Launching Cradle to Career in the West Midlands: A New Chapter for Community-Led Change

On 5th November 2025, leaders from across the West Midlands came together to mark the launch of a bold new initiative: the Cradle to Career programme, delivered by Right to Succeed and supported by the Mayor of the West Midlands, The Rigby Foundation, National Lottery and a coalition of philanthropic partners. Held in Birmingham, the event featured powerful reflections from:

The Rt Hon. the Baroness Smith of Malvern, Jacqui Smith MP, Minister of State (Minister for Skills) and Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities) on the importance of supporting and investing in local communities to drive positive change. 

Richard Parker, West Midlands Mayor, on the importance of place-based transformation and the region’s commitment to levelling up

Steve Rotherham, Liverpool City Region Mayor, on the far-reaching success of Cradle to Career in his home region 

Nicola Thurbon, Senior Head of Regional Funding for the Midlands at The National Lottery Community Fund on the importance of investing in place based, community programmes.

Steve Rigby, Chair of The Rigby Foundation and Co-CEO of Rigby Group, on the Foundation’s long-term commitment to giving well and backing systemic change.

Graeme Duncan, CEO of Right to Succeed, on the journey of Cradle to Career and its proven impact in communities across the UK.

The programme will begin in two communities, Blakenall in Walsall and Bordesley Green in East Birmingham, before expanding to four more areas in 2026. These are places where children and families face some of the most entrenched challenges, and where the potential for change is the greatest.

Cradle to Career is unique in its way of working. It brings together residents, educators, youth organisations, and local leaders to define and deliver the change they want to see. Over 12 months of discovery, communities will co-create a shared agenda, build the infrastructure for collaboration and lay the groundwork for long-term delivery.

The model has already shown remarkable results in places like North Birkenhead, where reading age gaps have closed, early years uptake has soared, and care referrals have dropped by 90%. It’s been described by the University of Manchester as “a potential template for community transformation nationally.”

For The Rigby Foundation, this is philanthropy with purpose. We’re proud to support the programme to come to the West Midlands. This is just the beginning. Together, we’re building a future where every child has the chance to thrive, from cradle to career.