Sponsorship Report 1 November 2008

Thetford's Celebrations have been strongly supported within the local community and we take this opportunity to thank the generosity of local companies and organizations whose sponsorship (incl in-kind offers of support) has enabled us to match our Heritage Lottery Fund grant effectively.

Baxters Healthcare Ltd

Breckland Council

British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)

Gerald Jones & Co, Solicitors

The John Jarrold Trust

Kester Cunningham John

Norfolk Adult Education Services

Norfolk County Council (Arts Project Fund)

Pearsons (Thetford) Ltd

Rudlings Wakelam Solicitors

Searle Electrical Ltd

SERTUC (TUC in London, the South East and Eastern Region)

Shadwell Estate

Thetford Extended Schools Partnership

Thetford Garden Centre

Thetford Grammar School

Thetford and District Rotary Club

Thetford Town Council

The Thomas Paine Society

Thetford Can Celebrate

Plans for Tom Paine 200, the six months of celebration of Thetford's radical son in 2009, have been given an enormous boost with the announcement of a grant of £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The ambitious programme marking the bi-centenary of Paine's death gets under way in June next year with Sir Richard Attenborough as guest of honour during a Reenactment weekend which puts eighteenth century Thetford centre-stage. The energetic world Paine grew up in will be recreated with street entertainers, drilling musketeers, and rabble rousing politicians just some of the characters populating the town centre.

Through the summer museum displays, workshops, story-telling, concerts, art exhibitions, schools events, tours and lectures and a Community Play will continue to tell the intertwined stories of the Georgian Age, of eighteenth century Thetford and of Tom Paine himself. The Festival aims to amuse and entertain as well as do justice to the serious issues Paine himself addressed in his forthright 'common-sense' way.

John Weeks, coordinator of the Celebrations, said 'We are planning an event which will attract visitors from abroad as well as from across the country. But at its heart, Tom Paine 200 is a chance for local people to come together, whether as individuals or through their community groups, to celebrate Paine and to celebrate Thetford. We are delighted that through this grant HLF has given us the chance to explore the energy, creativity and resolution of the town, past and present."

Robyn Llewellyn, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund, East of England said:

''Thomas Paine is an important figure in both the history of Thetford and internationally and we are thrilled to be able to help fund this exciting opportunity for people to commemorate his life and works.'

For further information, contact Oliver Bone, Chairman of Celebrations Committee (01842 752599 ) or John Weeks, Celebrations Coordinator ( 01842 820060 johnweeks@madasafish.com).