Salisbury 2020 founding partners Salisbury Cathedral with Salisbury BID, Salisbury City Council, Visit Wiltshire, Wiltshire Creative, Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire and Swindon Sports Partnership have outlined plans for a year of celebrations and invite local organisations, business and community groups to get involved and contribute their own events and activities to the evolving programme.
In the early 1200s Bishop Richard Poore, the medieval bishop of Salisbury, set in motion a plan that would change the community and landscape of South Wiltshire forever.
Driven by the need to access fresh water, and desperate to escape bad weather, royal supervision and regular harassment by soldiers stationed at Old Sarum Castle, Bishop Poore moved his cathedral and community.
By April 1220 the foundation stones for what was to become an iconic national landmark were laid and expansion of the city we know and love today had begun.
That moment in history is to be marked next year with Salisbury 2020: City On The Move, a year-long programme of events and activities themed around movement, celebrating the faith, dedication, physical strength and ingenuity it took to carry out this feat.
The year is organised into three ‘pillars’ or key areas of activity:
• physical activities and events that offer opportunities to take part in sport, echoing the strength and endeavour required to build a new cathedral • technology activities and events that celebrate the ingenuity of our forebears and offer ways to discover the latest in technology and science • activities and events that explore developments in thought and ideas across the last eight centuries
The founding partners will work with their members and stakeholders to give as many people as possible the chance to participate, and anyone wishing to find out more about Salisbury 2020 may do so here.
The Very Reverend Nicholas Papadopulos, Dean of Salisbury said:
"Salisbury 2020 was conceived over three years ago, but the key partnerships were forged in a time of adversity in 2018, when the city of Salisbury was called upon to show its resolve and prove its determination to move ahead with optimism, much like our forebears when they made their epochal move. To reflect this extraordinary spirit and vision we have an exciting programme of activities planned for Salisbury 2020 with music, worship, art and a flower festival, and we begin our celebrations in February with a light and sound spectacular inspired by the Cathedral’s history."
Robin McGowan, Chief Executive of Salisbury Business Improvement District (BID), said:
“Salisbury 2020 will be a fantastic celebration of our city and we’re pleased the BID is a supporting partner. The yearlong programme of events will increase the vibrancy of our city centre and will give visitors from far and wide the reason to visit Salisbury. The BID is planning some exciting initiatives around the appearance of the city and as the organisation representative of Salisbury’s city centre businesses, we’re encouraging businesses to get involved with the 2020 programme. to find out more.
In partnership with VisitWiltshire, Salisbury BID co-fund the Visit Salisbury website to promote the city to visitors. The Visit Salisbury website has a full events calendar for Salisbury.
