'We'll make Woodside a place people want to live'
BBCThe woman tasked with leading the transformation of South Telford has said she wants to make the area "a place where people want to live – and seek to live".
Reverend Jo Farnworth has been appointed the independent chair of a new board that will oversee the project for the next 10 years.
Twenty million pounds worth of funding has been granted from the government's Pride in Place initiative, with Telford and Wrekin Council contributing an additional £10m.
Nominations are now open so residents with a passion to improve Woodside, Brookside and Sutton Hill can join the board and help decide how the money is spent.
All three areas suffer from some of England's highest levels of deprivation, for issues such as income, education and crime, according to government data released in 2025.
"It is a great honour to be appointed the independent chair," said Mrs Farnworth, who is the Rector of Central Telford Parish.
"I already see communities where many people are proud to live, but who recognise that there are ways in which their lives could be better.
"I'm also aware that there are people who perhaps live here because they can't afford to live anywhere else. That their life is tough and they face challenges.
"For me, success would be that people feel a difference and notice a difference and say, 'this is much better than it was in 2026'.
"We want to get on and deliver. This is about action, not about more meetings where people get tied down in process," she added.
Farnworth spent almost three decades working with disadvantaged communities in Greater Manchester, until she moved to Telford in 2022.
She was appointed in March by Telford and Wrekin Council for her "long track record in partnership driven community regeneration".
Her position on the board is voluntary, and therefore, she will not be paid.
The team that are already involved in the project, including the town's Labour MP Shaun Davies, has said that all ideas will be listened to and that it will be residents who will ultimately decide how the money is to be spent.
Applications to join the board can be made on the Telford and Wrekin Council website.
Residents will also be able to fill out a form at community centres from Wednesday.
Those recruited will not be paid a salary, but expenses may be paid, such as help with childcare and transport costs, so parents and those with access requirements can attend meetings.
The closing date for nominations is 25 May.
"Pride in Place is about giving residents a real voice in shaping the future of their neighbourhoods," said Davies, who was leader of Telford and Wrekin Council until he entered parliament in 2024.
"This project is rooted in local people and what matters to them. That's why we're inviting residents to get involved, share their views and help decide what happens next.
"We have a finite amount of money, and it won't fix everything, but we're working with other organisations like pension funds and charities to hopefully bring in more," he added.
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