The Story So Far.....

Early in 1997 a Group of local people met and discussed a shared enthusiasm for creating a Centre for the Community of Halesworth and the surrounding Villages.

It was out of this meeting that a Steering Group was born. Our remit was to progress a vision of a Centre into reality!

Later that year the Steering Group organised a 2 day ‘Requirements Capture’ event in the Library to gauge the needs of local people

Some months later, Halesworth Town Council hosted a Regeneration event where local people could express their views on how they wished to see Halesworth develop. The feedback received further supported the creation of a Centre for the Community.

In 1998, the Steering Group contacted all local Community Groups to ask if and how they would use a Centre. Once all the information from previous events was examined, a plan for what the Centre would look like and contain was formulated.

Then, after interviewing potential Architects to undertake a Feasibility Study, we chose Architype - Architects based in London with a focus on environmentally sound architecture and building practices.

By the summer of 1998, fundraising to pay for the Feasibility Study was underway. We received funding from the Rural Development Agency, Suffolk County Council and Waveney District Council. We also had financial support from Halesworth Town Council.

The Feasibility Study commenced in December 1998 and was completed in February 1999. It concluded that a Centre for the Community was viable because of public support and in economic terms.

We have decided to constitute as an Industrial and Provident Society, because a legal body will need to progress the Centre project through fundraising to completion. It costs money to become an IPS and we have applied to SUCCESS for the funds to do so. At the time of writing, we are waiting to hear whether we will be granted these funds.

Becoming an IPS will mean that the Steering group are legally registered as a group working for the benefit of the community and as such we will have tax exempt charitable status. Part of the IPS rules states that we agree:

Since the Feasibility Study report was completed there have been some developments which affect our project.. When the Feasibility Study was undertaken, one of the ‘key user groups’ identified was Waveney District Council. However, in a recent meeting, they were not able to make any firm commitment to being part of the Centre. Consequently, the WDC Office space and the Day Centre space need to be removed from the plans.

In addition to this, there are at least two other Theatre projects in Halesworth that have potential. We have therefore decided to remove a Theatre from the Centre plans and concentrate on the other things we wish to progress in the Centre. We wish the other two Theatre projects good luck and hope that we will soon see one, or even two venues attracting the crowds!