£20 million initiative to boost regeneration across Smallbridge, Hurstead and Belfield has taken a step forward with a board and chair now in place to oversee the project.
The government’s Pride in Place project seeks to bring about major improvements to particular areas by committing £20 million of investment to be spent on projects over a 10-year period. The work is overseen by a board made up of local residents, businesses and political leaders.
Smallbridge, Hurstead and Belfield’s board is now in place, with Laura Rodwell, from the Smallbridge-based M6 Theatre Company and registered charity, appointed as chair.
Laura, who has lived in Littleborough all her life, is the managing director of M6, which creates work with, for and by children and young people and aims to nurture their curiosity and creativity.
She also brings in experience from previous roles, which included stints at Oldham Coliseum, and The Piece Hall in Halifax.
Laura said:
“M6 Theatre is based in the heart of this area and we already work with a number of local children and schools. For many local children, our performances are the first, and possibly only, time they’ve seen live theatre and we’ve seen first-hand the power of the arts to improve people’s lives.
“Our goal at M6 is to make a difference and give people access to transformative opportunities, and that’s exactly what the Pride in Place project is going to do, but on a much bigger scale and in a way which will transcend the arts and involve people and groups who may not have benefitted from this type of programme in the past. The fact that it will be a community led project, where residents will work with us and tell us what they want, is also very exciting.”
The board also includes Rochdale MP, Paul Waugh, and Rochdale Borough Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and housing, Councillor Danny Meredith, as well as a number of local residents. Its job is to help guide and manage the project and engage with the community.
