David Ruffley MP will tour Stowmarket on Friday, 4 December to meet charitable organisations which are expanding into Stowmarket or expanding their existing facilities. In the afternoon he will tour new retailers in Stowmarket town centre. Finally, David will receive a presentation from the young people involved in the XCHANGE project.

At various times during the day David will be accompanied by Cllr Mrs Lesley Mayes, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration on Mid Suffolk District Council and also a Stowmarket Town Councillor; Stowmarket County Councillor Mrs Anne Whybrow, who is also a Town Councillor; and Cllr Mrs Poppy Robinson who sits on both Mid Suffolk and Stowmarket Town Council.

Street Forge Workshops, Resource Centre, Crown Street

Street Forge Workshops have expanded into the Stowmarket Resource Centre in addition to their well established base at Thornham Magna. David will meet manager, Jenny Crampton, as well as Workshop staff and clients.

Street Forge Workshops provide individually designed programmes for adults with learning, physical and/or sensory disability with the aim of assisting members, where possible, back into mainstream employment.

Red Gables Resource Centre, Ipswich Road

The Red Gables Resource Centre is owned and managed by Midsuffolk Action in Partnership (MAP). It provides permanent accommodation at an affordable rate for a number of voluntary organisations.

David will meet chairman, Ann Squirrel, and manager, Bob Edwards, who are keen to enlist David's support for their expansion plans. Red Gables is currently bursting at the seams and has a waiting list for office space. They have already raised £160,000 but more is needed. Representatives of the building's current tenant organisations will also be present.

New Retailers in Stowmarket Town Centre

David has been active in supporting the regeneration of Stowmarket. The town's Councillors are keen to update him on the progress made this year in attracting new retailers to the town centre. David will call in to some of the new shops, including those in Fox Yard.

XCHANGE Project Team

David has already pledged his support for the XCHANGE project so the young people involved, who have played a key role in the success of this project, are keen to give David a presentation of their plans for a multi-purpose youth facility in Ipswich Street. £4.75 million has been awarded to the XCHANGE Project from the Government's MyPlace programme, delivered by the Big Lottery Fund. The project is run by Suffolk County Council and supported by many local organisations.

The centre will contain a wide range of facilities to provide training in IT, life and employment skills, leisure and recreational activities, support and counselling services, an emergency assessment and temporary accommodation unit and much more. During the construction phase, there will be apprenticeship opportunities for young people.

David said:

'Stowmarket is proving that it is possible to attract inward investment, even during a recession. The local councils- County, District and Town- are working extremely hard to promote the benefits of Stowmarket to all sectors of the community- and they are succeeding.

'I have been active in supporting the regeneration of Stowmarket for many years. It is very encouraging to see new retailers, as well as the voluntary and charitable sectors, choosing Stowmarket to set up their new ventures.

'I am keen to do all I can to assist these organisations and will be discussing ways in which I can help them.

'It is particularly heartening to see the enthusiasm and success of the young people involved in the XCHANGE project. It's a very positive sign that the younger generation is looking to Stowmarket's future with a sense of commitment.'