Discussing the future for Wiltshire’s market towns

A debate is taking place at 6:30pm on Tuesday (18 May) in St Margaret’s Hall, Bradford on Avon to discuss how a thriving low carbon, well-being economy can be adapted to fit the needs of the six towns of mid-Wiltshire.

Entitled ‘Imagination, engagement and a low-carbon, well-being economy’, the free event is organised by the Mid Wiltshire Economic Partnership, in partnership with the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). The evening features world-leading experts on creativity, culture, sustainability and design.

The debate is free to attend but pre-registration is required. Click here to register and find out more. Telephone enquiries can be made to 01225 866612.

The speakers:

Charles Landry is an internationally acclaimed authority on creativity, helping cities reach their potential by exploring how the culture of a place can invigorate and revitalise an economy. “Every place can make more out of its potential if the preconditions to think, plan and act with imagination are present,” he has said. “The imagination of people, combined with other qualities such as tenacity and courage, is our greatest resource.”

Elizabeth Cox is Head of Connected Economies at the New Economics Foundation (nef). She works with communities in the UK and internationally to support practical action for a more sustainable and just future. “Urban design policies have tended to focus on the regeneration of town and metropolitan centres in the promotion of retail and tourist attractions as a means of developing the local economy”, she has written. “This has resulted in the privatisation of previously public space… There is a pressing need to connect the planning, design and building of place to meaningful objectives – the enjoyment of good lives for inhabitants now and in the future.”

Dominic Murphy is founding executive director of Creating Excellence, the Taunton-based body that provides knowledge and know-how for people involved in regeneration and sustainability across south-west England. Dominic is also chair of the national Sustainable Communities Excellence Network.

This is the second of three debates organised by the Mid-Wiltshire Economic Partnership and RSA Fellowship. The first, on 15 April, was chaired by Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the RSA. The third, on 17 June, will be chaired by Peter Madden, chief executive of Forum for the Future.

Refreshments from 5:30pm; free drinks and canapés when the meeting finishes at 8pm.

(Contributed by: Gerald Milward-Oliver)