Fired with enthusiasm, a small team of volunteers brought a genuine farmers' market to Shifnal showcasing the produce of local farmers and craftspeople.]]> 2011 West Zone Action for Market Towns Awards

Business and Economy category – Commended

Summary

Shifnal is an historic Shropshire market town that for many years had no market.  In 2009, a consultation project identified that the community wanted its return.

Fired with enthusiasm, a small team of volunteers brought a genuine farmers’ market to Shifnal showcasing the produce of local farmers and craftspeople.

Overview

Shifnal is an ancient Shropshire town with a royal charter for a weekly market dating back to 1245. The previous retail market had dwindled and eventually petered out.

The Shifnal Town Plan clearly identified that the local community strongly endorsed the return of the market. Despite the development of nearby Telford, Shifnal has remained largely rural and the possibility of bringing a genuine farmers’ market to the town was an opportunity not to be missed.

In February 2010, an action group was formed. With amazing energy and enthusiasm they began to research the possibilities. Many contacts were made. Help and advice was sought from local government regeneration sections. Visits were made to markets across the Midlands and initial funding was sought.

Plans were originally to have four markets per year starting July 2010 when summer produce would be in abundance. Many more decisions were taken such as focussing on local, high quality produce; renting smart stalls which gave the market a professional look; providing entertainment for young people in order to engage families and so on.

Attracting stallholders to a new market proved a challenge but on a sunny day in July 2010, sixteen stalls including local meat, fruit and vegetables, cakes and bread, wine and chocolate were set up in the high street which was closed for the occasion. Bunting from the previous week’s carnival fluttered in the breeze and the whole event was judged a huge success.

Many stallholders sold out, much to their surprise, and had to send for fresh supplies to meet demand. The butter maker even had to get to work on a second churn full of double cream to produce the additional handmade, creamy yellow butter that was needed. The community met and mingled and was delighted to see the market back and in such a new and invigorated format.

A further three markets have been held, each time with more stalls and more visitors. In 2011, six markets are planned with the possibility of a food fair/festival during the summer.

Need, purpose and community involvement

The local community was completely involved with the project from the start. Indeed, it can be fairly said that the local community instigated the whole affair. In 2007, a small group of Shifnal people became involved in the government’s town and parish plan initiative to involve rural communities in identifying how they their towns and parishes should develop over the next ten years.

A wide ranging consultation was embarked upon. A number of working groups involving more than eighty local people worked on the questions that were to be consulted on. Areas covered included:

• culture
• traffic and pedestrian safety
• crime prevention
• shopping
• environment
• housing and planning

A questionnaire was sent to 3500 homes in Shifnal and consultation sessions took place at the schools and local community groups and businesses.

When all the information was collated, the Shifnal Town Plan was produced complete with an action list. Action point number 11 was to ‘ establish a regular Farmers’ Market’. Time and again in consultation, the lack of a market in Shifnal was commented on.

Building on the information from the Town Plan, the market committee needed to refine their ideas. The businesses and residents in the town were consulted as were visitors to the town. This research revealed that people wanted a quality, food market. To ensure continued community involvement, market research is conducted at each market.

The provision of the farmers’ market has clearly fulfilled this need but its instigation has delivered many other benefits. Shifnal is not a tourist town, but the market has brought people into Shifnal who are using our shops, restaurants, pubs and our museum and archive centre.

It has provided a focus point for the community where people can meet friends and neighbours. It has encouraged community coherence and enhanced the quality of life in Shifnal. It has highlighted the quality produce that we have on our doorstep and reduced the environmental footfall of the town as purchasing is done locally rather than being taken out of town.

The farmers’ market has promoted Shifnal as a desirable place to live and work.

Innovation and quality

Quality
The stallholders are only accepted if they are truly local and offering produce of a high standard. Stalls are rented to present a consistent, professional look to the market.

A dedicated team are on hand throughout the day to ensure everything runs smoothly. Market research is done at each market to gather feedback on quality and practical improvements that could be made.

Innovation
The project has created a market where there was none before. It has increased business in the town for local shopkeepers who have benefited from the increased footfall and turnover.

The action group is now a Community Interest Company. Bi-monthly there is now an opportunity for other community groups and charities to showcase their activities.

Transferability and learning points

This has been a very steep learning curve. No-one on the committee had any experience of running a market so had to learn quickly all aspects of this from finding insurance, doing risk assessments and requesting road closure orders to finding stallholders, identifying and briefing volunteers.

