This is a new committee that has been set up on behalf of the village exclusively to focus on community-based outdoor projects.  It has been set up as an independent body, so we can be eligible to apply for community funding from various sources.

The constitution can be seen here ‘Thornham Magna Community Open Spaces Constitution’

The committee officers mirror the parish meeting officers as the idea is to action what the village community requires. The membership consists of all people living and working in Thornham Magna.  Each sub-committee is project-led, ie each project taken on encourages interested villagers to take part in an area that is of  personal or professional interest to them.  For example, the first project for which the committee has applied for funding is the playground.  The committee is made up of the parish meeting officers, ie Chloe Bennett (clerk); Samantha Cribben (treasurer); Irene Tibbenham (chair); Jennifer Vaudrey; Helen Sibley; and Josephine Henniker Major.

Two further projects that are just ideas at this stage are as follows:

• A sculpture walk between the proposed village playground area (for 0-8 year olds) to the Thornham Walks proposed play are (for 9-18 year olds).  This is known as the Rye Meadow footpath.
• Extension of the Millennium Walk to make it a complete circuit.  The Walk from the Parish Hall to the Church was built for the Millennium.  This could be continued inside the wood, crossing the road at Major's corner, and continuing on the other side of the road inside the wood to the Cricket ground.

More detailed notes can be seen here ‘TMCOS - 6oct09 meeting’

The aim is to look for funding to assist with these projects.  We would appreciate the community letting us know if they do come across funding streams, however small they may be, that we could potentially tap into.

We welcome any ideas from the village on potential projects they feel would be of benefit to the Thornham community as a whole.

A key position is that all projects must be sustainable, ie we need revenue funding to keep projects going, as well as capital funding to build them and above all an interest from the village community to look after these assets.

Current position

An application for complete funding to a Big Lottery-based organisation called Community Spaces was submitted in December, following a year spent gathering information, feedback and quotes.  (see ‘stage1 applicationform V1.4 - THORNHAM MAGNA community play area’ )

In January 2010 we received a letter confirming invitation to stage 2 of the application process.  (see 'community spaces - stage 1_0002' ) This second stage involves demonstrating how our proposed playground links in with the Government’s Local Play Strategy (see 'partners in play suffolk' )

For any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact Irene Tibbenham on 01379 678925 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it