A rather belated New Year Blog!

Good news to start 2014! Chippenham Area Board has voted to award a grant of £4849 to Melksham, Calne and Chippenham branch for bank stabilisation at Pewsham. This will enable the branch to bring the water levels up and will ensure stable banks and towpath in the section just north of Double Bridge. It is hoped that the restored work boat Boswell will be launched at Pewsham later this year. And there is more.... .... planning permission has been granted for the Templars Firs extension project at Royal Wootton Bassett. Completion of this project will extend the canal from its current terminus west to Marlborough Road through the site where the old Depot buildings are now. This will give a good length of canal in water – just right for a new trip boat! Maybe that’s a task that the new Manager of Boats, Mike Lang, will take on? Speaking of boats – plans for the River Festival at Melksham on September 6th and 7th are taking shape. Ian Simpson, a member from Keevil, is heading up the team, with Paul Lenaerts in support. Melksham Town Council who are experienced at running events such as the Food Festival and Party in the Park are helping to source local traders. It is hoped that there will be trail boats and some steam boats in attendance. It should help to promote the Melksham Link project as well as commemorating our 100 year anniversary of abandonment. At Wichelstowe, we are talking to Swindon Borough Council about joining up the new section of the canal with the old route – hopefully this process will start later this year. There are a lot of possibilities in Swindon for extending the canal and towpath and I hope the special open meeting planned for 8th February at East Wichel Community Hall will be well supported and that more Swindon members will come forward to get involved and re-invigorate the branch. What’s happening at the Peterborough Arms? No definite news yet, we are still negotiating with Wadworth and are carrying on with the feasibility work for which we have had a grant of £30K from Locality. We continue to receive some donations and pledges and we are grateful to everyone who has contributed. Happy New Year everyone -I believe 2014 will be a great year for the Trust. Kath Hatton