A recession roadshow is aiming to tour North Norfolk to help people through the impact of the economic downturn.It will bring a series of agencies under one roof - from housing and benefits to debt counselling - to provide advice and support to those facing problems.

A recession roadshow is aiming to tour North Norfolk to help people through the impact of the economic downturn.

It will bring a series of agencies under one roof - from housing and benefits to debt counselling - to provide advice and support to those facing problems.

A pilot session is being held at North Walsham community centre on March 26 with a view to taking it to other locations later.

It is one of the initiatives of the North Norfolk Community Partnership - the organisation that gets local 'movers and shakers' working together for the benefit of the district.

Chairman Steve Eldred said the need for such a roadshow was underlined by his personal circumstances, having been made redundant from a globe-trotting job with Volvo in December and needing to find out where to go for guidance.

The partnership has been running since 2002, and includes councils, the police, health services, housing, business, training and volunteering bodies.

Mr Eldred said it was the oil that helped the machinery work with a strategic overview and could achieve things that individual groups could not manage alone.

'There are about 20 things a year that would not happen if we were not here,' he added.

Ongoing schemes included:

an It's Our Theatre arts project getting youngsters involved in drama and music

creation and support of a local business forum, soon to add a farming round table group

supporting a shellfish handling facility at Wells to help the fishing industry

backing the Holt Youth Project's expansion of community services

expanding the Stalham area dial a ride rural bus service

supporting the Merchants Place community resource centre at Cromer

The partnership has a �500,000 pot of cash - generated by second home council tax income - which backs its own work and helps the seven more localised area partnerships based on the area's towns.

Its three main area of focus are providing good jobs, quality of life and promoting housing, safer neighbourhoods and access to services.

For more information visit the partnership website www.nncp.org.uk or contact manager Beatrix Ward on 01263 516248 or e-mail Beatrix.Ward@north-norfolk.gov.uk