Cittaslow

Cittaslow is an international network of towns where the "living is good."  The organisation was founded in 1999 by four towns - Bra, Orvieto, Greve-in-Chianti, and Positano, where the people saw that the principles of Slow Food could be applied to the environment, to make towns much better places for residents and visitors. 

Aylsham was accepted into the movement in November 2004, following an assessment against 55 criteria, split into the following 6 categories:

• Environment
• Infrastructure
• Quality of Urban Fabric
• Promotion of Local Products and Produce
• Hospitality and Community
• Cittaslow Awareness

but it doesn't end there!  Membership is a continual process of improvement against the criteria, ready for the next assessment - Aylsham's will be in 2009.  Following the establishment of a programme of community events, Aylsham Cittaslow plans to widen its horizons by looking at environmental, economic and tourism issues in more detail. 

In line with this, Aylsham Cittaslow, through the Town Council,  endorsed the initiative to make Aylsham the first plastic bag free town in Norfolk, hence the Cittaslow Aylsham logo on the publicity.  If the enquiries from other towns are anything to go by, there will be other plastic bag free towns in the region before too long