AMT Public » community assets

Enter Britain’s TOP award for town projects

Katie Fewings — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:33:09 +0000

The 2012 Action for Market Towns National Awards are a chance for you to shout from the rooftops about the work you are doing in your town and to inspire other towns.

Be bold, loud, and proud about your achievements! The awards offer recognition for the innovation and creative ideas which many small towns are using to survive and to thrive – ideas which could be implemented to help other towns, villages and high streets.

The Awards cover England, Wales and Scotland and are now open for entries until Friday 23rd March 2012.

Read the Awards Guidance and download an entry form, here.

Britain’s TOP award for town community projects opens for entries

Katie Fewings — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:38:25 +0000

Press release: 23 January 2012

Towns challenged to be ‘bold, proud and loud’ about achievements as Action for Market Towns National Awards open for entries

Action for Market Towns – the national charity representing market and small towns across the UK – today launched its 2012 awards scheme with a challenge to towns and villages to be “bold, proud, and loud” about what they have achieved.

The 2012 Action for Market Towns National Awards have become a recognised quality mark for best practice. At a critical time for town centres and high streets, the awards offer recognition for the innovation and creative ideas which many small towns are using to survive and to thrive – ideas which could be implemented to help the recovery of other towns, villages and high streets.

2012 sees the Award scheme – now in its 8th year – extended to cover Scotland for the first time.

Chris Wade, Chief Executive of Action for Market Towns, said:

“We are really excited to launch the 2012 Action for Market Towns Awards, which for the first time cover the whole of Britain. Last year’s record entries showed that austere times can bring out the best amongst the self-reliant communities and businesses in the country’s small towns. We look forward to receiving even more imaginative and sustainable entries this year.”

Judges will rate entries in categories including Environment and Culture, Social and Community, Business and Economy, and Partnership and Strategic Working.

Previous Award winners range from projects improving towns’ physical environment to the creation of business and community hubs, from a social enterprise helping disabled people into employment to a project to bring high-speed wi-fi to a small town.

Sponsored by CCLA and The Big Lottery Fund, the Awards give towns and villages an invaluable opportunity for national recognition and coverage of their achievements and their ideas

Full details including entry criteria and instructions are available at http://towns.org.uk/market-town-awards/market-town-awards-2012/

Press enquiries: Jamie Veitch, 07904 272 200.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Action for Market Towns (AMT) is a national charity committed to the vitality and viability of our small towns.
It has a national network of members and works with Town Councils, Community and town partnerships, emerging Local Enterprise Partnerships, Local Authorities, and independent / selected partner businesses.
It offers training, consultancy, national advocacy and a range of other services to more than 400 members.
Profiles of 2011 Award winners are available at http://towns.org.uk/market-town-awards/market-town-awards-2011/
For press enquiries please contact Jamie Veitch on 07904 272 200 or email news@towns.org.uk

What next?

Find out more about the 2011 AMT Award winners
Enter the 2012 AMT Awards

AMT Convention 2011 Virtual Study Tour: Self-financing community assets

Katie Fewings — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:55:03 +0000

This is a virtual study tour that looks at successful investment in sustainable community facilities in 3 Shropshire towns.

The Cleobury Country Centre in Cleobury Mortimer is a multi use building run as a social enterprise that serves the needs of local businesses, education and community groups. {3 minutes 33}

Wem Town Hall is an arts, learning, community and enterprise centre. {1 minute 36}

Mayfair Community Centre in Church Stretton is a community-run centre providing services, room hire and even hosting a country market. {3 minutes 46}

What next?

Ask questions about developing self-financing community buildings in the AMT Forum
Find out more about the AMT Convention 2011

AMT Convention 2011: Annemarie Naylor, Locality

Katie Fewings — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:51:26 +0000

Since 2008, Annemarie has worked to establish a government funded Asset Transfer Unit (ATU) – working with partners at national level to promote and support the community asset transfer agenda throughout England in the wake of ‘Making Assets Work: The Quirk Review of Community Management and Ownership of Public Assets’ [2007].

She oversaw delivery of the Advancing Assets for Communities demonstration programme, working with more than 100 top tier local authorities in England to support local authority strategy development and the transfer of 200 publicly owned assets to the third sector.

She also managed Locality’s support contract with the BIG Lottery Fund for the £30m Community Assets Programme.

Today, she leads Locality’s cutting-edge multiple asset transfer, community managed libraries and digital assets for communities programmes.

When is Annemarie speaking?

Annemarie will be talking at the workshop ‘Acquiring Community Assets‘ taking place at 11:40 – 12:40 and again in the afternoon at 14:10 – 15:10 on Thursday 13 October.

Read more about the workshops and study tours here

What next?

Read about other speakers at the AMT Convention 2011
Find out more about the AMT Convention

Localism case study: Asset (building) management – North Allerdale Development Trust

Katie Fewings — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:12:45 +0000

The North Allerdale Partnership’s (NAP) legacy of creating a Development Trust linked to asset transfer and community regeneration, has been commended as a trailblazing community project and a case study for best practice in the North West.

When its Market Town Initiative (MTi) programme finished in 2008, NAP was not prepared to see an end to the exciting developments it had started under the MTi programme.

It was clear that this was only the starting point and that there was a continuing need for community led regeneration and investment into the area. This requirement was reinforced by the findings of an Impact Assessment and 5 year Action Plan.

Consultation was held with the local community, local groups, the business sector and other key stakeholders to seek their views on future need. It was unanimously agreed that NAP should leave a legacy for the area in the form of a new Development Trust – The NADT.

Windfall for the Market Hall

A successful bid to the BIG Lottery’s Community Asset Fund for £375,000 provided for the refurbishment of the run down Market Hall and the building of a new linked annex.

Following wide consultation, the design for the Annexe and Market Hall reflected the future requirements of community and key stakeholders, resulting in the Annexe being let to capacity on opening.

The new Local Links office, housed in the market hall annexe, provides a range of services to local communities of the area.

On completion of the renovation, the management of the Market Hall was then transferred to NADT on behalf of the local community, creating a sustainable legacy for the organisation.

What next?

Read the full case study: A sustainable future for North Allerdale (AMT members only – find out about the benefits of joining AMT here)
See more localism case studies

Localism case study: Asset management – Congleton Town Hall

Katie Fewings — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:04:11 +0000

Congleton Town Hall is situated on the High Street in the beautiful historic market town of Congleton, Cheshire.

The impressive Town Hall was designed by E.W. Godwin and built in 1864 at a cost of £8,000!

A major refurbishment was undertaken in 1996, which enabled many interior features to be brought back to their original design.

In 2008, the freehold and management transferred to Congleton Town Council, which is currently undertaking a £750,000 refurbishment.

The award-winning Tourist Information Centre and Congleton Community Projects are both based in the Town Hall. The town council is located on the first and second floor along with the Congleton Partnership and Community Projects offices.

More proactive management by the Town Council is making the Town Hall not only the civic hub, but the focal point for musical and community events, weddings and corporate events.

What next?

Read more localism case studies