Community-led developments in Norfolk: Stoke Ferry visit

Saturday 3 August 2024
Stoke Ferry, Norfolk
11am-3.30pm

This visit is designed to find out more about the village of Stoke Ferry, near Downham Market in Norfolk, and to put developments there into a broader context which could be applied to other localities.

We will start the day with a walk through the village, both to understand its history and to explore the village as it is today. Then there is the option of lunch at the Blue Bell pub and café, which came into community ownership in 2021. The afternoon sessions in the village hall will start with information about how the pub/café was taken into community ownership, then widen the view to other developments beyond Stoke Ferry and finish with a discussion session on what we have seen during the day, and address questions raised by the walk and talk. Additional topics of discussion may include solar/battery farms; the future move of a mill from the village centre to another location; the challenges and opportunities of new developments in historic villages, and how to build the genuinely affordable housing that so many villages need.

Various local groups are involved, including the Stoke Ferry Parish Council, the Community Benefit Society which runs the pub/café, Stoke Ferry and District History Group, and Stoke Ferry Village Hall committee. Representatives of these groups will spend time with us to talk about the living history of Stoke Ferry, the community pub and other village developments and to share lessons learned.

Booking on Eventbrite is required. This is a free event as the programme has been funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the HTVF’s ‘Reaching rural communities: the value of heritage assets for social, environmental and economic well-being’ series. Lunch is not included in the event ticket.

(Top image: The Blue Bell. Photo from The Pub is the Hub)

Book Event Back to Events