The Shrewsbury Moves Festival launched with a thought-provoking and engaging conference from Thursday 20th to Friday 21st of March, setting the tone for a vibrant four-day celebration of movement and the future of public spaces.
Held at the Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery and Shropshire Business Suite, the two-day conference was attended by nearly 200 people, including visitors from other towns and councils, keen to hear how Shrewsbury is poised to transform itself. The speaker line up brought together national experts, local leaders and voices from the community to explore how we move through our towns – and how transforming town movement can shape healthier, more prosperous and connected communities.
The conference was organised by the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership – a collaboration between Shrewsbury BID, Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council, supported by Liza Freudmann of BLA Sustainability, and funded by UKSPF.
Attendees at the conference heard from a stellar line-up of speakers, including:
· Melissa Bruntlett, urban mobility advocate and co-author of Building the Cycling City, who gave a keynote talk sharing international insights on designing people-focused streets from her travels in Europe and South America
· Peter Walker, political correspondent for The Guardian and author of The Miracle Pill and How Cycling Can Save the World, who highlighted the personal and societal benefits of active travel.
· Jon Burke, Gloucester City Council Climate Lead, formerly of Hackney Council
· Julia Buckley, MP for Shrewsbury
· Kaye Inckle, accessibility advocate at Wheels for Wellbeing
· And many more national and local leaders, business-people and planners, who shared their experiences and ambitions for the future of Shrewsbury’s streets and spaces
It’s not every day – or month – that a line-up of such influential speakers gathers in Shrewsbury, and the roster of speakers at the Shrewsbury Moves Conference further cemented the town’s reputation as a market town that punches above its weight in the national space.
Reflecting on the Conference, Bruntlett stated, “During my visit to Shrewsbury and hearing from the community at Thursday’s launch event, it was clear there is so much enthusiasm for the potential to create a town that inspires social connection, healthy and active mobility, and spaces to come and spend time. To have such a strong
coalition of councils, the business community, local advocates, and community members is inspiring, and I look forward to seeing the positive transformations in the years to come!”
With Shrewsbury poised to implement key projects outlined in its 10-year Big Town Plan vision – including the development of better infrastructure for walking, wheeling and cycling – the conference acted as a further catalyst for collaboration between public bodies, businesses and residents, as well as providing a look at the potential for transformation in market towns.
Seb Slater, Executive Director of Shrewsbury BID, commented on the Conference, “The Shrewsbury Moves Conference was a brilliant way to kick off the Festival. It brought together some truly inspiring speakers and gave us the chance to look seriously at how we can shape a more accessible, active and people-friendly town. There was a real appetite in the room for positive change, and it was exciting to see Shrewsbury at the centre of a national conversation about the future of our town centres and how we move through them.”
“It was a genuine privilege to be part of bringing the SM Conference to Shrewsbury,” added Liza Freudmann. “It was great to see our world-class speakers help bring to life best practice in this space, the opportunities and challenges for us in Shrewsbury and beyond, and help us visualise what the future of movement and transport in our town could look like. I look forward to these conversations continuing as the plan develops and comes to fruition.”
The ideas shared during the conference about reclaiming public spaces for the businesses and the community resonated throughout the weekend as, following the conference, the Shrewsbury Moves Festival continued with three days of energetic, accessible activities across the town centre – from tai chi and cycling to dog walks and a surprise Ferris wheel finale.
The enthusiasm and insights generated at the Shrewsbury Moves Conference laid a positive foundation for the next stage of the Big Town Plan’s delivery, with the event helping energise conversations around the town’s future; placing people, wellbeing, and community at its core.
For more information on the Shrewsbury Moves Festival and the Big Town Plan, visit shrewsburymoves.com and shrewsburybigtownplan.org.
