Pride in Place

Pride in Place is £20 million of government funding for Wick and Toddington, to spend on improving the area over the next few years.

Local people will decide how the money is used, focusing on what matters to the communities here. 

The funding will be released over time and can be used for specific types of projects – but there is plenty of scope to make a real difference to where we live.

Local people will decide how the money is spent. A Neighbourhood Board made up of local residents has now been established following a competitive application and recruitment process during June and July 2026. The Neighbourhood Board will lead decision-making and will be supported by a wider group of Community Champions, who will act as trusted advisers and a sounding board for the programme.

Neighbourhood Board Chair: Jon Jolly, Wick resident 

Jon Jolly, executive leader at Arun Church in Littlehampton, has been appointed as the independent Chair of the Neighbourhood Board. A long-time resident of Littlehampton, Jon holds an executive leadership role at Arun Church and has worked in Wick and Toddington for more than 25 years. He has extensive experience in managing community projects that support local families, young people and residents, including the Wickbourne Centre, Arun Youth Projects and CAP Debt Help. Jon says: 

“There will be opportunities for individuals, groups and local organisations to suggest ideas, through workshops, displays and surveys. You’ll be able to take part in person and online. 

If you live, work or study in Wick and Toddington, we want to hear your thoughts.”

Alison Griffiths MP

Member of Parliament for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton

Alison has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton since July 2024. Before entering Parliament, Alison spent thirty years in business in sectors spanning financial services, consumer goods, and energy. She was also Chief Marketing Officer and Strategy Director in the technology and cybersecurity sectors.

Cllr Freddie Tandy

Courtwick with Toddington Ward

Born and bred in Littlehampton, Freddie represents the Courtwick with Toddington ward on both Littlehampton Town Council and Arun District Council, having joined Arun District Council in May 2023. 

Freddie is a keen advocate for young people, working both as a teacher and on Management Committee of The Keystone Centre youth club in Wick.

Bernadette Kielty

Local resident

A Wick resident of many years, Berni is a parent and has had a long career as a civil engineer. This gives her expertise in infrastructure, planning, project management, and engaging the public. She combines her professional background with hands-on community involvement, including local volunteering and work with school organisations. 

Berni believes one of the biggest challenges facing the area is a lack of higher-skilled jobs, which sees many young adults leave Littlehampton to build careers elsewhere. She would like to see greater investment in skills development, apprenticeships and training, alongside efforts to attract more diverse employers so young people can build careers closer to home.

Clive Mills

Head of Income and Engagement at Turning Tides

Clive grew up in Wick and lived in Toddington for around 12 years, giving him a strong personal connection to the area and its future. Having previously run a high-street retail business, he has a first-hand understanding of the pressures facing local traders. 

Clive also spent years in children's services for local authorities, working on poverty, safeguarding, and support for high-risk families. Now as Head of Income and Engagement at homeless charity Turning Tides, Clive leads on fundraising, business development, and preventing youth homelessness.

He believes funding should be used to benefit the largest number of people, while also ensuring it reaches those who need it most.

Graham Tiley 

Chair of the Academy Council at The Littlehampton Academy 

Trustee of Dove Lodge Community Resource Centre

A Littlehampton Resident with family living in Wick, Graham had a career as Portfolio Manager for a major multinational energy firm and has more than 20 years of board-level experience across education, community organisations, and the voluntary sector – including his current role chairing the Littlehampton Academy Local Governing Board.

Graham is passionate about improving educational outcomes and breaking long-term cycles of deprivation. He champions an approach that will build on local strengths, alongside robust, evidence-based decisions that get the most value from public funding.

Ian Buckman 

Wick resident 

District Lead Volunteer for Arundel and Littlehampton Scout District

A long-time resident of Wick, a police officer and District Lead Volunteer for the Scout Association, Ian’s experience brings together public service, leadership, and community engagement. He represents over 200 local Scouts across the district and has worked extensively with volunteers, families, and schools.

Ian has a proven track record of managing change, growing volunteer participation, and building stronger community organisations. He is particularly motivated by improving opportunities for young people, strengthening community pride, and helping to change perceptions of Wick by championing its many strengths.

