This initiative was a Partnership between Businesses in the town, the Town Council and the Community. It was the first time all these sectors came together to co-ordinate their activities towards a common goal.
With a key aim; to carry out improvements to enhance the vitality and the vibrancy of the town and working with like minded people the STP took into account the needs of customers, employers, retailers, business interests, freeholders, the local community and local authority.
It also set out to reinforce the identity of Sawbridgeworth as a market town.
The fully constituted STP met on 17th Jan 2007 in Sawbridgeworth.
The principle resource behind the partnership was the human resource which was effectively mobilised. The vision, energy, creativity, dogged determination and talents of individuals from the 3 sectors, community, commerce, and council were the life force which was channelled by the partnership for the good of all.
The new grouping, where many of the participants did not know each other started out without any advance funding. Many of the founding members were full of hope, optimism and a burning desire to make things better overall in the town Many of the original objectives of the 3 Year Business Plan have already been exceeded.
STP - SUMMARY ACHIEVEMENTS 2007-2010
- New innovative Website with Business listings, Tourism, Community Groups, local photo galleries as major features with new pages continually coming on line, over 62,000 page views in 12 month period.
- Provided direct support & free promotion for Sawbridgeworth based community groups and their staged events plus sector logos for each plus free web training.
- Web based calendar of events for town.
- Set up Guided town and environs Walks.
- Sawbridgeworth Green Logo Eco bag distributed.
- Activated a Town Centre signage project with several successes.
- Marketing Plan to take STP identified projects through to completion, 85 % of objectives achieved.
- Two Retail Discount Coupon schemes circulated to all households.
- Created & distributed regular Business Briefings for town businesses on relevant events and opportunities.
- Empty Shops Project, negotiated lease, installed 3 displays, Community, Museum theme and Fairtrade.
- ‘Independents Week’. Project results in late night shopping, retailers working together, competitions and increased publicity for the town.
- Developed a Business Welcome Pack for new businesses wishing to locate to the area.
- Established one of the most successful Farmers’ Market in Herts and Essex with over 18,000 of people brought on to the streets of the town since start up.
- Secured Seven National Award Winning Producers & returned a true Xmas Market day to the town with the very successful market in Dec 2008 & 09.
- Farmers’ Market Charity stall has in total raised in excess of £12,000 for local community groups.
- Articles promoting the town and the STP for range of local magazines, and other media outlets.
- Working in partnership with The Leventhorpe ensured their young chamber bid for £14.000 was successful.
- Fairtrade Town status preparation and application.
- Healthy Eating Project, funding sourced, project underway.
The STP has proven that a community energised can overcome mindless bureaucracy, inefficiency and apathy. The STP has traded mostly on its human capital and encouraged people who were rarely likely to meet to work together for the good of the whole. The STP earned every pound it has spent and has run a lean and highly efficient machine.
After 3 years some of the original hard working board members wished to stand down.
No new volunteers were forthcoming, resulting in the decision taken in April 2010 to dissolve the STP organisation, satisfy all debts and liabilities and disperse assets in compliance with its Constitution.
The STP can be proud of its record over the 3 years, setting up a legitimate organisation, has fought mountains of increasing bureaucracy, brought thousands of people into
the area, created a strong profile for positive elements of our town through media articles, community events and the umbrella of this website.
The STPs excellent legacy to the town is there for all to see.
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