The Big Picture

Give Rushcliffe an identity

Queensland, Australia, is the Sunshine State; New York City is the city that never sleeps. Rushcliffe: early night with a cup of cocoa? What does Rushcliffe mean to you?

Sport comes to mind. We are home to a world-renowned cricket ground in Trent Bridge, which this year hosted the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup. We have the East Midlands Gymnastics Centre which produced our best gymnast in the 2008 Olympics. Holme Pierrepont is the National Water Sports Centre. And then there's Nottingham Forest – twice winners of the European Cup (though not in my lifetime). So should we be a sporting borough?

We have lots of green spaces, with a park around every corner. Does this mean we should be the green borough? Should Rushcliffe be the housing borough, as 16,000 new homes will be built here between now and 2026? What are the positives and negatives of having this many new homes?

Rushcliffe is home to the highest number of graduates in Nottinghamshire. It is inhabited by people who are well-educated, healthy and have high aspirations. People want to live in Rushcliffe. In an article published in June 2008, Channel 4 placed Rushcliffe at 14th in its list of the most desirable places to live. This was largely due to its "strong social conscience", with 50% of all household waste being recycled, and the good health of the people who live here ("only one in five smoke; deaths from cancer, stroke and heart disease are low"). Perhaps we are the posh borough!

These are just some of the things that sets Rushcliffe apart from other places - and some of the things to celebrate. Do you agree with any of the suggestions made, or even that Rushcliffe should develop its own identity? Do you have any ideas to add to those already mentioned?

Bex Bailey is a 17-year-old Rushcliffe resident.  She is currently at Rushcliffe School's Sixth Form where she is studying for A levels in History, English Literature and Language, Sociology, and Government and Politics.  She loves music, is part of the UK Youth Parliament and wants young people's voices to be heard on issues that matter.

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