Petworth votes no to chocolate box

[Andrew Robert Lee]

Hi. The first community workshop in Petworth on Friday managed to keep fifty people away from the pub and the TV for four hours. Not much sign of support for the chocolate box view of a National park here – the emphasis was firmly on needing vibrant and thriving communities, social housing and jobs for young people – alongside the restoration of nature. No sign of backwards looking on Thursday either, when the Sussex Wildlife Trust holds its 50th Anniversary conference “The Nature of Change” where I’ll be giving an SDNPA response. The debate between old and new continues on the Forum with a pretty lively discussion about horses v electric bikes. Are the latter a way of making low carbon transport easier or a potential downhill menace off-road? You decide. Better still ,come to the next workshop in Lewes on Friday night.

[Anita van Mil - Hopkins Van Mil]

Or to Liphook on Monday 19th September. As in Petworth the Hopkins Van Mil facilitation team will work with the community to identify Issues and Opportunities you feel should be considered by the SDNPA when drawing up the Management Plan for the next five years. A great opportunity to make sure that your voice is being heard.

[Mary Parker]

The Forum meeting at Lewes was well organised, interesting and fun. However, absence of parking for more than 2 hours meant that many people had to leave half way through in order to move their cars.

[Dr Paul Strickland]

The petworth meeting led to so much. Involvement of the next generation, supporting working families in the area... leading by example, Go Green, seen as a focal point that makes good old fashioned value system, good quality, no waste, a real taste of the southdowns.