We have addressed issues raised by resident shopkeepers when problems have arisen and we have worked with them to overcome these problems and enable them to take advantage of the footfall coming into town.

We have also learnt about social enterprise organisations and decided to turn the project into a Community Interest Company, further professionalising the delivery of the market.

This knowledge is all transferable and the team would be a great asset for any other small community wishing to undertake a similar project and indeed the committee has been approached to assist with advice on setting up a similar market in another local town.

Funding, future financial viability and outcomes

Project Funding

Grants were received from:
Local Joint Committee: £1798
Shifnal Town Council: £500
Businesses: £100
Community fundraising and sales of ‘Shifnal Market’ shopping bags: £436
to finance insurance, publicity materials, road signs, stall rental.

Shropshire Rural Hub, a key partner, provided shopping bags and some leaflets.

Future Viability: Future income from stall rental will generate £1120 with rental costs of £960. The surplus, together with fundraising, funds the rental of an electricity generator.

Shifnal Town Council is applying for a regeneration grant to install electricity points which will benefit the market and other volunteer groups.

Key partners

• Shifnal Town Plan
• Committee Volunteers
• Local Joint Committee
• Shropshire Rural Hub
• Hatch Design

We wanted to improve the facilities of the existing building, increase the flexibility of the building, enhance the performance of the building and its environmental credentials, and encourage greater use of the building by community groups.]]> 2011 South East Zone Action for Market Towns Awards

Social and Community category – Commended

Summary

The aim of the Community Centred (Phoenix Phase Three) project was to redesign and refurbish a dilapidated former 1960s youth club building.

We wanted to improve the facilities of the existing building, increase the flexibility of the building, enhance the performance of the building and its environmental credentials, and encourage greater use of the building by community groups.

Overview

The redevelopment of this dilapidated building was the primary objective of the community-led STARR Initiative Market Town Health Check Action Plan for Sandwich and the four adjoining parishes.

Practically, works had to improve the performance of the building to reduce running costs, enhance its environmental performance and improve the long-term hirability of the building.

Phase Three, the subject of this application, was to develop a single storey extension to the Northeast end of the existing building and re-develop and refurbish the Main Hall area.

The Northeast Annexe accommodates the relocated community kitchen, the one-to-one consultation suite, new
community centre toilets, a storage area. The main entrance was redesigned and the foyer / café area has been extended. The existing main hall will be remodelled, featuring additional insulation, new windows, fire escape, hearing loop and other features.

Environmental considerations are key to the project: we have been guided by the building’s Youth Forum and User Group Panel, who have had constant input. These include:

1. Improve thermal performance: By adding insulation to Main Hall walls, to insulate ‘strammet board’ ceiling using natural (Hemp) materials and plasterboard alternatives.
2. Maximise natural daylight: Install sun tubes, enlarge windows and use reflective materials.
3. Maximise the use of natural ventilation: Fit Jaga Oxygene radiator/ventilator units, fit enlarged trickle vents throughout, install co2 and clean air sensors to ventilation systems.
4. Improve water usage: Install 5000-litre rain water storage system for toilet flushing, install AirFlush waterless urinals, taps are aerated restricted control mixer taps, fit 4 litre flush toilet pans and cisterns.
5. Reduce energy usage: All lights energy efficient units, corridor and toilet lights operate on sensors, primary space heating provided by Air Sourced Heat Pumps, under floor heating with zoned controls and a Combined Heat and Power Unit to generate heat, hot water and electricity to sell back to the grid.
6. Novel features: Incorporates a bio-diverse roof, an energy monitoring system, large volumes of recycled materials, green oak, recycled scaffold poles and much more.

Work began June 2010 and completed October 2010 and new community groups are now using the facility.

Need, purpose and community involvement

Need
This project was highlighted as the primary project from the local Healthcheck process completed in 2006.

It was clear from community consultation in Sandwich and the surrounding villages that we needed a modern, up-to-date community centre, to meet the needs of these communities by providing space for local health services, consultation services, counselling rooms, youth facilities, training space and community halls and rooms.

It was also needed to balance ownership of facilities by providing a venue in Sandwich South.

Aims and Objectives
This phase, Phase Three, of a 10 year project is to refurbish an existing community hall and build a new annexe to provide the facilities outlined above, but in the greenest way possible.

