Volunteers from major Haverhill employer AXA have joined councillors, council workers and tradespeople to give Queen Street shop fronts a facelift, as part of the Haverhill Town Centre masterplan.
The work has been funded by Haverhill and District Chamber of Commerce and West Suffolk Council and the ONE Haverhill Partnership Business Angels, and supported by Haverhill Town Council and West Suffolk Council’s Waste Services.
The initiative is based on West Suffolk Council’s shop front scheme together with Government money awarded under the Portas High Street project.
Cllr Susan Glossop, West Suffolk Council’s Cabinet Member for Growth and Chair of the One Haverhill Partnership Town Centre Masterplan group, said: “We are continuing to work together to address the issues identified in the Haverhill Town Centre Master Plan and this latest initiative once again demonstrates the strength of the town’s partnership approach.
“I am delighted that the Chamber of Commerce and West Suffolk Council have together provided the funding for the professional trades skills required to make a real difference in this conservation area of the town centre.”
‘Lifting the feel of the town centre’
Volunteer staff members from AXA have also spent time working alongside tradespeople, complementing their work all for the good of the town centre.
Daniel Pilley, Board member of Haverhill and District Chamber of Commerce, said: “As active members of the business engagement task group of One Haverhill Partnership, supporting the High Street, we are delighted to be able to play a part in lifting the feel of the town centre.”
The character of Victorian Queen Street has responded really well to a bit of simple upkeep, and the time the volunteers and trades people are spending here.
Issue addressed in Town Centre Masterplan
Waseem Malik, Executive Managing Director of Claims at AXA, which has offices on the High Street, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Haverhill community as part of the shop front decoration project.
“As a large local employer who has been in Haverhill for many years, it’s great to have the opportunity to get involved in an initiative like this which gives something back to the high street.
“A number of our staff have volunteered for this great idea and we look forward to continuing to support similar initiatives in the future.”
Cllr John Burns, Mayor of Haverhill, said: “Working together, we have addressed the issue identified in the Haverhill Town Centre Masterplan and demonstrated the strength of the town’s approach to partnership.
“All the organisations involved have contributed in differing and valuable ways, and the result is more powerful than the sum of its parts.
“It expresses the town’s can-do attitude, energy and sense of community, and I congratulate all involved.”