Plans for a year-long people's millennium celebration in Witham - from creating a new town square to specially commissioned mugs for every child in the town - were unveiled this week.

To ensure its success, the town council is injecting £30,000 into a millennium fund which will be used to pay for the events.

Some of the features will be organised by the council, others by groups in the town.

"Many of the ideas have come from residents of all ages, and we are happy to assist and help out with finances.

"The year 2000 will be a year to remember in Witham, it will be a people's millennium celebration which will see something happening all year," explained Cllr Michael Jones, who is heading up a working group to co-ordinate the events.

But he stressed: "We won't be building any memorials, the people of Witham gave that idea a resounding thumbs down in the recent opinion poll."

The blueprint for the millennium celebrations include: creating a new town square, at the site of the original market cross; mugs for every child up to 16 years old in the town - an estimated 10,000; a concert organised by the town's Youth Council; a Young Musician of the Year competition, run by The Rickstones School; an art exhibition by The John Bramston School; time capsules, provided for each of the town's schools to fill themselves and bury; restoring the traditional drinking fountain in the park; planting an avenue of traditional yew trees in the town's closed churchyard in the town centre; supporting a Council of Churches millennium festival.

A street party project is being investigated by the town's Mayfest committee.

"Now we have a blueprint to work to, we can start finalising arrangements, and developing partnerships with those organisations which are participating," said Cllr Jones.

"We have been very impressed with many of the ideas which have been presented to us, and taken elements of them.

"Some of the projects will leave a lasting impression, others will be one off celebrations."

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