Users groups and community consultees believed the building should be delivered to the highest environmental standard, while creating a usable space.

The Trustees supported this but felt that we had to prove that Environmental Sustainability does go hand in hand with Financial Sustainability.

So technologies were used to increase thermal efficiency, to reduce water usage and wastage, to harvest rain water, to reduce energy bills and generate our energy by being the first to install an EcoGen Mini CHP in Kent, and to create a building that required less day-to-day maintenance.

Community Involvement
From the initial widespread consultation completed by the Healthcheck Team, through to our user group forums we have kept the community involved and informed at every stage of the project.  This was amply demonstrated when we were the first community venue in Kent to achieve Hallmark Three standard.

We are particularly proud of the successful engagement of local teenagers in every aspect of the project – this gives us greater understanding of their needs but also offers them the opportunity to volunteer, learn skills and maybe one day become trustees themselves.

Where next? 
We need to maintain our high standards.  After achieving Hallmark Standards 1,2 & 3, consistently receiving 5 Star rating and been category winners in Loo of the Year Awards for previous phases of the building we now need to maintain these standards in the most recently delivered phase.

Innovation and quality

The entire project is a shop window, a living demonstrator, that enables other community groups to see what can be achieved by committed volunteers and a strong community, with regard to building refurbishment but also helps visitors to the centre to learn about the changes that they can in their own lives to care for the environment and save money too.

We have recycled an entire building. We have delivered a community space that has involved all of the user groups, but especially the community youth forum that meet at the centre, in every aspect of design and delivery. They have attended trade shows, met with architects, visited during construction and have selected cutting edge technologies, novel recycled products and sustainable materials throughout.

The innovation is not just in the building, but in the depth of community involvement, the commitment and passion that comes with being truly Community Centred.

Transferability and learning points

Knowledge and Information Exchange
The entire project but specifically this phase has been developed with transferability in mind.  We are happy to share our experiences and knowledge with any group and host tours of the new facility.

Transferability
It is now easier to seek grants for refurbishment than for demolition and new build.  What we have achieved as volunteers can be replicated in any town or parish with village or community halls of any type.

What we learned
Research the strengths and abilities of your architect thoroughly before you appoint – it is a costly mistake to employ an architect who is out of their depth.  If it is a large project, always appoint a reputable QS and Project Manager, the support and advice they can offer is indispensable.

Volunteers can do it, we found the funds, designed and delivered a £440k refurbishment project to award-winning standard, you can too.

Funding, future financial viability and outcomes

Primary capital funding and short term revenue funding was supplied by the Big Lottery Community Building Programme, with £40k from Kent County Council Community Buildings and Village Hall Fund.

Project total of £440k capital.

We modelled three and five year projections based on existing hires, 6 projected new hires and the loss of 40% of our hires over these periods, all projections showed sufficient income to manage overheads, on-costs and maintenance, to the satisfaction of Big Lottery.

All projections, outcomes and outputs had to be developed to secure Big Lottery funding, these are all available upon request.

Key partners

Big Lottery & Kent County Council (Grant Givers)

Local poets, artists, dancers, craftspeople, photographers, choirs and musicians filled the days and nights and amazed the senses. Shifnal's history, architecture and faith were revisited.]]> 2011 West Zone Action for Market Towns Awards

Business and Economy category – Commended

Summary

The first Shifnal Festival took place over ten action-packed, fun-filled, entertaining days in September 2010.

Local poets, artists, dancers, craftspeople, photographers, choirs and musicians filled our days and nights and amazed our senses.  Our history, architecture and faith were revisited and we were transported beyond ourselves.

Overview

The Shifnal Festival came about in response to an identified need in the Shifnal Town Plan. Through the press and a public meeting, the community was invited to get involved in the festival’s creation as organisers, participants or by giving ideas of what they would like to see included.

The festival covered a ten-day period in September 2010. It started with the world premiere of a feature film filmed in Shifnal. A day of dance followed with displays of Chinese dancing, Appalachian step dancers, belly dancers and English folk and salsa. Everyone could join in the workshop sessions which were held in the afternoon.

Our minds were not left out as we exercised our bodies for St Andrew’s church hosted a day of spirituality including art and worship. A great Ceilidh rounded off the day.

Through the week you could do an architecture walk, learn felt making, clay sculpting or sugarcraft. An art trail took you throughout Shifnal where local artists’ work was exhibited and a photography exhibition showed the works of local photographers who had recorded life in Shifnal over the summer of 2010.

