Wickham Market Partnership
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The Wickham Market Partnership was formed as a company limited by guarantee from a working party of the Wickham Market Parish Council in October 2002. In February 2003 the Partnership attained charitable status. Its principal purpose is to obtain funding and work with various organisations to improve the facilities in Wickham Market and the surrounding communities, which were identified in a "Healthcheck" carried out in 2001 followed by a feasibility study focusing on sport and leisure activities in 2005.
The development of the centre of Wickham Market by Suffolk Coastal District Council with funds from the East of England Development Agency, Suffolk County Council and the Parish Council was completed in 2002. An early project was the development of this community website, which continues to inform visitors of Wickham Market's wide range of services and facilities. The Partnership was a key partner in designing and seeking funding for a skate park, and supporting the Village Hall to install a new play area in 2004. Built in conjunction with Suffolk County Council, the Resource Centre, incorporating the Library & Community Rooms, also opened in 2004. This was followed by tennis courts developed in 2008 with Lottery funding, the completion of a full-sized basketball court in 2009, and facilities signage for Wickham Market off the A12. A promotional leaflet for Wickham Market, celebrating its history, environment and businesses, was also designed and published in 2010. Local businesses have been supported with the installation of Christmas tree/flagpole brackets on the Hill in 2011.
Over the years the Partnership has also given matched funding to a number of other organisations in the area. Last but not least the Partnership responded to the threat of the possible library closure in 2011 by liaising with the County Council to form a Library Management Committee to support the day-to-day running of the library to supplement the staff with volunteer help to increase opening hours, and becoming one of the first pilot schemes in the County.
The Resource Centre
Two bungalows linked by a reception area were converted into the Resource Centre, now known as the Library & Community Rooms. With excellent disabled access, this was completed in 2004. The Library transferred from its previous rooms to this building the same year and is now open five days a the week.
The community rooms are available for hire which provide interview and meeting rooms as well as a treatment/consulting room for use by various local organisations.
Suffolk County Council and the Wickham Market Partnership share this building, which was originally funded by the East of England Development Agency and the County Council.
Contact Us
If your business, club or group is in the local area and is not represented on the website, why not become a member of the Wickham Market Partnership? This entitles you to up to 50 words of text about your organisation without additional charge.
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For further information, email us or telephone 01728 747782 or write to The Wickham Market Partnership at: Wickham Market Resource Centre, Chapel Lane, Wickham Market, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP13 0SB, United Kingdom.
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To become a member, click on these links to download the Annual Membership Form and the Website Information Form.
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For other queries about the site, please email our webmaster.