Inspiring walking trail is damaged in targeted attack
September 19, 2024
The National Park Authority is deeply saddened and appalled that a walking trail featuring fantastic stories from writers of global heritage, sharing their love for and connection with the South Downs, has been vandalised.
Thirteen plaques along the Sussex Heritage Coast from Seaford to Eastbourne were stolen, with offenders using a screwdriver to prise off the plaques. The screws were then screwed back into the posts.
The plaques linked to 13 audio stories that are part of a new inspiring trail unveiled last year called “We Hear You Now”. The trail celebrates the deep connection that local writers of global heritage have with the landscape and has been enjoyed by thousands of people from all walks of life, each with a shared love for the National Park.
As no other plaques were targeted in the area, we can sadly only assume that the theft is targeted and racially-motivated, and has been reported as such to Sussex Police.
The National Park Authority has begun to reinstate the plaques and is calling on all our visitors and communities to support these wonderful writers and their stories of our beloved, shared National Park by listening on-site or on our website.
Tim Slaney, Chief Executive (Interim) for the National Park Authority, said: “This is a deeply shocking and appalling crime and we stand in full solidarity with the writers who put their hearts and souls into this project over many years to create a trail that many people have enjoyed. The writers and all our staff are understandably devastated.
“National Parks were created for the benefit of the nation and have always been for everyone to enjoy. We are a National Park for all and will continue to celebrate the voices of everybody, and embrace the full spectrum of all our communities as we work together to tackle the nature and climate crises that are impacting us all, and we will continue to do so with great pride.
“The South Downs National Park is a welcoming landscape and we look forward to it being enjoyed and experienced by everyone. If you do have any information, please do contact the police and help bring these offenders to justice.”
We Hear You Now was funded by Arts Council England and South Downs National Park Authority. Partners and supporters included Brighton Festival, Writers Mosaic, (a division of the Royal Literary Fund), Writing Our Legacy, New Writing South, Walk the Chalk, Towner Eastbourne, Charleston Trust, University of Chichester, Brighton Dome, and Julie’s Bicycle (Colour Green).
We Hear You Now grew out the “We See You Now” creative programme – which ran from 2019 to 2022 and was led by Alinah Azadeh – for writers of colour, aimed at creating a legacy for minoritised voices, connections and perspectives on the Sussex coastal landscape.
The “We Hear You Now” trail is one of a number of immersive listening trails at Seven Sisters Country Park, with others including nature stories and exploring the history and archaeology of the area.
We celebrate the work of all writers across the South Downs area, from Austen and Kipling, to modern writers from our local communities.
The “We Hear You Now” audio trail, which worked with local writers of colour, is one of a wide number of audio stories across the National Park that feature farmers, volunteers, local community groups, young people, writers of all backgrounds, and other champions for the National Park.
We are a National Park for all and there is room for everyone.
Sergeant Tom Carter, from the Rural Crime Team at Sussex Police, said: “The expression of the arts is part of what sets us apart as a species. Whether written, sculpted, painted, sung, or performed, art is the interpretation of an artist’s vision. This incident involves the theft of 13 plaques, each offering a unique window into the inspiration drawn from the landscape of the South Downs National Park. While some may see this as merely the theft of pieces of plastic, it is, in reality, the theft of artistic expression.
“The fact that someone chose to steal plaques from this particular trail, which features work by female writers from Black and global majority backgrounds, is a detestable act that deprives others of the enjoyment of these incredible works. I urge anyone who witnessed the theft on or around the 29th August 2024, or has any information that could help us find the perpetrator, to contact the police and quote reference 47240172774.”
Anyone with information about the crime should contact Sussex Police on 101.
- Please note we are not giving follow-up media interviews as this is a criminal act that has now been referred to the police. For any follow-up media enquiries please email media.hq@sussex.police.uk