Shifnal’s Got Talent brought our young people to the fore while the poetry night presented a diverse collection of poets in the village hall. The CBSO Little Big Time Band put on a spectacular concert and our choirs all got together for a roof-raising evening. The children’s choir took part that night and our young people were front and centre at The Shifnal Review.

A craft fair promised something for everyone and the family funday had storytelling, a bouncy castle, donkey rides and roundabouts. The Grand Finale brought in rock groups and featured the winners of the talent competition. The final event was a harvest service with all three churches united in thanksgiving.

The festival was a fantastic success. As a result, another is planned for September 2011, a new drama group has been formed and countless members of the community have taken up new activities.

We hope the festival will become an annual feature of Shropshire’s cultural life.

Need, purpose and community involvement

Community and Community Involvement
The local community was completely involved with the project from the start. Indeed, it can be fairly said that the local community instigated the whole affair.

In 2007, a small group of Shifnal people became involved in the government’s town and parish plan initiative. The idea was to involve rural communities in identifying how they wished their towns and parishes to develop over the next five to ten years rather than being told by local authorities what would happen. A very wide ranging consultation was embarked upon.

A number of working groups involving more than eighty local people worked on the questions that were to be consulted on.  Areas covered included:

• culture
• traffic and pedestrian safety
• crime and crime prevention
• health and wellbeing
• shopping
• environment
• housing and planning
• youth issues

A questionnaire was sent to every home in Shifnal and consultation sessions took place at the schools and local community groups and businesses.

Need
The returns were fantastic and when all the information was collated, the Shifnal Town Plan was produced complete with an action list. Many wanted to see new activities in Shifnal including art and painting classes and music classes.

Dissatisfaction was voiced about the entertainment available in Shifnal with a desire for more, well publicised events.  People responded very positively to the possibility of a music week or an arts and entertainment week. Therefore, action point number 13 of the plan became to ‘establish an annual arts and entertainment week’ and a small but highly committed group set about seeing if this could become a reality.

The festival proved to be a huge success. Shifnal is not a tourist town as such, but the festival brought in people from all over the area. It has showcased the amazing talent that there is locally and encouraged many to become involved in new activities from belly dancing to singing in a choir.

Innovation and quality

Innovation
The festival was set up as a Community Interest Company, effectively belonging to the community, in itself an innovation.

Also the key festival ethos was to involve, as much as possible, all elements of the community to deliver an event which embraced as many art forms as possible. It achieved this by continued communication with the community through the town’s newsletter and direct engagement through schools and community groups.

As a result 32 events were delivered in 10 days and varied from local choirs, art and photography exhibitions to rock bands.

Quality
The Chairman, Tony Stringfellow, has worked professionally in the arts and entertainment industry for more than 25 years.  His experience and contacts were invaluable in helping the rest of the team to manage and deliver a completely professional festival to the highest possible standard.

The talent show winners have since won Shropshire’s ‘Battle of the Bands’ and more.

Transferability and learning points

The team became aware that they really needed more core volunteers and because of the first festival’s success has managed to gather quite a few more. There was also an issue with reaching the young people in the community, despite all our efforts, but this is being addressed through social networking sites such as Facebook, and we now have a good ‘youth’ representation on the committee.

Provided that the other town had the necessary venues, infrastructure and a willing team of volunteers there should be no issues with transferring the model of Shifnal Festival. It should really work anywhere with just moderate adjustments to accommodate local conditions.

Funding, future financial viability and outcomes

The festival was initially funded through grants from Shifnal and Shropshire Councils, LJC and Arts Council. We also ran a number of fundraising events during the year preceding the festival.

Events were ticketed to reduce the need for grant funding moving forward and commercial sponsorship is also being sought.

Eventually it is anticipated that the festival will become self funded over a few years through a ticketed finale event that will feature a headlining act. The festival is already significantly in credit, reducing the financial pressure for this year.

Key partners

• Shifnal Town Plan
• Shifnal Town Council
• Shifnal Society
• Shropshire Council
• Arts Council England
• local schools, businesses and churches

Mole Valley District Council and the Leatherhead & District Chamber of Commerce are working with Prowse & Company Ltd to roll out a campaign which promotes the area as a good location for business.]]> 2011 South East Zone Action for Market Towns Awards

Partnership and Strategic Working category – Commended

Summary

The Marketing Campaign was designed to promote Leatherhead and District as a good place for business and encourage local procurement during the downturn.

