“Looking back at the themes covered on these pages and other VGS blogs from the last fortnight, it’s important that we face the future not with fear but with thought.” [comment]
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Over the last couple of weeks, as we look forward to a new year, we have been looking at various ways we might “future-proof Sidmouth” – which might seem a little ridiculous, considering how topsy-turvy and unpredictable things are turning out in these first few days of the year…
And yet, there are quite a few clear trends unfolding in several areas of public and private life which we can be working with – from handling flood damage and flood prevention to making your coffee habits more sustainable [more of both in future pieces!] The point being that we can future-proof ourselves, our families and our communities to an extent by trying to be a little more resilient, a little more prepared and a little more thoughtful about the decisions we make.
Looking back at the themes covered on these pages and other VGS blogs from the last fortnight, then, it’s important that we face the future not with fear but with thought – and with some realistic optimism: it’s about imagination and creativity – and about the determination to use what we’ve got. And in Sidmouth we’ve got plenty of both.
We seem to be quite good at sharing realistic and positive stories – and the new year: new-look CAPS newsletter should hopefully allow for some of that.
And all this future-proofing of Sidmouth can probably only be done through cooperation and collaboration – whether it’s providing care for our loved ones by building a network of local support organisations and championing our dementia carers, by recognising their efforts and giving them support – or future-proofing Sidmouth for our young people who need us to give them opportunities to socialise, grow and be safe.
By championing our champions, we can inspire ourselves to do better – and so make us a little more resilient to life’s tribulations. And this year we hope to be showcasing our champions in a new 2026 Champions Awards project [with more to come!]
Yes, it’s people who matter, but we also need to be cherishing our heritage and our wildlife: we’ll have to show some determination in the face of future challenges – as “it’s not ‘nature or development’. It’s both.“ That is, we can work with our inspiring history and the memories of those who made it – and with our inspiring natural history and the richness that contributes so much to our lives here in the Sid Valley. And looking after the Sid is one of those practical steps we can take as a community here and now – as the River Sid is perhaps the key to the future health of the Sid Valley, both for its people and for its wider natural environment.
We also need to be looking after our local assets, from green spaces to public buildings. With the current debate around local government reorganisation taking off, we need to be asking the question: Who will manage what? That is: “We keep saying that we would be very happy to take on responsibilities for certain assets but at the same time we would want assets to pay for it in the future.”
So, we can negotiate and haggle, but otherwise, we can just try and get on with it – and just get on with creating that ‘buzz’ which Sidmouth is (apparently!) famous for. We can’t rely on other bodies planning our futures for us, but have to continue to create a vibrant community and resilient economy ourselves. Generally speaking, according to the Express, Sidmouth is one of the Best UK places to live – with its “unspoilt open spaces and a buzzing town centre”. And the Mirror has declared that the picturesque UK seaside town is suddenly booming as new businesses flock to area.
Here’s to a future-proof Sidmouth 2026!
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