A community group has won a top award.

The Walton Community Project one-stop shop, based in High Street, Walton, beat hundreds of entries at the East of England Market Towns' Community Awards ceremony held at Newmarket racecourse.

The judges were impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication of the staff and pointed out the friendly welcome of the project.

The shop is on the site of Walton's former Barclays Bank branch, which closed in 1999.

At first it was run part-time with Tendring Community Voluntary Services (TCVS) but last August, Sally Fisher joined the team as Walton's town centre manager and in September Brenda Page was recruited as project co-ordinator.

Mrs Page said: "It's an information base. A catalyst for people to come in and ask where they can gain information."

Published Thursday, May 22, 2003

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