Mole Valley District Council and the Leatherhead & District Chamber of Commerce are working with Prowse & Company Ltd to roll out a campaign which promotes the area as a good location for business.

Overview

The Marketing Campaign was designed to preserve Leatherhead and District’s economic status during the downturn.  Mole Valley District Council and the Leatherhead & District Chamber of Commerce are working with Prowse & Company Ltd to roll out a campaign which promotes the area as a good location for business.

During the last 12 months, the campaign strategy has been to:

1. drive inward investment by showcasing how Leatherhead has been the location of choice for a diverse range of companies (large and small) in a business brochure
2. highlight best practice and business excellence by creating a business awards scheme
3. lobby the local media to write (or use) business related stories
4. use PR activities to associate the district with key sector clusters via success stories

Prowse & Company produced a business brochure designed to showcase Leatherhead as a vibrant place for business by demonstrating six good reasons to do business in the area.

The brochure was distributed within and beyond Leatherhead among professional advisors, commercial agents, inward investment agencies and government offices.  It was supported by sponsorship and additional advertising content from professional service firms, banks, commercial property agents and business support agencies.

The 2011 Leatherhead & District Business Awards were launched in January 2011 at an event attended by more than 30 members of the local business community. With six categories, the awards highlight and recognise Leatherhead’s entrepreneurial stars and corporate leaders.

Sponsors include:

• Mole Valley District Council
• Leatherhead & District Chamber of Commerce
• ExxonMobil, the Leatherhead Advertiser
• Swan Shopping Centre
• JCL
• St. John’s School, Leatherhead
• The Leatherhead Area Partnership Ltd
• Prowse & Company Ltd

Open to any individual or business located within Leatherhead, Ashtead, Bookham, Effingham, Mickleham or Fetcham, the awards are free to enter. The judging took place mid-March and the shortlisted companies have been announced.

The awards will be presented at a ceremony on 7 April at St. John’s School, Leatherhead, in front of an audience of more than 60 guests.

Through targeted PR activity, the campaign has generated 7 articles in the local paper, The Leatherhead Advertiser to date.

Need, purpose and community involvement

The campaign objectives are to:

1. position Leatherhead & District as a vibrant location for business
2. engender a sense of belonging among the business community across organisations of all sizes
3. reinforce perceptions of Leatherhead as a prime location for business by promoting its development sites, transport links, skilled workforce and accessibility to markets
4. increase local procurement, retail footfall and inward investment enquiries
5. showcase excellence as demonstrated by Leatherhead’s business community
6. provide branding opportunities for campaign sponsors

The campaign’s target audiences are:

• Local and regional business community
• Employees
• Business decision makers based outside the region
• Business intermediaries and professional advisors
• Local and regional business media
• Regional stakeholders (government, opinion-formers, policy makers)

Devised by business for business, the local community has been very supportive of the campaign, both in nominating local businesses and entering their own businesses for the awards.

This year, the nominations were available online at the Leatherhead & District Chamber of Commerce website.  A total of 50 businesses were nominated across the six categories.

Going forward, the campaign team has already been approached by a leading local multi-national company, who has not been involved to date to identify possible areas for sponsorship of the campaign in 2012.

Innovation and quality

The Leatherhead & District Marketing Campaign has generated much enthusiasm within the district’s business community at large, forging closer links between local SMEs and large multinational corporations with head offices based in the area.

The high quality brochure is testament to the high standard of work undertaken throughout the campaign. The popularity of the awards both among the local business community and headline sponsors means that funds are being put in place to run the awards scheme for a third year running.

Transferability and learning points

This campaign, created by Prowse & Company, has already been delivered in another borough, thus demonstrating its transferability.

Funding, future financial viability and outcomes

Sponsorship came from local companies and regional stakeholders in the form of committed financial sponsorship and sponsorship in kind (including advertising space, provision of venues for events, provision of services).

