Annual Report 2008-9
Wells Area Partnership (WAP)

Wells Area Partnership (WAP) began operating in 2006.  It is an independent community led organisation that works to improve the quality of life and the delivery of services in the Wells area of North Norfolk. It seeks to create a sustainable community longer term, looking at the social, economic and environmental needs of the area.
WAP is one of seven Area Partnerships in North Norfolk and works in the parishes of Burnham Market, Burnham Norton, Burnham Overy, Burnham Thorpe, North & South Creake, Walsingham, Holkham, Warham, Binham, Wighton, Hindringham, Stiffkey, Field Dalling, Wiveton, Blakeney, Cley, Morston, Langham and Wells. 
It’s membership consists of individuals and representatives of parish councils, community groups, businesses and statutory organisations such as the police and fits into a national network of similar organisations.
Our role is to:

• Consult local people and enable greater participation in decision-making about the area and services
• Create specific projects that help address local need and fills gaps in services (for example we initiated the process leading to Homes for Wells a local housing charity)
• Attract funding to the area for example we recently secured £5,500 from the Comic Relief fund for the Walsingham Youth Project.

• Act as a community resource such as co-ordinating community events and sharing equipment

In 2008- 09 WAP

• Co-ordinated the Walsingham Youth project. We brought together Walsingham Parish Council, The Shrine, Norfolk Youth Service and Wells SNT to address some of the issues around youth offending in Walsingham. We have secured funding of £11,500 from Norfolk Community Foundation and the YMCA to deliver focused youth activities in the village until March 2011. Two youth workers are now in place and work with the young people in Walsingham for 2 hours every Wednesday evening.
• Supported Wells Community Hospital in creating a business case for their future development. Facilitated discussion with older people on their behalf and supported clinician meetings.

• Set up Community Action Through Sport (CATS) project. We established a committee including key partners - Wells Town Council, Alderman Peel High School, Victory Housing and Wells SNT. 15 Young people are currently involved with the project and have run two small scale event – a litter pick of East Quay and a charity football match in Walsingham.

• Launched the Wells Area Community Bank. We have 6 trained volunteers who now run the community bank from the Sackhouse every Tuesdays morning. The bank offers a safe a secure way of saving and helps local people access low interest loans rather than using doorstep lenders. All money is used within the community and doesn’t go to outside investors.  We are working in partnership with Wells Town Council (who provide the venue) and Wells Citizens Advice Bureau who are both supporting this project.

• Supported the North Norfolk Exhibition Project in running art workshops for children and young people as part of the Salthouse Exhibition. Children from local schools and the Benjamin Foundation youth group participated in art workshops ranging from screen printing to drama.

• Exhibited at North Norfolk's Simply Outstanding Tourism Event. WAP worked with local tourism businesses to help them advertise their produce, service or company. We collected information, literature and display material from local businesses and producers to create a comprehensive view of Wells and surrounding villages.

• The Environment Forum ran a series of environmental awareness raising sessions.
• Showing of An Inconvenient Truth and The Age of Stupid as part of Screen by the Sea approx 40 people attended both shows
• Created an energy bike to demonstrate energy consumption of traditional light bulbs vs. energy saving light bulbs
• Took part in Field Study Centre Open Day. Parish Fair, &  Wild about Wensum events
• 40 boxes of low energy light bulbs given away at events

• The Environment Forum set up an allotment holder’s food stall at Whin Hill Cider. They worked with Wells Town Council who agreed to lift the ban on the sale of allotment produce, held a public meeting with allotment holders and ran the stall throughout the summer months.

• Improved communication methods with both partners and local people by creating a bi-monthly e-newsletter and writing regular monthly articles for the quay magazine. We have also updated the WAP website which now includes a co-ordinators blog and more project information.

• Been an active member of the Wells for the Future Partnership Board. WAP are a member of this Board as well as playing a key role in taking forward plans for the development of the Maltings Complex. So far the Maltings Project Group has met 4 times and held one stakeholders workshop to create a vision and list of priority uses. Consultants have been appointed to carry out a feasibility study which will be looking at the required research, architectural services, quantity surveying and business planning needed to take the project forward. Public consultation will also have an essential role in this development.

• Supported Blakeney Together’. We have been working with a group of volunteers, the Royal British Legion, Morston Assets and the Harbour Rooms Management team to ensure the Harbour Rooms is used as a community hub and enterprise centre. Via this project two member of the Blakeney community are running a sub-branch of Wells Area Community Ban

www.wellsareapartnership.org.uk
October 2009