Cranleigh Smart Village

SMART = Shared Mission, Active Relationships Together

The concept of SMART Village was the brainchild of Rosemary who was asked by a local entrepreneur to put some time into putting some new ways of thinking and working into the community which is facing many changes and opportunities as an ageing community of 14,000 people in a remote part of Surrey at its borders 

Smart Village ( Shared Mission to build Active Relationships by working Together). It is about connecting people. 

It is about finding ways to be the best village and defining what that means and shaping it together’ Father David 

This is a citizen-driven community initiative bringing together people and organisations to promote wellbeing, healthy living and a better quality of life for everyone within an ageing population. It is about finding different ways within the community to support the delivery, take up and co-ordination of existing and new initiatives/projects that help people to stay well, prevent loneliness and social isolation and help keep the community connected, creating a better quality of life for all. This is necessary in a shrinking state and needed to help people to live well for longer and prevent poor health where possible is interrelated with all aspects of community life and work in Cranleigh.  

A disruptive innovation is needed which starts with what people think and generates a bottom up approach with continuous community engagement and co-design to develop a . The ageing population has brought about potential for new types of work and opportunities for the shared wisdom of elders, working with younger people to create solutions. People of all ages need to be involved in aspects affecting their quality of life, not just older people.

This is was intended as a starting place for developing an extended neighbourhood masterplan looking at health and wellbeing in its widest sense for residents of Cranleigh and the surrounding villages. It means finding different ways within the community to support the delivery and co-ordination of practical initiatives/projects that promote health and wellbeing in the light of changing government spending priorities and policy.  

Since the first public consultation event the initiative has been developed into a CIC with a steering group of 10 people representing different interests and abilities within Cranleigh and Ewhurst. It is evolving connectivity across the community and facilitating a number of projects arising from community consultation needs including an interactive community calendar.