The Bay Coastal Community Team are asking residents all along the Bay from Sandown to Shanklin and beyond to get creative this winter and give their ideas for how to make a brilliant place even better.
The Bay area was recently chosen, along with Ryde, to become one of only 116 new coastal community teams in the UK as part of a government initiative to kick-start coastal revival. This new Bay Coastal Community team is made up of town and parish councils, businesses, artists and creative enterprises, schools and local people and is looking at new and better ways to work together for social and economic change.
The initial funding pot is to bring the team together and through a programme of community consultation, produce a plan for the New Year – it has already started the ball rolling on sourcing further funding for projects.
Ian Boyd, from Arc Consulting who are helping to lead the programme explains:
“The Bay is Culver, Yaverland, Sandown, Lake, Shanklin and Luccombe… that’s 3 towns, 2 villages, 22,000 residents, half a million visitors, 5 square miles of natural and built heritage assets not to mention one of the longest sandy beaches in the UK. So, it’s a fantastic place and there’s a huge amount of work going on already and much more to come – but first we are keen to find out what people love about the Bay and what they believe could make it even better.
“At Arc for example, we know from previous experience that rejuvenating and restoring the Bay’s phenomenal public realm and natural assets could be a brilliant place to start”.
From now until Christmas there will be all sorts of ways to share your ideas and aspirations for how to shape the Bay. You can join a Campfire session this winter, pick up a What If? Postcard (pictured left), find the team on Facebook’s ‘Shaping the Bay’ page, or leave a message on the ‘Bayline’. All the Bay schools have signed up to take part in the What If? postcard campaign too and as many of our cards as possible will be exhibited next Spring.
The programme kicks off on Friday 2nd October at the first of Campfire sessions – join the team at Brown’s Café, Yaverland, with Spike Oatley Music, Little Lemon and friends. Everyone’s welcome to gather round the campfire to listen to live and original music, cook up marshmallows and ideas, tell stories of the Bay past and help draw up plans for its future. From 19:30.
Events
Coming up – the Campfire Sessions
Inspired by Island musician Spike Oatley, the Bay CCT will be holding a series of Campfire Sessions around the Bay, one each in Sandown, Lake & Shanklin. Everyone, young and old are invited to gather round the campfires to listen to live and original music, cook up marshmallows and ideas, tell stories of the Bay past and help draw up plans for its future.
For more details, keep an eye on the Shaping the Bay Facebook page, Spike Oatley Music Facebook page or visit www.arc-consulting.co.uk/2015/04/upcoming-events/
What If? Postcards
The Bay CCT are asking as many people to draw or write their ideas on the What If? Postcards. Designed by Sandown graphic designer Mooksgoo, you can pick up your postcard from early October from various shops, libraries and various venues around the Bay – just draw, write or stick on your brilliant ideas and then pop them back in the box. There will be a public exhibition to display as many of the cards as we can pack in early next Spring!
You can call or text your ideas to the Bayline on 07594 214344.
Featured photograph: Ian Boyd
