March saw the closing of a scheme which has brought £12 million to the borough which has benefited more than 200 projects.

A celebration of the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) brought together many of the project leaders at the Priory Centre on July 10.

Organised by Rachael Darnell (NRF Manager) and Sandra Goodrum (Support and Monitoring Officer), it was the first occasion all the project teams had met under the same roof and allowed them to network with other projects not linked to their own.

Between 2001 and 2008 local residents have benefited from a host of improvements to local services under the themes of Community, Crime, Economy, Learning, Environment, Health & Teenage Conception, Housing, Financial Wellbeing and Young People's Activities.

“Short presentations about their successful projects were given by Jayne Barnard (Business in the Community), Inspector Carol Congreve (Norfolk Police), Geoff Mead (Project Leader for Opportunities Week) and Carol Elkerton (Finance & HR Manager of Great Yarmouth Community Trust),” explained Sandra.

“The evening ended with some in-house entertainment directed by Rachael. The cast was made up of Tim Leonard (GYLSP Officer), Carol Elkerton, Paul Cheeseman of the VSP, Teresa Gonzalez of Connexions Norfolk, Geoff Mead, Jayne Barnard and Rachael herself who all gave a memorable and hilarious performance!

“It was a great evening and a fitting way to wind up seven years of hard work under Neighbourhood Renewal Funding.”