The benefits of sponsorship include:

• Branding: increased company profile and new customers
• Corporate Social Responsibility: a commitment to the local community in which they operate
• Employee loyalty: reinforced perceptions as a caring employer among existing and potential employees
• Networking: networking opportunities with other partners, government and opinion-formers

Key partners

• Prowse & Company Ltd
• Leatherhead & District Chamber of Commerce
• Leatherhead Town Centre Management Office

This far-reaching multi-faceted Folly Regeneration Project has involved every corner of the community and is a true celebration of this wonderfully surreal and iconic asset for the benefit of residents and visitors alike.]]> 2011 South East Zone Action for Market Towns Awards

Environment and Culture category – Commended

Summary

Exactly 75 years ago Lord Berners (aka The Last Great Eccentric) built the Folly Tower on Folly Hill  - a Folly on a Folly towering 260 ft above the town – as a birthday whim for his gay lover: “The great point of the Tower is that it will be entirely useless”

This far-reaching multi-faceted Folly Regeneration Project has involved every corner of the community and is a true celebration of this wonderfully surreal and iconic asset for the benefit of residents and visitors alike.

Overview

The Tower

• New roof and structure, new electrics, emergency lights and lightning conductors to meet the safety standards
• Structural improvements to the staircase, refurbished windows and brickwork and redecoration
• The Belvedere (a room that is 90ft above ground level – with cramped seating for ten) with its panoramic windows transformed into a uniquely unusual period dining room for celebrations and meetings

The Four-Acre Woodland

• Extensive survey of trees, habitat, biodiversity and wildlife, leading to the creation of the “Woodland Plan”
• Clearing of undergrowth, thinning trees, and installation of bird boxes and woodpiles
• Planting of 250 indigenous new trees – sourced from a carbon offset organisation (eForest)

The start of the new sculpture trail

Pye’s Pie
Commissioning and construction of a giant “Willow Pie” Sculpture by local artist in recognition of Faringdon’s very own Poet Laureate – Henry James Pye (1745-1813) generally acknowledged to have been the worst Poet Laureate ever.

Pye planted the trees (around 1780), and his work on Folly Hill has been described as probably the most poetic act of his life. His critics lampooned him in the verse that became a nursery rhyme: “Four and twenty blackbirds…”.

Local schools were also involved in the final build of “Pye’s Pie” together with its four & twenty blackbirds. The Pie is not only a surrealist work of engagement art but also provides friendly forest seating!

Forest Stump
Commissioning and completion of a number of “tree sculptures”: troll-sized tree stumps carved into wizened woodland characters to amuse and entertain, and to be guardians over the Woodland.

Tourist information & merchandise

• Series of information boards both in the Woodland and in the Tower – covering Faringdon’s rich history; the building of the Tower; the Woodland & wildlife; and of course the wonderfully eccentric life of Lord Berners & his consort Heber-Percy
• Wide range of new Folly Tower merchandise carrying the new logo – including sweatshirts, tee-shirts, hats (woolly & baseball), scarves, fridge magnets, pens, pencils, umbrellas, calendars

Marketing & publicity

• Wonderfully eye-catching new logo & website; good use of social networking including Facebook & Twitter
• Extensive marketing campaign both local & national – already leading to media coverage nationwide, including Andrew Marr’s ‘Britain from Above’ on BBC One TV, ‘CountryFile’ with John Craven and ‘Escape to the Country’ on BBC Two TV
• Regular emails to email distribution list of more than 600 people and growing

Need, purpose and community involvement

Faringdon and the surrounding villages together form our Urban-Rural Community.  The Healthcheck in 2001 and the Survey in 2009 both highlighted how important it is for Faringdon and surrounding villages to have not only a strong community identity and sense of worth but also pride in our colourful history and rich heritage.

It is our role not only to protect the wonderful assets that we have, but also to develop these unique assets for the present and for the future, for residents and for visitors and tourists alike.

The 105 ft high Folly Tower standing proudly up on Folly Hill (so named centuries before the tower was ever built) towering 260 feet above the town and surveying its dominion of 20 miles of beautiful countryside across the Vale of White Horse, upper Thames Valley and onwards to the Cotswolds, is not only an iconic landmark, but a real beacon that is integral to Faringdon’s identity.

Steeped in history, it also encapsulates the works of two illustrious forebears: Berners (the Tower) and Pye (the Woodland).

More recently, to celebrate the Millennium, it became the only inland lighthouse (ever!) – with its own registered beacon signature.

The aims of the Folly Regeneration Project are all centred around the needs and aspirations of the wider community, and include Conservation, Education, Recreation, Tourism, Celebration of Surrealism, Pleasure, Leisure, Health, Welfare, Sustainability, and of course the ongoing appreciation of the beautiful surrounding countryside, our precious Urban-Rural landscape .

