The Gwent Levels Sense of Place Toolkit captures many of the experiences people have, memories they build, stories they hear and places they explore. It highlights how these can be used to promote and engage people in different ways with their surroundings. By celebrating the Gwent Levels, you can develop your organisation or business to engage more widely with people in the area. Capitalising on what’s special and distinctive about the area will also help develop a sustainable competitive advantage for your organisation, community or business.

This toolkit is a resource which provides a collection of places to visit and sights to see along with ideas and stories collected from local people and communities which provide a flavour of the area. If a particular topic is of interest to you, or your organisation, you can explore that section in more detail. Other sections might also give you a flavour of what else there is to uncover and explore in the area. This might provide ideas of how you could develop and build your organisation to engage more people or deepen the community’s involvement with you.

This toolkit is divided into sections which focus on different qualities of the Gwent Levels. You may want to deepen your understanding in one section, or look across a few sections to broaden your knowledge of the area.

Introduction transcript (PDF 23KB)

Using the ambassador toolkit transcript (PDF 37KB)

Reedbed wildlife transcript (PDF 37.8kb)

Shrill carder bee transcript (PDF 32.2kb)

Field drainage transcript (PDF 32.9kb)

Goldcliff transcript (PDF 31.1kb)

Black Rock transcript (PDF 32.6kb)

Sea wall transcript (PDF 32.3kb)

What is a ‘sense of place’?

A ‘sense of place’ is an idea that every area has an identity and distinctiveness that makes it different from everywhere else.

A place creates different experiences and emotions for people, and by associating these feelings with a place, we feel a sense of belonging to that area, whether we live or work there or are just visiting. The different sights, sounds, smells and tastes we experience as we travel through a landscape, appreciating the history and hearing the unique stories derived from that place, all contribute to its sense of place.

The blend of wildlife, architecture, scenery and environment develop a unique sense of a place which people take with them wherever they go. It is these emotions and experiences that we would use to describe the area to someone who didn’t know it, and which underpin a fundamental connection to the area.