My Name Is Emma

My Name Is...Emma

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My Name Is...

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Emma: Can I Live in My Hometown?

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Emma wants to know how she can stay living in her hometown.

Emma Hookway asks why her hometown in North Devon has become so unaffordable, and whether she’ll be able to stay in the area where she grew up.

Emma has lived in North Devon her whole life, but now she’s not sure she’ll be able to stay. A few months ago, she was given notice to leave by her landlord but, with rental properties scarce and prices soaring, finding a new place to live is proving difficult. 

Emma wants to understand the forces making North Devon, along with many rural spots across the country, unaffordable for locals, and how she can reset the balance. She also examines the toll the rise in staycations and the boom in rural living have had on her tight-knit community. 

Even as she fights to stay in the village where she grew up, Emma recognises it is becoming less and less like the place she loves. But in leading a campaign to help local renters, Emma feels the passion and power of her community once again.

Producer: Pippa Smith
Executive Producer: Katherine Godfrey
Sound Engineer: Nigel Appleton
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