28/08/2025: Swaffham's Heritage Regeneration Project Secures Additional £56,000 Funding Boost

Breckland Council and partners are celebrating another milestone for the award-nominated Swaffham - A Historic Market Town project, with confirmation of an additional £56,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

The extra funding will deliver a hands-on heritage skills training programme and carry out vital repairs to the historic Town Pound - a listed structure and important part of Swaffham's market town history. The project will be delivered in collaboration with Volunteer It Yourself (VIY), who challenge young people to learn trade and employability skills by helping to fix local community spaces, and BOOST, who support 16 -30-year-olds across West Norfolk by providing skills and improved job opportunities. Participants will gain recognised City & Guilds qualifications in brickwork and health & safety, alongside broader employability skills, increased career aspirations, and improved wellbeing. 

The Town Pound repair scheme will: 

• Halt the deterioration of a heritage asset in the town's Conservation Area. 
• Use traditional techniques and materials to restore the site. 
• Reverse previous inappropriate repairs. 
• Re-open the site to the public with new interpretation and signage, promoting its significance. 

The scheme will also attract additional match funding from BOOST (£2,500) and VIY (£10,000). 

A Project Gathering Pace 

Launched in April 2024 as a follow-on from Historic England's High Street Heritage Action Zone, Swaffham - A Historic Market Town is investing more than £1 million into the town's future. Over the past year, the project has restored key landmarks such as the Methodist Church and Plowright Place, delivered shopfront improvements, and supported youth-led creative initiatives - including the acclaimed film Your Town, My Town, Our Town, and digital heritage projects using Minecraft.

Swaffham has also taken a leading role in heritage sustainability, hosting conferences on retrofitting historic homes, and has been shortlisted for a prestigious Local Government Chronicle Award for its collaborative approach involving Breckland Council, Historic England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Norfolk County Council, Swaffham Town Council, The Norfolk & Norwich Festival and the local community. 

Breckland Council's Executive Member for Economic Development & Growth, Councillor Paul Claussen, said: "This funding means we can save an important piece of Swaffham's history while helping local young people gain skills, qualifications, and confidence for the future. It's a fantastic example of heritage delivering real community benefits."