Jenny Rowley 

Wick resident 

CEO of Arun Community Transport

Jenny has more than 30 years’ experience in the charity and community sector, and has worked extensively in community development, fundraising and leadership. In her current role, Jenny works closely with residents and has developed a strong understanding of local needs. She also has an arts background, which has given her a wealthy of creative approaches to engagement and consultation.

Having lived in the area for much of her life, Jenny is passionate about empowering communities to lead their own change and supporting long-term community resilience. 

She would like to ensure that this funding creates a legacy that lasts well beyond the life of the programme.

Lauren Roffey

Toddington resident

Owner of Baked café & community hub

Lauren is the founder of Baked, a bakery and Community Interest Company (CIC) located in Worthing. Having lived in Toddington for a number of years, she is passionate about building on the area's existing strengths and creating a stronger sense of community for local families and young people. 

Through her bakery business, Lauren provides work experience placements, training, and mentoring for young people, working with many students each year. The feedback she has received has praised the supportive environment she has created, with students growing in confidence and developing key skills to take forward into the workplace.

Lauren is also a researcher, and her academic background brings strong analytical skills and evidence-based decision-making to the Board.

Michael Dorrington

Commercial Director at Wick FC

At Wick FC, Michael has driven investment and development, including plans for a new 3G football pitch and wider community facilities. Through his leadership at the club, he has connections across local schools, community organisations, businesses, and residents.

Local pride is important to Michael, and he feels sport can play a vital role in promoting inclusion, reducing anti-social behaviour and boosting community spirit. He also believes residents deserve access to high-quality services, and is keen to champion local businesses.

Accessibility is another issue close to Michael’s heart, and this is shaped by his family's experience of disability. He understands that relatively small changes to the built environment could make a big difference to residents with mobility challenges and help create a more inclusive community.

Paul Sanderson

Wick resident

Chaplain at The Littlehampton Academy

Paul has lived and worked in Wick since 1996 and has dedicated almost three decades to supporting local children, young people, and families. 

Working closely with the Wickbourne Centre and local partners, he helped establish a wide range of community activities, including the successful ‘Fest of Wick’ programme. He was later asked by the Salvation Army to replicate the model in other communities. Many of these programmes – breakfast clubs, community activities – continue today.

Now working as a school Chaplain, Paul remains deeply connected to the community. He is particularly passionate about creating long-term opportunities for young people through education and skills, and would like to ensure Pride in Place creates a lasting legacy built on local voices and collaboration.

Paula Kennaby

Wick resident 

Volunteer children's worker

Paula has strong connections to Wick through Arun Community Church and her family life. As a parent of four and a former PTA member at a local school, Paula has organised fundraising events, coordinated volunteers, and managed budgets, bringing practical organisational skills and a strong understanding of the challenges facing families and young people. 

She believes one of the biggest challenges facing the area is a lack of community connection and belonging. She would like to see more outdoor and informal spaces where young people can meet and socialise safely. Drawing on her experience of growing up in Ireland, she has suggested community gardens and allotments as a way to bring residents together, teach practical skills, and strengthen relationships across generations.

Rachel Sadler

Wick resident 

Special needs tutor

Through Rachel’s work in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services and community youth projects, she has gained a wealth of experience in consultation, advocacy, and bringing together people with different perspectives.

Before becoming a specialist tutor, Rachel worked for the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum, engaging with families to make sure their voices were represented, and prior to that, she spent eight years working in SEND services at West Sussex County Council, helping children and young people influence decisions that affected them.

Rachel is passionate about championing Wick's strengths while addressing its challenges, particularly around inclusion and accessibility. She is deeply committed to ensuring local communities have a genuine voice in decision-making.

Chris Smethurst

Civic Engagement Officer at the University of Chichester

Voluntary Action Arun and Chichester (VAAC) Trustee

Chris began his career as a volunteer carer, before moving into social care, higher education, and community engagement roles. His work has included supporting care leavers, homelessness services, addiction recovery, and community development. He also co-founded the ‘Adversity to University’ (A2U) project, which provides support and bridging courses for students who have faced challenges.

Chris lives in Worthing but has strong connections to Wick and the surrounding area. He is passionate about Littlehampton and feels it has often been overlooked despite having a wealth of potential. He believes the long-term success of programmes like Pride in Place depends on community ownership and creating initiatives that continue long after the initial funding has ended.

