Local Arts champion to help lead £20m regeneration of Smallbridge, Hurstead, and Belfield

Managing director of M6 Theatre Company, Laura Rodwell, has been chosen to chair the board of a £20m initiative as part of Rochdale Borough Council's plans to boost regeneration in the local area

Rochdale Borough Council have announced that a £20m initiative to boost regeneration across Smallbridge, Hurstead, and Belfield has taken a step forward with a board and chair now in place to oversee the project.

The government's Pride in Place project seeks to bring about major improvements to particular areas by committing £20m of investment to be spent on projects over a ten-year period. The work is overseen by a board made up pf local residents, businesses, and political leaders.

Smallbridge, Hurstead, and Belfield's board is now in place, with Laura Rodwell, from the Smallbridge-based M6 Theatre Company and registered charity, appointed as chair.

Laura, who has lived in Littleborough all her life, is the managing director of M6, which creates work with, for, and by children and young people, and aims to nurture their curiosity and creativity. She also brings in experience from previous roles, which included stints at Oldham Coliseum, and The Piece Hall in Halifax.

Laura said: “M6 Theatre is based in the heart of this area and we already work with a number of local children and schools. For many local children, our performances are the first, and possibly only, time they’ve seen live theatre and we’ve seen first-hand the power of the arts to improve people’s lives.

“Our goal at M6 is to make a difference and give people access to transformative opportunities, and that’s exactly what the Pride in Place project is going to do, but on a much bigger scale and in a way which will transcend the arts and involve people and groups who may not have benefitted from this type of programme in the past. The fact that it will be a community led project, where residents will work with us and tell us what they want, is also very exciting.”

The board also includes Rochdale MP, Paul Waugh, and Rochdale Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and housing, Councillor Danny Meredith, as well as a number of local residents. The board's job is to help guide and manage the project and engage with the community.

Danny Meredith, cabinet member for regeneration and housing at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted that Laura has been selected as board chair. As somebody who has worked with this community for many years, she is aware of its challenges and is passionate about making things better. Her experience in working on community led ventures, like this, is also second to none. I look forward to working with Laura, the community and the rest of the board as we push this fantastic project forward.”

Paul Waugh, Rochdale MP, said: "This £20m investment is a huge vote of confidence in Smallbridge, Hurstead, and Belfield and in the people who live here. For too long, communities like ours have been overlooked when it comes to the long-term funding that can really change lives. Pride in Place gives us the chance to put that right, with local residents in the driving seat deciding how the money is spent.

"I'm pleased to be part of the board, and Laura is exactly the right person to chair it. She knows this area inside out and has spent her career proving what's possible when you trust people to shape their own future. As a schoolboy in Rochdale, I was one of the many who benefited from M6’s ability to widen our horizons thanks to a high-quality arts organisation on our doorstep.

“I'd encourage everyone across Smallbridge, Hurstead, and Belfield to get involved and have their say, because this is your project. and your chance to help build the area you want to see."

The Pride in Place board is currently working with the community to formulate ideas and a full plan on how the £20m could be spent will be submitted to the government for consideration in November, with the delivery of the programme to then get under way in spring next year, Rochdale Borough Council have said.

A second Pride in Place scheme is also being delivered in Heywood, with initial plans approved by the government.