Deputy Mayor of Swaffham, Cllr Jen Mander, joined Cllr Kelly Alford, Founder of Swaffham Guardians, for a visit to Year 6 pupils at Heartwood CE VC Primary and Nursery School, giving young people the opportunity to explore what it means to be part of their town and how everyone can play a role in shaping its future.
The visit focused on Swaffham, civic pride, community involvement and the role of Swaffham Town Council, encouraging pupils to think about their own relationship with the town in which they live and learn.
Rather than simply talking to the children, Jen and Kelly wanted to hear directly from them. Pupils were asked two important questions:
“What does civic pride mean to you?”
and
“If you were a Swaffham Town Councillor, what would you do for the town?”
The questions prompted an enthusiastic discussion, giving the Year 6 pupils the opportunity to share their ideas, priorities and thoughts about what makes a community a good place to live.
The session also explored how civic pride can be demonstrated through simple everyday actions — caring for public spaces, respecting the environment, helping others, volunteering, looking after community facilities and taking an interest in what happens locally.
Making a Town Promise
As part of the visit, the Year 6 pupils were also invited to sign a Swaffham Town Promise, making their own commitment to helping create a kinder, cleaner and more connected community.
The promise encouraged the children to commit to simple but important actions, including being kinder to others, not dropping litter, looking after their town and helping to build a stronger community.
The Town Promise reinforces the importance of connections between all generations of Swaffham. It demonstrates that civic pride is not limited by age and that everyone — from schoolchildren and families to volunteers, businesses and older residents — has a part to play in creating a community where people care about both their surroundings and one another.
By signing the promise, the children were able to make their own personal commitment to Swaffham and recognise that small individual actions, when combined across a community, can make a significant difference.
Cllr Kelly Alford explained how Swaffham Guardians was created around many of these same principles, bringing volunteers together to make practical improvements within the town and encouraging residents of all ages to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for their community.
The visit was also an opportunity to show pupils that local democracy is not something that should feel distant from them. Their views matter, and young people can have valuable ideas about the future of the place they call home.
Cllr Kelly Alford said:
“Young people are not just the future of Swaffham — they are part of our community today. It was important that we didn’t simply tell them what civic pride means, but asked them what it means to them and what they would change if they were sitting around the Town Council table.
“The Town Promise was a lovely way of turning those conversations into something meaningful. Being kind, looking after where we live and helping others might seem like small things, but collectively they are what build a strong community. Most importantly, it reminds us that civic pride connects every generation.”
Deputy Mayor Cllr Jen Mander added:
“Engaging with our young people and helping them understand how their town works is incredibly important. Giving children the confidence to share their ideas encourages them to recognise that they have a voice within their community.”
The visit forms part of a wider ambition, with the towns artist in residence, Victoria Melody, to encourage stronger connections between young people, community organisations and Swaffham Town, helping the next generation understand that positive change does not always have to begin with a large project — sometimes it begins with an idea, a conversation, a promise and a willingness to get involved.
By encouraging children to think about their town, their environment and their community, the visit delivered a simple message:
Swaffham belongs to everyone, and everyone — whatever their age — can help make it a kinder, cleaner, more connected town to be proud of.
ENDS