People’s Picnic set for Knowle

A COUPLE who enjoyed the happiest day of their lives at under-threat parkland at the Knowle hope to celebrate their third wedding anniversary with a ‘People’s Picnic’ there tomorrow (Wednesday).

Nikki and Robert Peckham want strangers and friends in the community to descend on “the jewel in Sidmouth’s crown” – as fears for its future reach fever-pitch.

The couple, of Higher Brook Meadow in Sidford, savoured an outside vows ceremony and wedding reception at the valued open space on 2009.

Concerns have been raised for a chunk of the parkland to the south of the site that is earmarked for development should East Devon District Council (EDDC) relocate to Honiton.

Nikki, 30, a keen supporter of the Save Our Sidmouth campaign, has invited residents and visitors to join in a picnic on Wednesday from 4.30pm to 7.30pm.

She said: “The idea of the picnic is to encourage the people of Sidmouth to come together as a community to celebrate this wonderful parkland.

“We chose August 22 as that is our wedding anniversary and we held our reception at the Knowle three years ago.

“Every year I have planned to picnic on the Knowle to celebrate and not got round to it. This year, because of the potential redevelopment plans, I thought it would be a great idea to make sure we actually have the picnic...and why not invite everyone to come and join us? The Knowle is a wonderful piece of parkland which I believe is under-used by the people of Sidmouth. I hope this event encourages people to use it more frequently. This isn’t going to be a big, organised event, just simply a chance for everyone in Sidmouth to get together and enjoy a sense of community.”