A chair has been appointed to head up the new Bradeley, Chell Heath and Fegg Hayes Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board and help shape how up to £20 million of government funding is invested in the area.
Patrick Shanahan was selected following a competitive recruitment process. He has a wealth of experience leading projects and working with the community through his roles at Port Vale Football Club and the Port Vale Foundation.
He will chair a board that brings together residents, businesses, community groups and local partners. It represents a major opportunity to influence how investment is delivered over the next decade.
It will identify local priorities and projects, making sure investment is directed where it can make the biggest difference.
The board ensures that local people have a strong voice in decisions about future improvements to their area.
Patrick has been appointed chair of one of three areas in the city selected by government to receive up to £20 million of Pride in Place funding to build better, safer neighbourhoods in a way that builds pride, brings people together and creates brighter futures for everyone.
One of Patrick's key roles has been his work on the Vale Park Community Campus project, which is backed by £2.3 million of government funding provided through the city council. He has also been heavily involved in the creation of Bradeley Football Development Centre, a state-of-the-art facility currently under construction for the benefit of the local community, supported by funding from the Football Foundation.
He said: "I am honoured to have been elected as Chair of Pride in Place for Bradeley, Chell Heath and Fegg Hayes. The role represents a natural continuation of the work I have been involved in through the Vale Park Community Campus.
"Working alongside Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the Port Vale Foundation to help develop the Campus, and to see it progress towards becoming a reality, has been a highly rewarding experience.
"I have particularly valued the opportunity to help utilise government funding in a practical and purposeful way to improve the lives of local people.
"The Campus is intended to support health, education, wellbeing and stronger community connections. This reflects the long-standing vision of the Shanahan family: to deliver meaningful and lasting benefit to the local area.
"The Pride in Place programme provides a further opportunity to build on that approach.
"Bradeley, Chell Heath and Fegg Hayes deserve positive change that is shaped by residents, informed by local priorities and focused on improvements that can be seen and felt in everyday life.
"As Chair, my aim is to help in bringing together residents, local organisations, councillors and partners around a shared plan that is ambitious, fair and firmly rooted in the needs of the area. I am therefore delighted to have the opportunity to contribute further to the wider impact we are already having across the city.
"The experience of helping to turn the Vale Park Community Campus from an idea into a tangible project has demonstrated what can be achieved when investment, partnership and community confidence come together.
"I will bring that same commitment and sense of responsibility to the Pride in Place Chair role."
David Williams, MP for Stoke-on-Trent North and Kidsgrove, said: "I'm delighted to see Patrick appointed as chair. The next step will be to appoint a Pride in Place Board - that is now being established, which will bring local people right into the heart of the conversation about what comes next.
"Patrick is very well known locally through his work at Port Vale, and across the wider business community too. He has a proven track record and bags of enthusiasm - which make him the perfect person to be at the helm of the Pride in Place board at this exciting time for the area."
Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “I’d like to congratulate Patrick on his appointment. I am sure he will do a fantastic job. He has so much passion for the area and has expressed how much he wants to work with the local community to drive this programme forward.
“Pride in Place is all about helping communities take back control. It’s about putting communities first - giving local people the power and flexibility to shape their future, backed by long-term funding and the support they need to create lasting change.”
Anyone who wants to get involved in the programme can find out more at: Pride in Place in Bradeley, Chell Heath and Fegg Hayes | Pride in Place in Bradeley, Chell Heath and Fegg Hayes | Stoke-on-Trent
