Ever wondered what is happening behind the scenes at Thames Freeport? Or how local voices are shaping big changes in Barking & Dagenham, Havering, and Thurrock? Our amazing Community Ambassadors are at the heart of it all.
Earlier in the year we asked for volunteers Here is the latest on what they’ve been up to.
A recap on the Community Ambassador Programme
The Community Ambassador Programme is a volunteer initiative made up of local residents from the Freeport region who have a direct voice in shaping long-term plans for Barking & Dagenham, Havering, and Thurrock.
The launch of the Community Ambassador Programme
On the 22nd, 23rd and 24th July, we held our very first group of meetings across each of the three regions: Havering, Barking & Dagenham, and Thurrock. These sessions brought together local Ambassadors and senior leaders from Thames Freeport to connect, collaborate, and set the stage for what’s ahead.
Chaired by Martin Whitely (CEO), Stuart Rimmer (Deputy Chief Executive), and John Stasi (Head of Marketing), each session began with a warm welcome and a clear message: local voices matter, and this programme is designed to put those voices front and centre.
Meet the Ambassadors!
About the Ambassadors
The Ambassadors are a diverse group made up of 30 individuals who either live or work in Havering, Barking & Dagenham, and Thurrock. Each area will be represented by 10 Ambassadors.
All of the members bring a wide range of experiences and local insights from sectors including education, employment support, recruitment, local business, community development, and events. Among them are teachers, headteachers, employment specialists, local business owners, healthcare, event coordinators, and community leaders. Each playing a unique role in shaping and strengthening the communities they represent.
Why does the Thames Freeport Ambassador Programme exist?
Some of the key goals for the Ambassador Programme includes:
Hot topics and discussions
During the sessions, we held an open discussion where all participants had the opportunity to share their experiences and highlight current issues affecting their local communities. This created a valuable space for honest conversation, helping to surface shared challenges and priorities across the three regions.
Some of the examples of the topics are as follows:
“Ongoing issues with transport opportunities, especially impacting access to jobs.”
“Access to healthcare, particularly GP services, is a major challenge.”
“Connecting people to skills training, especially those with mental health needs, which will increase confidence.”
“Providing pre-apprenticeship training to build confidence and skills for progression.”
“Community and family hubs are growing, but young people may not understand what they are or how they can use them.”
“Some students don’t have access to resources like iPads or tablets at home, making it difficult to complete creative tasks.”
What’s next?
We will be launching a follow up meeting with all of our Ambassadors this October! It’s a great chance to reconnect, share progress, and shape what’s next. From this point we can plan some future initiatives, events and ideas for the near future.