Originally formed in 2000, the Iceni Partnership gained European and district and town council funding through Objective 2.This funding was for both social and economic projects, including the renovation of Swaffham Assembly Rooms, the rebuild of Swaffham Community Centre, and smartening up the town centre parking and pedestrian areas. Throughout the three year project, the Iceni Partnership was given a number of social targets to meet, including increasing the number of volunteers in the community.
Today, the Iceni Partnership still runs the Community Centre and the Assembly Rooms, as well as 8 business units on the EcoTech business park, purchased through an asset development grant by Action For Market Towns. We work with many local organisations to help organise and run events and projects in Swaffham. Working with Norfolk County Council Children's Services, we have develop 2 growing youth groups, Youthie and Youthie+. Young volunteers from these groups have since applied to the Norfolk Youth Fund to pay for a youth worker and equipment to make sure they have a youth club here in Swaffham for at least the next 2 years.
The Iceni Partnership also help and support our local villages, mainly with their own funding applications. Recently we have helped Great Dunham Village Hall Amenities Committee in their bid to fund a new village hall.
But its not all about funding, a lot of the time the local groups or organisations who come to us just need to be sign posted in the right direction, or need a little help to get their ideas off the ground.
So, in just one sentence, what exactly is the Iceni Partnerhsip now?
We are a community development partnership, working with as many groups as possible for the benefit of the wider community.
With thanks to Breckland District Council, Swaffham Town Council, Norfolk County Council, Government Office, Objective 2, East of England and the European Regional Development Fund