More than 100 local and clubs and societies have been involved in bringing the Folly Regeneration Project to fruition and many will be holding events in celebration.

Every element of the Folly Regeneration Project has at its core the principle that we are protecting and developing a legacy that is fully sustainable for the future – to be enjoyed by generations to come.

Innovation and quality

The Spirit of Lord Berners, our exceedingly eccentric polymath, lives on! As Berners said (while he was painting his flock of white fan-tailed pigeons in bright rainbow colours) : “Mistrust a man who never has an occasional flash of silliness” .

Perhaps this Spirit is also epitomised by the recently rediscovered 3-metre-high sign on the back of the Folly Tower: “Please do not Feed the Giraffes” . And this same playful surrealism allows us to celebrate the awful doggerel that was the product of the worst Poet Laureate ever: Henry James Pye.

Innovation and creativity, whimsical humour and frivolous silliness have therefore inevitably been at the very heart of the Folly Regeneration Project, while at the same time ensuring that all renovations and regeneration work have been carried out to the highest standards possible.

At every opportunity we have engaged the services of lead professions, most of whom have given freely of their time and expertise. These include Information Board Design Consultants; Art and Sculpture Officer for the Vale; many local Artists; Biodiversity & Conservation Expert; Woodland Planning Expert; Arboricultural Officer; Interior Furniture Designer; Interior Decoration & Paints Specialist; and Architect in Historic Building Conservation.

Transferability and learning points

Our very English “well developed sense of the ridiculous” can be enjoyed by visitors and residents alike.  As Berners wrote: “There is a legend that Our Lord said “Blessed are the Frivolous, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” and that it was suppressed by St Paul“.  Maybe he was right?

Every town has its own unique identity, history and heritage – and this can be celebrated and developed for all.

In the Folly Regeneration Project, we have taken a unique package of assets and linked them to strong local themes; we have emphasised community ownership through the schools and more than 100 clubs and societies; and by drawing on our innate and inborn sense of the ridiculous we have even managed to have a lot of fun along the way – in spite of the many challenges that were inevitably part of such a multi-faceted project.

All of these elements are eminently transferable to other towns and communities – and we wholeheartedly encourage you to emulate what we have tried to do with this wonderful project and what we know it will do for the town for many generations to come.

Watch this space – and watch out for flying Pink Pigeons.

Funding, future financial viability and outcomes

Source of Funds

• Country Houses Foundation: £27,114
• Local Fundraising: £17,114
• Community Spaces: £27,900
• Monument Trust: £37,600
• SEEDA Small Rural Towns: £30,000
• Southern Oxfordshire LEADER: £23,000

Total: £139,728

Income forecast of £5.3k in 2011 rising to £8k in 2015
Current surplus of £9k to increase to £14k by 2015

Folly Regeneration Project Outcomes

• Renovated Tower & regenerated Woodland – all to the highest standard
• “Pye’s Pie”: The SECOND Sculpture (the Folly being the first) in the new Folly Sculpture Trail
• Information boards in the Woodland and Tower and a range of merchandise to enhance visitor experience

Most important outcome of all: protecting, developing, and celebrating our identity, our history, and our heritage.

Key partners

• Faringdon Town Council and the Vale of White Horse District Council
• Faringdon Tourist Information Centre
• Focus-on-Faringdon
• Faringdon Folly Tower Trust and Friends of the Folly Tower
• All four Faringdon Schools
• Andrew Townsend Architects – Historic Building Consultants
• Pink Pigeon Trust
• Great Western Comunity Forests

The project also promoted partnership working within a wide range of community and commercial groups from the WI to the local semi-professional football club.]]> 2011 South East Zone Action for Market Towns Awards

Business and Economy category – Commended

Summary

An inexpensive project encouraging residents to stay local and increasing footfall for Godalming businesses during a traditionally quiet summer period.

The project also promoted partnership working between a wide range of community and commercial groups from the WI to the local, semi-professional football club.

Overview

Staycation is the idea that individuals and families can holiday based in their own home, providing an inexpensive and environmentally-friendly vacation.

In 2010 in Godalming this idea took a more substantive form with a publicised programme of events for the week of 7 to 15 August brought together under the “Staycation” brand with the express purpose of encouraging families to stay at home and participate in local activities.

