the groups and organisations already supporting communities on the ground. Whitehouse, Stoke Park and Chantry each have their own character, strengths, challenges and hopes for the future. The more local knowledge feeds into the process now, the better the long-term priorities are likely to be.

Have your say

Volunteering Matters is currently collecting views from people connected to each Pride in Place area. If you live, work, volunteer, use services or have a strong connection to Whitehouse or Stoke Park & Chantry, fill in the survey for your area.

Whitehouse survey

Stoke Park and Chantry survey

Workshops for local groups and organisations

Community Action Suffolk is also hosting two free consultation events for voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) groups connected to the Pride in Place areas. These workshops are aimed at groups and organisations who know the community and its needs. That could include charities, community groups, volunteer groups, faith groups, clubs, social enterprises and local organisations supporting people in or around Whitehouse, Stoke Park or Chantry.

Stoke Park workshop:
Tuesday 4 August
10am to 12.30pm
Paul’s Social Club
33 Salmet Close
Ipswich
IP2 9BA

Click here for more information

Whitehouse workshop:
Tuesday 11 August
10am to 12.30pm
Whitehouse Baptist Church
8 Waterford Road
Ipswich
IP1 5NW

Click here for more information

Community Action Suffolk has said that if a group is unable to attend the event in their own area, they should get in touch, as they may be able to attend the other date.

The next step

The appointment of Jess March and Lee Walker gives Pride in Place a clearer shape in Ipswich. But the real test of the programme will be whether local people feel able to take part, share what they know and help set the direction for the next ten years.

Whitehouse and Stoke Park now have Chairs.

The Boards are taking shape.

Now the conversation needs to keep reaching the people who know these communities best.

Who wrote this about Ipswich?

Miranda Acres

Miranda has been a Freelance Marketing and Design Consultant for more years than she cares to remember, supporting local start-ups, SMEs and charities. A passionate founder of Ipswich.love. Huge supporter of Ipswich's bid for City of Culture 2029. Born, bred and choosing Ipswich.