The Cheltenham Connect Vision

The most exciting place to live in Cheltenham! Somewhere where people of all ages can
find something to get involved with and where there is always something interesting going on.

A great sense of community ‘spirit’ that encourages people to think sustainably, but to
also see creativity and fun as a vital part of the process.

A successful and highly resilient trading community

An empowered, motivated and highly connected
residents community

A vibrant and fully engaged artistic community

A really dynamic, informal organisational structure where anybody can have ideas, get
involved or become a group co-ordinator

An organisational structure that challenges old models
and ways of doing things

An easily replicable initiative that can be gifted to other communities

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Short-term

To excite, inspire and engage as many local people as possible to become involved i
n the activities of Cheltenham Connect.

To strengthen the local South Cheltenham community so that it becomes increasingly
self-sufficient and protected from outside influences.

To encourage people to ‘Buy Local’ and to appreciate the unique character and historical
importance of the area within which they live.

To become an example of how to engage a community in the active reduction of carbon emissions.

To create a vibrant community spirit that encourages people to live and work in the area.

To demonstrate that there is a ‘new kind of wealth’ that comes from connecting and working with others.

To demonstrate to local decision and policy-makers that Cheltenham Connect is an innovative and well-supported initiative that has long-lasting potential.

Long-term

To brand South Cheltenham as an area of thriving community and particular historical interest.

To make the area the ‘greenest community in Cheltenham’

To make South Cheltenham a hub for locally run events and activities.

To establish at least one major annual event that celebrates local craftspeople, and producers
and significantly increases footfall.

To pilot the initiative (website, group structure and management style) as a model that can be
​gifted to other areas of Cheltenham.