Active Fakenham reopening a tourist and community information hub
Two years after it closed, Active Fakenham is working with others to reopen a tourist and community information hub in the town centre.
The Fakenham Info Hub will be open seven days a week and based in The Original Factory Shop in the Upper Market Place.
Richard Crook, from Active Fakenham, said “The Hub will consist of a section of The Original Factory Shop situated just inside the store entrance which will have leaflets and information for visitors to the town.
“We also plan to have information about events and facilities for local people.
“In addition there will be a webpage on the Active Fakenham website, a physical noticeboard by the lift where local organisations can place notices free of charge, some social media under the name Fakenham Info Hub, a TV screen with information about Fakenham and an e-newsletter which people can sign up to through the Active Fakenham website.”
“The TV screen is currently showing the 2020 virtual Christmas lights switch on film which we produced during lockdown when the physical Christmas lights switch on was cancelled. It features around 30 local organisations and was viewed over 4,000 times on social media.
“We have already produced the first newsletter which is a cooperation between Active Fakenham, The Fakenham Info Hub and the Fakenham Community Centre – we hope to produce one each month. The webpage will be fairly static and will focus on useful links and information. We will post updates on our social media as often as we can.
“As Active Fakenham has no staff, we rely on the goodwill and support of local people, businesses and organisations.
“The Original Factory Shop has kindly allowed us to use the space for no cost, but they will be limited in the number of questions they can answer. They will keep the leaflet racks stocked and the noticeboard updated.
“Although the Info Hub is open we are still working on it and hope to have the official opening in the New Year.
“I would like to thank the Fakenham Town Council market tolls fund for a start up grant and others such as the Original Factory Shop and Aldiss for their support in this project.
“In addition Active Fakenham is looking at producing a new Town Guide to be distributed in 2023.”
People and organisations can support the initiative in a number of ways:
- By signing up to the e-newsletter at www.activefakenham.org.uk;
- By visiting the centre and feeding back positive suggestions;
- By providing posters (no bigger than A4) for the noticeboard. These should be dropped off at the Original Factory Shop.