Framlingham: Business Association unveils “exciting vision for the future” during annual meeting at Fram Farmers

A business association in east Suffolk has unveiled plans to develop its “exciting vision for the future” by engaging more with the community.

Framlingham Business Association invited residents to its annual meeting and summer social on Tuesday to improve the town for those who live, work and visit there.

Members welcomed about a dozen residents, councillors and important guests from the businesses world to the event held at Fram Farmers in Station Road.

Chairman Jenny Stockman explained the association was trying to become an “integral part of the community” by hosting more events such as the annual Sausagefest celebration, Christmas festivities and other smaller occasions throughout the year.

She said it has been a “real privilege” to serve as chairman for the past two years and outlined her “passion” to do more for the town through the business association.

“It’s about sharing information and solving issues around the town,” she said. “It’s about helping the whole community – people who work here, people who shop here and people who use Framlingham as their business base.”

Ms Stockman said the association was looking to become incorporated and run more like a business – but it was also seeking community views “to help build our exciting mission for the future”. She said the association was particularly keen to work with young people in the town and hoped to build closer ties with Thomas Hills High School.

An integral part of developing this youth engagement, she said, would be through the association’s new Fresh Aspiration Forum, which seeks to involve young people in the town’s business community.

“We want to make it much more exciting,” she said.

“We want to start integrating young people into the businesses of the town, put them in scary situations outside of their comfort zones so they can learn about networking and take ownership of their future.”