Residents and representatives from the local community and voluntary organisations who make up the Harold Hill East Pride in Place Board came together today for the Pride in Place Awareness Day.
Harold Hill East residents
This is an important milestone in the development of the area's ten-year Neighbourhood Investment Programme.
The event was designed to support the resident-led Board in its role of shaping the future of Harold Hill East by providing members with a deeper understanding of local services, community needs, existing investment and opportunities for neighbourhood improvement.
The resident-led Board will play a central role in developing a long-term vision for Harold Hill East and helping to shape recommendations for future Pride in Place investment over the next decade.
The Awareness Day formed part of the programme's listening and learning phase, ensuring Board Members are equipped with the knowledge, evidence and local insight needed to make informed decisions on behalf of the community.
To date, around 600 residents have engaged with the programme through a range of events and activities, helping to identify the issues and opportunities that matter most to local people.
Made up of residents and representatives from local community and voluntary organisations, the Pride in Place Board has been established to ensure local people are at the heart of decision-making.
Working alongside local partners and stakeholders, the Board will help develop a shared vision for Harold Hill East and make recommendations on how Pride in Place investment can best deliver benefits for local people.
Supporting the Board's Learning and Development
Throughout the day, Board Members heard directly from a range of organisations and services working across Harold Hill and Havering, enabling resident representatives to develop a fuller understanding of the challenges, opportunities and strengths within the community they represent.
The sessions provided insight into local needs, existing investment, planned projects and opportunities for Pride in Place funding to complement and strengthen ongoing work.
Presentations included updates on community safety and crime reduction activity, with Officers outlining the work being undertaken through the "Our Harold Hill" Clear, Hold, Build programme and discussing current priorities, including youth-related crime, shoplifting and drug-related activity.
Board Members also heard about community-led approaches to building local confidence, resilience and neighbourhood safety.
The Board received updates on parks and open spaces, including current and proposed investment, opportunities to improve local green spaces and ways to encourage greater use of parks and outdoor spaces.
Discussions explored how future Pride in Place investment could support environmental improvements and help create welcoming, accessible and attractive places for residents of all ages.
Partners also shared insights into a range of issues affecting local people, including support for young people, health and wellbeing, community facilities, support for older residents, transport, regeneration and wider neighbourhood development.
The sessions enabled Board Members to ask questions, review evidence and gain a clearer understanding of how services work together to improve outcomes for residents.
The event also provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships between Board Members and local stakeholders, helping to identify where collaboration and community-led investment may add value and contribute to positive outcomes for Harold Hill East.
Building Foundations for the Future
Community engagement undertaken so far has identified a number of priorities for local residents, including support for young people, community safety, parks and green spaces, health and wellbeing, and support for older people.
The Awareness Day enabled Board Members to explore these themes in greater depth and better understand how existing services, programmes and investment are already responding to local needs.
The knowledge gained from the event will help the resident-led Board shape future engagement activity and support the development of a long-term investment plan that reflects the aspirations, experiences and priorities of local people.
Over the coming months, Board Members will continue to work closely with residents, community groups, schools, faith organisations and local partners to ensure the programme remains rooted in local voices and community leadership.
Paul Rose, Chair of the Harold Hill East Pride in Place Board, said:
"Today's Awareness Day has given Board Members a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the organisations and services working across Harold Hill and to deepen our understanding of both the opportunities and challenges facing the area.
"As a resident-led Board, we have a responsibility to listen to our community, understand the evidence and make informed decisions about the future direction of the programme over the coming years. The information shared today will help us develop a vision that reflects local aspirations and ensure that future investment recommendations are informed by the needs and priorities of local people."
Harold Hill East was selected by the Government to participate in the Pride in Place programme, which supports communities to take a leading role in identifying priorities and shaping long-term investment in their local area.”
Cllr Keith Prince, Board Member, Harold Hill East Pride in Place Board, said:
"Pride in Place is all about giving local people a genuine voice in shaping the future of their neighbourhood, and today's Awareness Day has been an important step in that journey. By bringing together residents, community organisations and local services, we are helping to ensure that decisions about future investment are informed by a strong understanding of the challenges, opportunities and aspirations within Harold Hill East.
The strength of this programme lies in the commitment of local people. The resident-led Board is already demonstrating the passion, insight and leadership needed to develop a long-term vision that reflects what matters most to the community. I look forward to seeing that work continue as we move into the next phase of the programme."
Julia Lopez, Board Member, MP, said:
“People in Harold Hill know where investment could make the biggest difference, whether that is safer streets, more opportunities for young people or better places to meet and spend time together. We need their ideas and experience to make the most of this funding.
Around 600 residents have already shared their views, but we must keep reaching out, particularly to people who might not normally get involved. As a Board member, I want us to turn those conversations into clear priorities, spend the money carefully and show residents what their involvement has helped achieve. This is an opportunity to deliver improvements that local people can see, use and take pride in.”