A BIG thumbs up was last week given to an event which could spark thousands of pounds worth of investment into Tavistock and the surrounding area.
The ?brokering table? in Tavistock Town Hall was organised by Tavistock and Villages Initiative (TAVI). Promoters behind more than 20 projects aimed at improving life in the area met with delegates from major funding bodies to discuss their ideas ? and hopefully attract investment for their schemes.
Christopher Kirwin, chairman of TAVI, said the group had spent two years putting together its community plan, Markets, Moors and Meadows. He hoped the brokering day would move projects forward far more quickly than months of phone calls, e-mails and letter writing.
?Getting people together to talk about the same things at the same time should always be powerful ? it?s people coming together that makes things happen. We are excited by the potential here ? we hope you will be too,? he told the delegates.
Projects in the community plan were split into groups, which were visited by delegates throughout the day.
David Cox chaired the brokering table dealing with tourism, the Drake?s Trail walking and cycling route, the development of Lopwell pump house and a tourism strategy for the area.
He said: ?Great networking has taken place across different project areas. We?ve identified common themes and linkages we can all fit in with ? it?s really been very successful and very positive.?
Cllr Mandy Govier chaired the brokering table concerning Taviskate skatepark project, Tavistock Youth Café, Tavistock Music Festival and music centre.
She was particularly optimistic that Taviskate?s project to create a skatepark in Tavistock would attract funding:
?Taviskate are so near to achieving their aim, I think it?s been really productive for them.?
Cllr Ann Johnson, who has been helping Tavistock Youth Council with their youth café scheme, said: ?People have come up with ideas and we?ve been able to share knowledge. We?ve found new routes for funding and we?ve been able to learn from each other.?
Valerie Hill, chairperson of Lamerton Parish Hall Committee which is trying to raise £600,000 for a new sports and community centre in the village, said: ?Obviously nothing definite has come out of this yet, but we?ve had some very useful discussions with various funders. It?s helped to meet them face to face and we?re extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to do so.?
Dick Eberlie, who chaired the brokering table dealing with the development of the museums at Dartmoor Prison and Tavistock, guided tours around Tavistock and redevelopment of the town?s Guildhall site, said the day had been ?extremely positive? and said it was good to see people developing projects which would also boost the area as well.
Catherine Devenish from the Arts Council said: ?From a funding point of view it?s a great opportunity to talk to people with a lot of projects in the space of one day, encourage partnership working and talk to other funders too.?
Rhiannon Johns from South West Museums said: ?I?ve found the day very valuable. One of the things I?m very interested in is linking the musuems in the area and getting them to work together. I was interested in the plans for the prison museum and I was impressed with Tavistock Museum and the changes they?ve managed to make.?
Andrew Young, TAVI development co-ordinator, said the group would now help project leaders develop new links with funders with the aim of moving their schemes forward. It is hoped the brokering table would become an annual event.