Having been selected last year by the UK Government for the Pride in Place programme, which will invest up to £20 million over ten years for two key areas in Norwich: West Earlham and Bowthorpe and Heartsease and Pilling Park, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Rebecca White as Chair of the Pride in Place Board for Bowthorpe and West Earlham.
Cllr Knight cabinet member for healthier neighbourhoods said,
“I’m really pleased to welcome Rebecca White as Chair. Her passion for inclusion and her experience in building strong, sustainable organisations will be a huge asset. Her understanding that thriving communities are built when people feel heard and involved, makes me excited to be working with her to strengthen Pride in Place for West Earlham and Bowthorpe.”
Rebecca brings a rare blend of strategic insight and understanding, with over 25 years’ experiences in various sectors including teaching, local government, and the charity sector. Known for her inclusive, values‑led approach, she creates energetic, enterprising conversations that genuinely involve people and support organisations to thrive. She has spent more than a decade building and leading an award‑winning social enterprise, which gives her first‑hand experience of what it takes to build organisations that are sustainable, accountable and people‑led. She is also the founder of Hasler White Inclusive Facilitation which works with third sector leaders, helping them strengthen governance, culture, impact, and income.
Clive Lewis, Member of Parliament for Norwich South, said:
"I’m really pleased to welcome Rebecca White as Chair of West Earlham and Bowthorpe Pride in Place. She’s spent more than 25 years helping organisations stay fair and focused on the people they serve. She’s led a social enterprise, worked in teaching, local government and the charity sector, and she’s known for getting people working well together by keeping shared values at the heart of things.
Rebecca works in a calm, practical way. She pays attention to what is changing on the ground and adjusts as she goes. She’s good at getting people talking in a way that feels open and lively. People join in, ideas move, and the room feels like it belongs to everyone. Whether she is helping with governance, workplace culture or supporting leaders under pressure, she brings a clear head and a steady sense of purpose.
As Chair, she will help bring residents, partners and local voices into the same room and keep the work open and community led. She will guide the board, support good decisions, and help turn local ideas into long term change. It feels right to have her leading this next chapter for West Earlham and Bowthorpe.”
Rebecca will now bring that wealth of experience to her new role as Chair for West Earlham and Bowthorpe. One of her first actions is to appoint a number of local residents to the board. This board will be instrumental in driving forward and managing how this funding will be invested to ensure this supports local people, shape priorities, strengthen community connection, and drive meaningful change.
Speaking about her appointment, Rebecca White said:
“I've worked in and with communities my entire working life. Initially in south-east London and then returning home, to Norfolk, in 2010.
Once you've seen and felt the trust and passion of people, you can't unsee this. Putting genuine trust in people is surprising, it's exciting and it's the right thing to do. People are brilliant when we get out of the way and let them be, but too often people don't get the chance. This is usually through no fault of their own. All my experience tells me to trust people in communities to know best what they need.
That's why I couldn't resist this extraordinary opportunity to Chair a board of local people who will decide how to spend £20m investment in West Earlham and Bowthorpe. It is all about creating the changes local people want by trusting them to lead. As Chair of the Board, I'm excited by working equitably, democratically, and inclusively (and hard!).
Together we need to remove the obstacles to change so that we can build a place where current and future generations get more chances - which is no less than the people of West Earlham & Bowthorpe deserve.”
The Pride in Place programme aims to empower residents, strengthen neighbourhood networks, and support local solutions to local challenges. Rebecca’s appointment marks an important step in ensuring that community leadership sits at the heart of this work.
We’re looking for people who are passionate about the West Earlham and Bowthorpe area and want to make a difference. If you want to help shape how this investment is used in your community, please keep an eye out for information about joining the Neighbourhood Board coming very soon.
To join the board please visit: The West Earlham & Bowthorpe Neighbourhood Board
To read more about Pride in Place please visit www.gov.uk/government/news/what-is-pride-in-place
