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Beyond the coronavirus: a new vision for Sidmouth

  • by JW

Where do you feel we should be going – considering where we are now?

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Back in 2006, a year after it was founded, the VGS produced its first report, “A Vision for Sidmouth”:

The original Vision Group report

Now, more than at any other time perhaps, the Sid Valley is in real need of a vision to see it through the next months.

The VGS has just produced a survey to ask people how they are managing in the current situation – and whether there might be lessons to carry over into the future:

Covid-19 in Sidmouth: What’s your experience?

These immediate responses should inform wherever and however we will need to go forward, as we feed into ideas and projects to help create a more resilient and sustainable Valley.

And there are clearly similar thoughts and efforts happening in other parts of the country.

On the latest Countryfile on BBC One, for example, Kate Humble was visiting local shops to see how their services have been greatly appreciated by the community in this hour of need – and how this might indeed be a model for the future:

Matt’s Home Patch   | bbc.co.uk

In parallel, here in Sidmouth, there have been thoughts about how we can build resilience and sustainability into our local society and economy.

Before the current crisis erupted, there was a lot of thinking going on:

Building a resilient local economy in 2020

And last month, Prof Evan Parker presented a proposal to transform Sidmouth – focussing on local transport, food production and distribution, and the high street :

ONLINE: talk on clean growth in Sidmouth

New Thinking on Clean Growth – Transforming Sidmouth – Prof Evan Parker – Café Sci – 31mar20

The coordination team of the VGS subsequently looked at these proposals – together with some key members of the community:

New Thinking on Clean Growth – Transforming Sidmouth – Prof Evan Parker – VGS coord team meeting  – 8apr20

New Thinking on Clean Growth – Transforming Sidmouth – Prof Evan Parker – VGS coord team meeting – 20apr20

With a follow-up draft scoping document including proposed actions:

A vision for Sidmouth – scoping doc – v3 – 9apr20

And at the same time, the Science Festival’s Biodiversity & Horticulture working group is looking at these key issues:

The Clean Growth project from the Science Festival

All of which fits into the bigger picture of preparing for life after the coronavirus:

Clean Growth for Sidmouth 2020

Where do you feel we should be going – considering where we are now?

Fill in the questionnaire!

How are things in Lockdown?