What Pride in Place is, who decides how the funding is spent, how to get involved and what happens next.
What Pride in Place is
In October 2025, Hartcliffe was announced as one of the UK's 25 trailblazer neighbourhoods to be awarded up to £20 million in funding over the next 10 years through the government's new Pride in Place programme.
Pride in Place allows communities to achieve their local priorities and make positive, long lasting change for their area.
The funding has been awarded to areas identified as most in need of support.
The Pride in Place boundary
After consultation with local residents, the boundary of the Pride in Place programme was extended in September 2026 to include the whole of Hartcliffe and Withywood.
The programme will now benefit a community of over 20,000 residents.
The new boundary is shown in the map below.
Who decides how the money is spent
The Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board is a group of local residents who steer the programme and decide where and how the funding will be spent within Hartcliffe.
Chair of the Board
In April 2026, Paul Smith was selected by a resident-led panel as Chairperson of the board. Paul is a former local councillor for Whitchurch Park and is currently Elim Housing's Chief Executive.
In his capacity as chairperson, Paul will advocate for the interests, needs, and goals of the Hartcliffe community, chair the Neighbourhood Board, and contribute to the creation of a strategic vision and investment plan for the local area.
Neighbourhood Board Members
- Coralie Blatchford-Neave
- Caroline Jenkins
- Esther Ugbo
- Helen Eyers
- Keith Way
- Elizabeth Clark
- Luke Copper
- Matthew Steer
- Teena Lashmore
- Radoslaw Kochańczyk
- Natasha Lines
- Adela Kopacz
- Sauri Walker (Business West)
- Dr Annabel Headdon (Swift Primary Care Network)
- Allistair Dale (Heart of BS13)
- Penny Germon (Bristol City Council)
- Karin Smyth MP (Member of Parliament for Bristol South)
- Councillor Kerry Bailes (Councillor for Hartcliffe and Withywood Ward)
- Councillor Andrew Brown (Councillor for Hengrove and Whitchurch Park Ward)
This board will create a Hartcliffe Pride in Place plan, which will decide where and how the funding will be spent. The plan will need to support the following programme objectives.
Build stronger communities
All places should have strong relationships and a collective sense of belonging to their community. This helps bring people together to build community cohesion and resilience, helping people to feel proud of their area and safe in their neighbourhood.
Create thriving places
Every part of the UK deserves to have vibrant neighbourhoods and communities with busy high streets, a good range of local amenities and high quality physical infrastructure.
Empower people to take back control
Talent is spread equally but opportunity is not. Everybody should be empowered and in control of their lives and have a say over the future of their community.
How to get involved
Community events
Hartcliffe Pride in Place has been working with Hartcliffe and Withywood Community Partnership to fund community events over the summer.
These are being hosted by a variety of different organisations. At these events you can meet one of our community connectors to find out more about Pride in Place.
St Andrew Church Community Celebration Day
- Date and time: Wednesday 30 September, 5pm to 8pm
- Location: St Andrews Church, Peterson Square, BS13 OEE
Hartcliffe Pride in Place Community Forum
This is a chance to give your views and ideas about what you want to see happen in Hartcliffe and Withywood.
The neighbourhood board will feedback where they have got to with the Pride in Place Plan.
- Date and time: Thursday 8 October, 7pm to 9pm
- Location: Merchants Academy, Hareclive Road, BS13 9JW
Timeline
- By July 2026: recruit an independent chairperson for the Hartcliffe Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board, who will lead the programme.
- By July 2026: set up a neighbourhood board made up of local people, organisations, the local MP, local councillors and Bristol City Council.
- By November 2026: produce a Hartcliffe Pride in Place plan, which includes a vision statement and a 4 year investment plan.
Pride in Place privacy notice
Read the pdf Pride in Place privacy notice(195 KB) to understand how we collect, use, store and protect your personal information, and your rights over that data.
More information
Pride in Place Programme prospectus on GOV.UK