Limited Company No 12679442 Registered charity no: 1190645

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Boston Sensory Gardens Barclays Bank building The Pond, Old Hunstanton Provision of Grants through Tourism Support Package project.

Latest News If you have any questions or would like more information please send an email to our Chair, Amanda Bosworth on chair@hunstantoncivicsociety.org.uk. She will be pleased to answer your query. Here is a summary of the latest news (most recent at the top): Approval by The Arts Council for the Heritage Centre to 'Work towards Accredited Museum Status Reference Number T609 On 7th March 2023 we received notification from the Arts Council that Hunstanton Heritage Centre has been acknowledged as being eligible for and is now recognised as 'WORKING TOWARDS ACCREDITATION' following submission of our application for this. We now have three years in which to go through all the processes after which we can achieve full accreditation. This will involve a lot of effort by many of our members working through all the processes required. 70TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION OF THE FLOODS On Sunday, 29th January 2023 Hunstanton saw the formal commemoration of the Floods with a Walk/March up the South Promenade from the Ski Cafe up to the Heritage Gardens and the Floods Memorial where a short Service was held and, the names of those lost in the Floods in Hunstanton read out. This was followed by a reception in the Town Hall kindly put on by the Town Council. In addition, this Society had put up a set of displays commemorating the floods with a lot of photos gathered together from many sources. Also , R.A.F. Sculthorpe Heritage Centre put on a display of uniforms, medals, newspaper cuttings and some photos thanks to Ian Brown. In attendance were relatives of some of the American Servicemen who carried out many of the rescues. Also a number of USAF Servicemen from their Base at RAF Mildenhall forming part of the 67th Special Operations Squadron. The weather was kind to us and many residents of Hunstanton and others from further afield attended. There then followed a free film show in the Princess Theatre kindly hosted by Brian Hallard and his team at the Theatre which was very well attended. These films will be available to view in the Heritage Centre - Vault Cinema when we are open (normal hours from 15th February 2023). SOCIETY CHANGE OF NAME and ADDITION OF A NEW OBJECT WITHIN OUR ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION On 14th December 2022, at the Extraordinary General Meeting immediately following the Annual General Meeting, the membership voted to change the name of the Society to Hunstanton Society . In addition, an extra object was added to our Articles of Association to enable the Society to formally apply for 'Working towards, Accredited Museum Status'. Applied through the Arts Council, once we have that status, we should be able to obtain lots of advice to help us carry out the changes necessary to improve our systems to properly record the collections we have in the Heritage Centre. In addition we would create all the necessary policies that we should have in place to run an efficient organisation. EDITH CAVELL BENCH REDEDICATION On 12th October, we were very grateful for Revd. Kirsty Allan joining a group of people including Amanda Bosworth and Andrew Murray who both said a few words of introduction and history at the rededication ceremony following the re-installation of the refurbished Edith Cavell bench to it s original position in the St Edmund s Chapel garden. REPAINTING OF THE MERCY GRAY SHELTER ON CLIFF PARADE 8 members of the Civic Society met up during the week beginning 26th September 2022 to sand down, undercoat where necessary and repaint the Mercy Gray Shelter. This was suppoorted with a wonderful donation from one of Mercy Gray's grandchildren for which we were very grateful. You will see that the idea caught on with the repainting of the Lighthouse behind. Must be the smartest corner of Hunstanton! HERITAGE DAYS 2022 The Civic Society arranged a number of events to celebrate the History and Heritage of our area. The following guided tours took place in September 2022: HUNSTANTON LIGHTHOUSE Friday, 9th September 11:00 to 14:00 and Friday, 16th September - 11.00 to 13.00 at half hourly intervals A visit to the Hunstanton Lighthouse dungeon and climbing the stairs to the top of the tower to enjoy the fantastic view over the Wash and adjoining town, led by Andrew Murray HUNSTANTON INFANT SCHOOL Tuesday, 13 September Guided tour of part of the former Infant School in James Street, led by John Maiden. Sadly they were unable to gain access to the buildings themselves. DROVE ORCHARDS Wednesday, 14th September tours around Drove Orchard to view the wonderful selection of Apples, Pears and other fruits that are grown there. OLD HUNSTANTON HALL Thursday, 15th September Guided walking tours of grounds and courtyard of Old Hunstanton Hall, along with a wander around the original gardens of the Hall that have undergone a lot of remedial work. This walk started at St Mary s Church, Old Hunstanton led by Nick Torry and Andrew Murray HUNSTANTON SELF-GUIDED TOWN WALKS Throughout the week, visitors were free to follow a number of walking trails around Hunstanton: - Town Trail; Cliff Trail; Old Hunstanton Trail; Hunstanton Gardens Trail; Wolf Trail; Heritage Plaque Walk. All walks provided in Hunstanton Guide Book and leaflets available from Hunstanton Heritage Centre at 2.50. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN The Neighbourhood Plan is currently in the process of completion in advance of a Referendum that will seek approval from the local area for its adoption. The latest DRAFT version of the policies document - version 8.7.0 is available as a PDF document which can be viewed by clicking here and the file will open on the next page. The plan is still in preparation but the working party anticipate that the final version should be produced in the near future. The working party would welcome any input or other comments about the content of the plan and its clarity. Such comments can be submitted in writing to the Town Council, by e-mail to cllr.murray@hunstantontowncouncil.gov.uk or by phone to 01485 532402. Once the plan is finalised, it will be subject to a 6 week public consultation period, some adjustments may then be made before the plan goes to the Borough for further consultation then to an independent examiner . Further modifications may then be made prior to the plan going forward to a referendum. At least 50% of those voting in the referendum must approve it before it can be 'made' and become a part of Local Plan. PRIDE IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD - 52 - January 2021 Committee Member, Andrew Murray, has written an article which will appear in Town & Around in January 2021 regarding the Neighbourhood Plan and also the recent Planning meeting that covered the major planned developments at Southend Road (Car Park) and also the Library/Bus Station development. This can be read by clicking here. CLOSURE OF THE HUNSTANTON TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE A decision taken by a few members of Hunstanton Town Council and the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in June 2020 has resulted in the closure of the Town's TIC originally located in the main front area of the Town Hall and the creation of Tourist Information Point (TIP) in what was the Coal Shed Gallery between Boldero Trading and the Seagate Road Car park. The Civic Society has been vociferously petitioning against this decision at various levels launching a petition on Saturday, 5th September 2020 on the Green in front of the Town Hall. This resulted in a large number of signatures demanding reinstatement of some form of staffed Information Centre for Hunstanton. Eventually a Tourist Information Point was created in the Oasis Swimming Pool Cafe. CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) - HERITAGE CENTRE REOPENS Saturday, 15th August 2020 we reopened the Centre but sadly had to close it again due to being placed in Tier 2 of the Government's Covid Regulations. We had been able to open previously made possible by grants provided by the Norfolk Strategic Fund to assist businesses in the Tourism Sector to recover from the impact of Covid-19 to reopen as safely as possible; administered through Borough Council of King s Lynn and West Norfolk Tourism Support Package project. On 6th June 2019 following closure of the old Heritage Centre at 15 The Green at the end of the 2018 season,we moved to our new premises at the Old NatWest Bank building on the corner of Greevegate and Northgate. Please find out more information on the Heritage Centre page in the menu above. On 16th June 2017, the official unveiling of the 'Henry Styleman Le Strange' Statue took place. Here are some pictures taken by Andrew Murray of the event. The second is of Alan Herriot, the Sculptor. Click here for the latest news from the HERITAGE CENTRE Latest News from the Society (HCS) The Programme for 2017-2018 series of talks is available on the 'Monthly Talks' page under 'Events and Activities'. Minutes of the latest meeting of the Committee could be the first place to find out what is afoot in Hunstanton through the eyes of the Civic Society. Please take your cursor or click on "Organisation" above and click on the sub menu "Meeting Minutes" to go to a page containing access to minutes of our committee meetings over the last few years. Other items of recent news include: HCS Chairman's Report for 21st October 2017 Planning Applications and Developments 17/01465/F Bennett s homes have put in an appeal against the decision of BCKLWN not to allow 3 extra access points from the A149 BCKLWN are proposing to develop the remainder of the sheep field for about 29 houses, mostly supposedly affordable and to bring Alexander Road up to adoptable status. They plan community engagement. 17/01922/F there has been concern about this retrospective application relating to the replacement of a shed fronting St Edmund s Avenue. It is too high with shiny roof. Miramar Guest House in Boston Square have had new UVPC windows installed destroying the symmetry of the pair of semi detached Ibberson houses. Reported to Conservation Officer. Town Council The co-option to replace Richard Bird and David Jones planned for 17 November was postponed when one of the candidates withdrew. The precept for 2018/19 will remain the same at 135,000 Stagecoach has been taken off school bus routes because of lack of trained staff. Andrew Jamieson NCC wants to have details of lack of mobile phone coverage. He is keen to develop incubation units to help business start-ups.