What is your relationship to Barking & Dagenham
I have lived in Redbridge and in Newham and spent much of my youth in the area with friends and family, be it helping my mum shop in Barking Town Centre, or playing Badminton and football at Barking Abbey School!
What challenges do you think you might face in this role?
I think the pace of change in the borough is hugely exciting but also presents a challenge to ensure the work of B&D Giving keeps up with the needs of local businesses and residents alike. However, having worked with members of the team previously, the opportunity to contribute towards such innovation in the world of philanthropy, investments and the wider Giving movement is a great privilege and something I expect B&D Giving to be hugely influential in.
What are your hopes for the borough?
I’d like Barking and Dagenham to be a beacon for modern, urban regeneration by demonstrating the value of having community involved in shaping the future of an area and restoring pride to local residents and businesses.
How do you think the community can help achieve those goals?
The community has a vital role in realising this ambition to ensure that any change made is sustainable and fit for purpose. Local regeneration is littered with examples of planners and developers from outside an area telling locals how their communities should be designed, when the reality is that developers need to work with communities, hand in hand, to ensure that solutions meet the demands of the local economy.
