A chair has been appointed to lead south Maryport’s Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board.
The board has £20 million to spend over the next 10 years on projects which build communities, create thriving places, and empower people to take control as part of the Government’s Pride in Place programme.
Annalee Holliday will lead the board of volunteers – who have yet to appointed – and she was selected following an event which involved the communities of Maryport’s Ellenborough, Flimby and Broughton Moor.
Annalee, head of grants practice and programmes at Cumbria Community Foundation and a trustee with the Francis Scott Trust, said: “I’m proud to have been appointed as chair of the Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board for this area, and I’m very conscious that it is both a privilege and a responsibility.
“Through my professional work, I’ve worked alongside communities to secure funding and to shape local priorities, plans and decisions around what matters most to them. I’ve also supported resident‑led decision‑making, and I’ve seen first‑hand how powerful it can be when people are trusted to lead.
“Pride in Place is different because decisions will be resident‑led. Local people will set priorities, guide investment and shape what change looks like here — not just for the short term, but over the next 10 years.
“As chair, I’m particularly keen to ensure that all voices are heard, not only those that are the loudest or most confident, so the programme genuinely reflects the whole community.
“That long‑term commitment gives us a real opportunity to build confidence, strengthen connections and invest in things that will make a lasting difference, so residents can look around their neighbourhood and say, ‘this is my community, I’m proud of where I live, and I helped make that happen’.”
Markus Campbell-Savours, Penrith and Solway MP, will also sit on the board.
He said: “I could not have asked for a better chair to lead the board for Maryport’s Pride in Place programme.
“Annalee lives in Maryport and really understands the opportunities and challenges that transformational amounts of funding may bring.
“We are lucky to have someone with her skills and experience, and I am looking forward to working with her.”
o find out more about becoming board member, and to apply, visit https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/your-community/pride-place-programme
