Stuart Webber, Sporting Director at Norwich City FC
Breckland Council’s work to support vulnerable residents through the coronavirus pandemic has been boosted by a donation from Norwich City Football Club and Norwich City Community Sports Foundation.
There are more than 3,600 people in the district who the NHS consider to be ‘extremely vulnerable’ and the council is supporting them by making welfare calls and, where needed, distributing medicines and food parcels.
The club and its foundation recently boosted the local effort by donating 120 parcels to the council, containing essential non-perishable food items such as tinned goods and dried foods. The boxes also included hand sanitiser, toilet roll, sweet treats, a NCFC gift and a note from celebrity chef and Canaries shareholder Delia Smith.
The support is part of the club and foundation’s Canaries COVID-19 Community Support Project which has seen £200k donated by the football club’s players, staff and directors, to help the county respond to covid-19.
The initial delivery was dropped off to the council by Norwich City’s Sporting Director Stuart Webber, with further donations possible over the coming weeks. The boxes will be distributed by the council to Breckland residents who need emergency access to food, including people who have recently been discharged from hospital and those unable to shop for themselves.
Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, Breckland Council’s Leader, commented: “The Canaries clearly know a lot about teamwork and we’re delighted to have received their generous donation. The support we’ve had from them, along with help from volunteers and other local businesses, has been like a twelfth man in helping us respond to the pandemic and keep local residents safe and well.”
Ian Thornton, Chief Executive Officer of the Community Sports Foundation, said: “This donation is part of the first phase of the Canaries COVID-19 Community Support Project, helping to tackle short-term issues, such as helping vulnerable people access essential items. As time progresses, the project plans to refocus on potential longer-term issues brought about by the crisis, such as inactivity, poor mental health, or a loss of employment.”
To find out more about the fund and make a donation, go to: www.communitysportsfoundation.
Today (Friday 22 October) saw the official unveiling of Dereham’s wayfinding panels and finger posts that have been installed around the town to help bring its rich history to life and direct pedestrians to various points of interest.
The project was led by the aboutDereham Partnership and jointly funded by Breckland Council, Dereham Town Council and Norfolk County Council. The 14 information panels, designed in the main by local historian Sue Walker from Dereham Heritage Trust, contain lots of interesting facts, maps and old photos about the town’s past and its famous people. The panels guide visitors around the town to its main attractions and local landmarks such as Dereham Windmill, Bishop Bonner’s Cottage and the Mid-Norfolk Railway. The panels are complemented by new fingerpost direction signs around the town.
A much-loved arts and entertainment programme is set to return to the stage after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
Breckland Council’s Silver Social programme will hold iconic in-person events later this month, with further shows planned for November and December.
The Silver Social promotes engagement through the arts by staging events in local communities, enabling residents to stay connected and make friends in their area. It forms part of Breckland Council’s Inspiring Communities Programme, using creativity and connection to tackle loneliness and isolation amongst older residents.
Cllr Alison Webb, Breckland’s Executive Member for Housing, Health and Communities, commented: “The Silver Social has always been incredibly popular and has brought a vast range of art workshops and shows to the communities of Breckland. The pandemic meant we had to move the programme online, but now we’re back with in-person events and a fantastic-looking programme for the coming months. These shows are sure to be popular, so I urge people to book their place, whether you’ve been to a Silver Social event in the past or not.”
On 12 October 2021 a ceremony was held to mark the beginning of construction of the new Broadland Food Innovation Centre.
Broadland District Council recently received final confirmation from the European Regional Development Fund for c. £5.7m for the food innovation project, which includes the Broadland Food Innovation Centre being built close to Norwich in Broadland District; bespoke innovation support packages with access to experts on every aspect of business growth; and a cluster which brings together research, academia, supply, production, the food and drink community, charities, government and finance. This support will be available to both tenants and eligible businesses through Norfolk and Suffolk. The Centre is scheduled to open in autumn 2022.
Martin Jones from Norwich is a keen amateur photographer who over the past few months has been taking his camera out with him when going for a walk along a small part of the River Wensum in Norwich.
We are so glad that Martin took the time to share these wonderful selection of photographs with us which we are sure you will enjoy and just demonstrates what we can all see if we take a moment to just stop and observe the environment around us .
We are, of course, also very lucky to either live in or be able to visit the fine City of Norwich which the Sunday Times recently named Norwich one of the best places to live in 2021.
The Rowan Project launched in February 2021 to offer free counselling and support for survivors of sexual abuse in the Breckland area. Anyone over 16 of any gender who has experienced sexual assault, abuse or violence in their lives – both recently or in childhood – can contact the Rowan Project and talk to one of their counsellors in a safe environment.
The charity is a new branch of the Daisy Programme which has supported survivors of domestic abuse for over six years developing a trauma based and client-centred approach. The team at Daisy saw an urgent need for more specialist support for sexual abuse, hiring specialised counsellors who have experience and training in this field.
“We believe that people should not be defined by the trauma they have experienced,” says Leigh Doran, Programme Director at the Rowan Project. “Every person is unique and different as is their experience of abuse, and we believe that with the right support every person has the potential to develop their personal strengths and rebuild their lives.”
Since the Rowan Project launched in February 2021 they have built a large client base, some of whom have never spoke about their experience until their first one-to-one counselling session. However, they have managed to keep their waiting list lower by delivering a targeted and evidence-based service in up to 18 sessions.
