A lasting legacy for Wiltshire: looking forward to 2014
In 2013, Wiltshire built on the legacy of a range of community activities and new initiatives including the Queen’s jubilee. As we enter 2014, it is time to look forward to see how the Area Boards can build upon the good work delivered so far to create a lasting legacy for Wiltshire. Cllr Jane Scott leader at Wiltshire Council will outline some of the new opportunities available to the Area Board in 2014.
Director of Wiltshire Museum, David Dawson will update the Area Board on the World War One Commemorations occurring in the Devizes community area.
Minutes:
Leader of Wiltshire Council, Cllr Jane Scott OBE gave a presentation reflecting on the achievements made in Wiltshire and Nationwide in 2012 and 2013. She explained that the council hoped to create a lasting legacy from these events.
Cllr Scott explained that the events of 2012, including the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics and Paralympics had brought money into Wiltshire’s economy. Wiltshire gained around £40 million worth of advertising during this period. Many businesses including hotels and campsites benefitted from the influx of tourists into Wiltshire as a result of this advertising.
The council had started to build on this legacy and was hosting and supporting a number of events. These included business EXPOs. The next EXPO was due to take place in Chippenham in June and over 200 businesses had already signed up. Five Wealth of Wiltshire Fayres had taken place across the county, giving small and local businesses an opportunity to sell their goods. Wiltshire Council was one of the main sponsors of Salisbury Christmas market, which had continued to be a success. The council had also hosted a number of business breakfasts.
Following the Olympics and Paralympics many people across the county had taken up new sports. The council hoped to build on this legacy and was hosting a sporting and business dinner which would take place in March. This event would match Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls with local businesses.
Local schools had also benefitted from the focus on sports and many pupils had recently played sports at Bath Rugby ground and Chelsea Football Club training ground. Health Fairs had also taken place where members of the public could gain advice about their health. The next event would take place on 12 February in the County Hall Atrium. A cycling event was taking place over the may bank holiday weekend in the Salisbury area. A community cycle race would take place on Saturday 3 May with an elite race on Sunday 4 May.
Local communities had also come closer together following the events of 2012. The council wanted to build on this legacy through the ‘Big Pledge’ where communities were encouraged to take action and make commitments to improve their collective health and wellbeing.
Events would also be taking place to commemorate the World War One Centenary. On 30 July a county wide event was expected to take place on Salisbury Plain.
Many events had occurred in Devizes specifically, including Cycle Devizes, the upcoming construction of the skate park, the canoe club acquiring new premises and local farmers markets.
David Dawson, Director of Wiltshire Museum outlined planned events in the Devizes community area to commemorate World War One. National Lottery grants were available for community commemoration events. An exhibition focusing on recruitment into the army was due to open at the museum in September. The museum hoped to record the stories of local people through family photographs and letters and tell these through a pop-up display in the town centre. The museum was also collaborating with the British legion to arrange the Remembrance Day commemorations.
Tom Strictland, History Teacher at Devizes School outlined how the Devizes School taught the subject of the Great War. He engaged students by localising history. He encouraged each student to research a name on the local war memorial, and students searched for local people’s memorials on their battlefields school trip.