Haverhill Echo Column – Great chance to celebrate success stories

Climbing Wall

There have been some real success stories around Haverhill in recent weeks and it seems only right that we use this column to celebrate them.

Members of the ONE Haverhill Partnership board attended the recent relaunch of the £1.5 million expansion of Haverhill Leisure Centre.

A complete overhaul which includes new changing rooms, an extended gym, a new self-centre, and a children’s soft play area were the headlines.

But it was also a great commitment from St Edmundsbury Borough Council to revitalise such a well-used and crucial community resource.

The reaction since the relaunch – which also included improvements to the sports hall at Samuel Ward Academy – has been overwhelmingly positive.

One of the big reasons for such a huge investment, by both the council and Abbeycroft Leisure, is to have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of our local community.

The same can be said about Haverhill LifeLink.

I am delighted to report that, following the six-figure investment in social prescribing projects across West Suffolk, the impact in Haverhill is already being felt.

We welcome Suzanne Stevenson, the new project manager, and the team have also appointed a third Haverhill LifeLink Coordinator, which shows what a difference this crucial health project is making.

LifeLink has been a real success story in Haverhill and it is great to see other neighbouring towns looking at our work and seeing how they can develop similar projects in their own communities.

That is a real feather in the cap of Haverhill and a massive testimony to the hard work of everyone involved in LifeLink since its inception.

The Haverhill LifeLink team will be joining partners and other local organisations at the Haverhill Health Fair on Friday 5th April at Abbeycroft Leisure.

Over the last few weeks, we have also had the news that the extension to the Menta Business Centre in Hollands Road, Haverhill, has been given the go ahead.

This is another important step for the town with Menta doing so much to help and support new businesses.

New units and conference rooms will only enhance that service.

It is worth noting that the project was only possible thanks to £502,000 in funding secured by the borough council through a Section 106 agreement with Asda when the supermarket built a filling station on land in Bury St Edmunds.

It is heartening to see such a commitment, by so many, to improving our town.