and Preservation Trust Limited
Thank you to Susanah Farmer, one of our Trustees, who gave a very humorous and informative talk on The Elgoods family at Elgoods Brewery in July.
If you have never been to the beautiful gardens or the brewery, you are certainly missing out. Do have a look at their website:
It’s always great when organisations support each other in Wisbech with the work they do in our town.
Dal Roy presented Lorena Hodgson with a cheque on behalf of The Wisbech & surrounding Neighbourhood Watch Network (in his role as area co-ordinator) to support the Wisbech Society & Preservation Trust with their efforts to print the “Places of Interest” map that will be distributed to visitors coming to the town on Heritage Week.
The map which will show locations of places of interest, local transport hub like taxi services, bus stations as well as where you can go for refreshments etc.
It’s all these charities working together to benefit the town and its residents that makes Wisbech a great place to live and work.
Lloyd’s Bank on North Brink is due to close in January 2025. Diane who works at the bank wanted to ensure this painting was kept in the town for the town, and approached Lorena Hodgson as a representative of the Wisbech Society.
Lorena gratefully accepted the offer and arrangements were made to move it to the Chapel, owned and run by the Society.
It will be hung in the Chapel for visitors to see at Wisbech Society events, or when hirers have booked the space for their own use.
If you know the artist or have any information about the painting, please get in touch. We’d love to have more information to give our visitors when they see it.
Images show Lloyd’s Bank staff handing picture to Lorena Hodgson and Wisbech Society Trustees with picture in the Chapel.
Welcome to a new year in which the Coronovirus pandemic seems to be behind us and has become something we are all learning to live with.
However, other World issues have arisen, some with direct links to Covid and others brought about by the horrendous war currently taking place in Ukraine. These new problems which we all face, such as the ‘cost of living crisis’, high inflation rates not seen in several decades and accompanying high bank interest rates, threaten to damage the world’s economy and our future prosperity.
Throughout this upheaval the Wisbech Society remains in good health and has managed to attract new trustees, Bob Hodgson and Richard Wilcock. Bob is our new Membership Secretary, whilst Richard will act as Press Secretary to the society. I am sure you will all welcome Bob and Richard and you will come across them as they perform their roles.
During our Annual General Meeting, last October, the trustees of the society asked those members in attendance for ideas to help revitalise what we do for you, the membership. The initial outcome of this review is contained within this mailing. Instead of having winter talks and summer outings, we will become an ‘all year’ society, with a mixed offering of talks, outings and socials, with something on offer at least once per month. The card included with this mailing will detail events, beginning in April this year, through to December. I hope that you will take the opportunity to join in as many as you can.
In my last report, I stated that the UK Govt have made funds available to County Councils to identify buildings and sites of ‘local heritage interest’ which do not currently have listed status, but are considered important local heritage assets. This local list will afford some protections and the society has asked for a number of assets to be added to the list, including the Oak Brewery & Spirit Vaults, Institute Clocktower, Fridaybridge POW Camp, etc. Individual members can also propose admissions onto the ‘local list’, by visiting https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/cambridgeshire
The society continues to work with FDC Planning, reviewing planning applications that affect the town’s Conservation Areas, listed buildings and those that ‘affect the setting’ of listing buildings. Our views and suggestions are made to the Planners which help to influence their decisions.
The society has also continued its works in the General Cemetery, the latest success being the acquisition and preservation of the Octagon Church doors, which you will find protected under a lychgate opposite the entrance to our chapel headquarters (see image).
Ray Johnson, Chairman.
The Wisbech Society assisted the Friends of the Octagon Church with a grant to enable them to complete the pathway around the restored graveyard.
Volunteers have cleared the graveyard and turned it into a Pocket Park. Public access will be available a number of times during the year.
You can find out more about the project and their stunning journey from overgrown scrub to haven for animals and plants in the centre of Wisbech on their Facebook page.
The Society has received a letter from the Secretary of State for DCMS, which recognises the contribution from societies like ours to the cultural, heritage and creative sectors.
A plaque was also received which will be displayed in the chapel to acknowledge the grant we received during the pandemic. As the money was contributed from taxpayers’ money, it is hoped such acknowledgement will encourage the public to visit and support local sites, events and activites as part of the #HereForCulture recovery.
Wisbech Society is run by dedicated trustees – a group of individuals with a wealth of local knowledge, enabling them to act as a body of informed opinions.
Wisbech Society has played a role in many important projects and initiatives around the town.
Wisbech Society has played a role in many important projects and initiatives around the town.