The events were featured on Godalming Town Council’s website and published as a 16 page Staycation Brochure distributed to over 16,000 households and businesses in and around Godalming in early August. (See a pdf of the brochure here)

A key concept of Godalming Staycation is partnership. No one organisation within the community has the resources (financial or staffing) to stage a week long programme of events but together the community has great resources.

While some of the events would have happened anyway most events were specially organised for Staycation. A key example of the former was the Jools Holland Concert at Charterhouse School – by allowing the event to be included in the Staycation programme the organisers received some free publicity but more importantly gave added substance to the Staycation programme and signalled their endorsement of the Staycation concept.

Most events were specially organised for Staycation. Some clubs took the opportunity to offer taster sessions or activities, other community groups ran a specific family-friendly activity. There was a week long family film festival.

We encouraged people to enjoy evening strolls along Godalming’s waterways or dine in one of the town’s many restaurants. Local cycle groups organised evening cycle rides. The week culminated in a family Picnic in the Park day on Saturday 14 August, which was well attended even though the weather was not kind.

Our Staycation 2011 is already well underway and will take place from 6 to 14 August 2011. Due to the success of Staycation 2010 many more participants have come forward and our first planning meeting has already identified enough events to expand the brochure.

Need, purpose and community involvement

The project was the initiative of Godalming’s Mayor for 2010/11 and was envisaged as a one-off project.

The 2007 Indices of Multiple Deprivation show that Godalming has a small area deemed to be the most deprived in Waverley Borough and the sixth most deprived in Surrey (there are a further two areas with high levels of deprivation in the town). The current Mayor represents that community and was mindful that many families are unable to take a summer holiday away.

On a broader front the Mayor wished to use her Mayoral year to increase the range of events available to the whole community and, as a former town centre retailer, to help increase footfall in the town centre and encourage people and their money to stay local.

The key aim was to give residents a choice in a time of austerity.

The Godalming Healthcheck report published in the summer of 2009 has a specific action point (EC.1):

“to improve footfall in retail shopping streets, particularly Godalming High Street through a range of initiatives”

The Healthcheck also identified a need “to encourage and facilitate local groups and individuals who propose to organise public events for families and young people” (action point Y. 1).

• Healthcheck action points are available here

The local community was involved in a number of ways. An initial mailshot was sent to all the town’s community organisations (from the Town Council’s extensive database of contacts) inviting volunteers, followed up by a number of meetings.  Different individuals and groups then took on key tasks.

The programme of activities was distributed to all households in the community and the events were open to all.

For future years community organisations will continue to form the heart of the Staycation programme – with the brochure itself being coordinated and published by the Town Council.

In 2011 publicity material will be produced earlier and focus on getting a flyer into the “book bag” of every KS1 and KS2 pupil at school in Godalming in early July so that households are looking out for the August programme.

Innovation and quality

Staycation is an innovative concept – the word only seems to have appeared around 2003. Godalming has taken the concept from the individual family to a whole town and delivered a new product: the community staycation.

The project developed quality art work to brand the concept and develop the holiday theme. Care was taken to coordinate and deliver a wide range of activities and to publish clear and accurate information in the programme – sign-posting sources of further information.

The organisers put the overall quality of the product first – when the independent cinema provider withdrew at short notice, a replacement was found to enable the family film festival to proceed as advertised, although at some financial cost.

Transferability and learning points

We learned that we need to market the concept earlier to give all participants (organisers and attendees) more time to plan; this is proving easier in 2011.

We also learned that there is limited demand for community cinema in Godalming and will not repeat the family film festival.

We learned that tasks such as developing artwork, branding, the brochure format and an interactive events diary for the Town Council’s website were good investments – forming a reusable package for future years and transferable to other towns wishing to adopt the concept.

It is a complete package! A tried and tested product that others can use – it just needs the name of the town, some localised branding and the contribution of that town’s community organisations.

Funding, future financial viability and outcomes

The total budget for the project was £5,800.

£3,800 from the Town Council and £2,000 from local sponsors.

Major costs were £500 for artwork, £2,000 for the brochure and £3,000 for the film festival (this last cost will not be repeated).

The project is therefore viable for 2011 at a cost of £3,000.

For 2011 we now have a tangible product to sell and a team dedicated to raising sponsorship.

Key outcomes:

• 8 days of successful events
• community request to repeat in 2011
• doubling of volunteers for the 2011 management committee
• 2011 events already more numerous than 2010

Key partners

Godalming Together, Godalming & District Chamber of Commerce and many more.