Leslie Searson 

Wick resident

Volunteer at Chilgrove House

Lesley is a council tenant at Chilgrove and a regular volunteer at Chilgrove House and Community Centre. She joined the Neighbourhood Board because she is determined to make sure people from communities that are often underserved or overlooked have their voices heard in deciding how this funding is spent.

Lesley is passionate about promoting greater inclusion for people with autism, a cause that is close to her heart as she has a family member that is autistic. Through her volunteering, she has built strong connections across the community and is committed to making sure local people's voices are heard. Her lived experience and local knowledge will be a real asset to the Neighbourhood Board.

Maybe it’s cleaner green spaces, training for practical skills, or more local events to bring people together. 

If you’ve ever thought ‘someone should sort that out’ – now you can be part of making it happen.

The funding can be used in a range of areas, including:

• Making the area look and feel better
  • Fixing pavements and public spaces
  • Adding benches, trees and lighting
  • Making areas easier and safer to use
• Parks and green spaces
  • Improving existing parks
  • Creating new green spaces
  • Helping people enjoy nature
• Jobs, skills and local businesses
  • Supporting people into work
  • Helping small businesses grow
  • Offering training and new skills
• Community spaces
  • Creating or improving places to meet
  • Making buildings safer and more accessible
• Arts, culture and heritage
  • Supporting local events and activities
  • Helping creative projects and local history
• Safer, stronger communities
  • Bringing people together
  • Supporting local groups and volunteering
• Energy and the environment
  • Helping homes and businesses use less energy
  • Making buildings warmer and more efficient
• Support for people who need it
  • Helping people facing homelessness or hardship
  • Supporting local charities and services

But if your idea isn’t on the list above, we still want to hear it!

There are 3 ways you can take part, depending on how much time you want to give. You don’t need experience – just enthusiasm for your community!

1. Share your ideas 

   Want to have your say quickly and easily? Over the coming months, there will be opportunities for you to tell us what matters to you and what you would like to improve.

   You can:

• Fill in surveys online
• Come to local meetings and events
• Join focus groups or workshops 

To receive updates on opportunities and events, fill in the form or email us at ltc@littlehampton-tc.gov.uk

2. Join the Community Champions group

The Community Champions group will share ideas, give feedback and help guide the Neighbourhood Board on what matters most to the wider community. 

As a Community Champion, you will:

• Share ideas from residents and other groups
• Spread the word about Pride in Place
• Encourage others to get involved
• Support local activities and conversations 

This role is flexible and can fit around your availability.

If you’d like to apply to join the Community Champions group, fill in the form to express your interest.

3. Attend a Local PiP Pop-Up Event! Share your ideas for change

Dates and locations: To be confirmed (late-July 2026 onwards). Please check back here for updates.

A range of engagement methods will be used, including:

• Door-to-door conversations, with a particular focus on council flats, isolated residents and areas that are often under-represented in formal consultation.
• Pop-up sessions at trusted community locations, including coffee mornings, lunch clubs, Knit and Natter groups, schools, Scout venues, local shops, pubs, Wick Football Club, and other neighbourhood hubs.
• Creative engagement and co-production activities, including a stall at the Littlehampton High Street Festival, delivered with support from Artswork and other local partners.
• Comment cards, informal conversations, workshops, and online engagement to capture both qualitative and quantitative evidence.
• Targeted engagement through organisations already working with young people, older residents, disabled people, carers, families, minority communities and residents with lived experiences of local services.

The Board will take a proactive approach rather than relying solely on residents attending formal meetings. Engagement will be designed to be accessible, informal, and available in different settings and formats. Findings will be recorded, analysed and reported back to the community, demonstrating how local views have influenced priorities and decisions. 

July 2026: Neighbourhood Board members announced

Summer – autumn 2026: Community consultation: workshops, events and online activities

November 2026: Final spending plan submitted to the Government

2027: Funded projects expected to begin

Do I need experience to get involved?
Not at all! All you need is your ideas for what could make where we live even better.

How much time does it take?
As much as you like. Whether you have lots of time to spare or just a little, there will be a way for you to get involved.

Can anyone get involved?
Yes, absolutely. We want to hear from as many different groups and residents as possible. If you live, work or spend time in Wick and Toddington, we want to hear your ideas.

Do I have to speak in meetings?
No, there will be many different ways to take part, including things like online surveys.

We will be updating this page with more information as the project moves forward, so remember to check back here for updates.