Do you care about Wareham and its surroundings?

Do you want Wareham’s character conserved and enhanced?

Do you want Wareham to be vital and viable and provide the services you need?

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What is Wareham Town Trust?

The Trust is a voluntary group of individuals who care about their town and want to see Wareham and its surroundings conserved and enhanced. The Trust has some 200 members and has an active committee.

 

Press Release re Wareham School Playing Fields On Saturday 3rd December at 11am at Wareham Middle School’s Playing Fields there will be a photo opportunity. Staff & children from the junior sections of Wareham Rangers Football Club & Wareham Cricket Club will be there demonstrating their objection to the Dorset County Council’s proposals to dispose of these playing fields, which are used every weekend by local children from these local sports clubs as well as by teams from Purbeck School itself. The disposal of these playing fields would result in displacing these children’s teams when no additional pitches are available for them to move onto, at a time when the expansion of Purbeck School to an 11-18 full Secondary School under the new 2-tier system will place additional strain on the pitches at the Sports Centre, which in itself will probably displace Wareham Rangers & other club’s senior teams. This proposed disposal by DCC comes at a time when the Queen Elisabeth Challenge to retain school playing fields is being actively supported by Prince William and the Government, not least because of the need to tackle the growing obesity problem amongst school children. Not only would disposal run completely contrary to these campaigns but it would also directly contravene the Government’s own published Guidance, which clearly sets out its presumption against such disposals. The District Council has itself recently decided to object to DCC’s proposals to dispose of these playing fields, not least on the grounds that its own Sports & Recreation Audit & Assessment reveals that  there is already an under provision of 6 pitches in the Wareham area even without the loss of these pitches. The loss of these playing fields would be a tragedy for the local community and this must not be allowed to happen. The County Council should retract this ill-conceived proposal as soon as possible .    Wareham Rangers, Wareham Cricket Club, Wareham Town Trust

Dates for your diary 2011

What are its aims?

Originally formed in 1987 to seize the opportunities presented by the completion of the bypass to make the town more attractive to everyone, the Trust believes that building on the town’s assets as a historic market town will secure its future prosperity.

The Trust holds 2 or 3 meetings a year on topical issues or on the history of the town.

Raising awareness of current proposals affecting the town is a particular aim. For example the Trust held a meeting for members to meet with developers when a major development was proposed at Worgret. The Trust also joined with others to hold a town meeting regarding the proposed Town Enhancements Scheme.

Planning applications, The Trust keeps an eye on current planning proposals, policies and other issues affecting the town. It also meets regularly with representatives of the Town, District and County Councils and the Chamber of Trade regarding current issues. Click here for more information

Historic buildings

The Trust was actively involved in securing the establishment of a Heritage and Information Centre in Trinity Church when this became vacant to ensure continued public access to this historic building.

Wareham in Bloom

The Town Trust helped to set up Wareham in Bloom and provides hanging baskets on Wareham Library each summer. One of the first Town Trust projects was to plant trees on the northern approaches to Wareham.

Wareham Saturday Market

The Trust helped to start this market some years ago, is represented on the Steering Committee and supported its recent relocation to The Quay.

Community involvement

The Trust keenly supports community involvement in local initiatives such as the project to improve Hauses Field for the benefit of all users.

Heritage Open Days Every year during September the Trust helps organise Heritage Open Days, opening buildings of historic and architectural interest to the public.

Wareham Community Plan

This was developed following extensive consultation. The Trust is represented on Wareham Community Partnership and will be assisting in a number of the projects included in the plan.

Wareham Town Walls

The Trust has helped with projects to protect, enhance and raise awareness about Wareham’s historic monument, the town’s Saxon Walls.

Shopping

The Trust has supported the extension of the existing town centre supermarket and retention of Wareham’s independent shops. It has resisted an out of town supermarket which it feels would affect the vitality and viability of the town centre.