It’s a difficult thing to define ‘resilience’ – one of the themes for the Champions Awards:
What is ‘resilience’? – Sustainable Sidmouth Champion Awards
Recently, VGS chair and Awards project leader Peter Murphy talked to Cllr Louise Cole, chair of the Town Council’s Tourism and Economy Committee – and head of the Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub and the new Sidmouth School of Art project.
Peter: One of the Champions Awards will be focussing on ‘resilience’. How would you define that?
Louise: Resilience to me is about so many things – the ability to bounce back and to discover new alternatives when challenges are faced are just a part of it.
Peter: How have the last eighteen months impacted the things you’re involved in?
Louise: I think that the pandemic has stretched us all in so many ways but what is remarkable and inspirational is how as a community – our collective ability to adapt and to find new ways of doing things and to leave behind what has not been possible and quickly find new ways of working spot new opportunities, is remarkable.
Peter: Tell us specifically about the projects you’ve been working on.
Louise: Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub and our new Sidmouth School of Art project and the many different ways that our regenerative approach to art and culture has been such a nurturing thing for me personally during this time but I think the experience and positive impact goes much wider.
Take the new community coral reef garden and the refresh of the fish wall mural and even the interest and joy had through the creative workshops at our new micro creative space – each of them has provided opportunities for the most amazing community conversations and connections to be made and more than that for people to get involved and participate actively in place shaping.
Peter: These all sound so inspiring and positive for the future!
Louise: Through art and creativity together we are making Sidmouth an even better place and to share that with each other for everyone’s benefit whether you live here or are visiting, whether you are young or old, a local business or another community group.
Peter: I love the new art installation on the Ham car park.
Louise: We have worked with so many people and groups – Sidmouth Wallspace – our new billboard public gallery for everyone for example, where we are working with internationally acclaimed artist David Shrigley and have curated two new art works with Sidmouth College and with artist photographer Robert Darch and Sidmouth Photographic Club with many more planned.
The process of collaboration is so amazing, sharing of experience, feelings and the generation of new ideas – we know that unlocking creativity is a valuable element for our wellbeing so our vision is for Sidmouth to be a centre for art and culture.
Peter: All of this gives a very exciting perspective to Sidmouth.
Louise: Sidmouth is a very special place, such a beautiful coastal town and there is no value that can be placed on community spirit.
Peter: Any final words, then, on ‘resilience’?
Louise: I am confident that there is a collective strength that will not only help us to recover but to flourish as we move forwards resiliently into the next chapter.
Peter: Thank you very much, Louise. That’s really wonderful. Good luck with all those projects.
Louise: Thank you! There is so much to say!