Headlines for week ending 1st April 2016

OUT AND ABOUT

Derek Flexer has met with Branch Chairs, ResCom and other key contributors to explore ideas around how to structure his team. Plus discussions with Andrew Matters: – their two teams need to work together like jigsaw pieces. Progress on the local maintenance plans (LMPs)with the Branches. DF spent a delightfully sunny Good Friday morning being shown all the work in the Foxham & Lyneham area.

New office at Peterborough Arms visited by many in the Trust and by passers-by:  Kath Hatton reports all looking very good, with Ann and Justine settling in well. Lovely setting on a sunny day. 

The new contact details are: Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, Dauntsey Lock Canal Centre, Dauntsey Lock, CHIPPENHAM, Wiltshire SN15 4HD   Tel: 0845 226 8567  Office hours remain the same.

Wednesday was the last working day for Kate Jones, our project leader for Studley Wildlife Trail.  She is going off to Camp America for the summer to look after 10-14 year olds. Work on the trail will continue, just waiting for it all to dry out.

Draft action plan for the Heritage Lottery Fund bid for Pewsham Locks has been sent to the Development Officer at HLF South-West for her comments. A massive amount of work done by the MCC team and special thanks to Val Melville.

Top Lock at Pewsham almost ready for work to start. £20,000 funding from Chippenham Area Board now received.

Good productive meeting with Canal and River Trust regarding PR for the Pewsham Locks project.

Land Team meeting with very comprehensive mapping information produced by Martin Stubbs: a great deal of important work going on here.

First meeting held with Peter Brett Associates to start work on Oxfordshire Biodiversity study.

CIOB AGM in Bristol: attended by John Laverick and Sheila Wade. Good talks on canal structures. Useful contacts made.

Dragonfly busy with trippers over Easter. Rain never stops play!

Sack House, Wantage Wharf open again for 2016: First and third Wednesdays and Saturdays in the month, from 10 am to 2 pm. Lots of history, great photos and a warm welcome. Well worth a visit. 

REQUESTS

Still looking for great photos of people and wildlife for the new web site: Contact Sheila Wade:  sheila.wade@wbct.org.uk

Don’t forget the online consultation survey for Pewsham Locks:  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/63KKLDN

Find out all about the W&BCT by:

Read “On the Button”, our monthly email newsletter, available on request from the web site and read about us in Dragonfly, our quarterly journal: next issue due out shortly, and look at our web site  new web site coming soon):  www.wbct.org.uk

Follow us on twitter: @wiltsberkscanal, and like us on Facebook: Wilts & Berks Canal Friends

Headlines for week ending 20th March 2016

OUT AND ABOUT
Grant of £27,500 under the Landfill Communities Fund from Crappers & Sons Landfill received for the Studley/Chaddington connection: thanks to Crappers for all their support.

Presentation to Wiltshire Council’s Flood Group of possible use of the canal for flood prevention.

Meeting of Wiltshire Swindon & Oxfordshire Canal Partnership.

Appointment of Peter Brett Associates to prepare biodiversity study for the Oxfordshire section of the canal.

Positive meeting with IWA Restoration Committee at the Peterborough Arms, with an excellent lunch and good chat at the Cross Keys Bradenstoke. Thanks to the WBCT team for preparation of displays and for refreshments.

Very well-attended talk on the Wilts & Berks Canal to Melksham and District Historical Association; good support for the canal coming back into Melksham.

Further work on key appointments and team building within the new Executive.

Office move to Canal Centre at Peterborough Arms. Many thanks to all those who helped in all sorts of ways, forward planning, moving desks and boxes, cleaning, installing phone and IT systems, sending flowers, making cups of tea: a real team effort!

The new contact details are: Wilts and Berks Canal Trust, Dauntsey Lock Canal Centre, Dauntsey Lock CHIPPENHAM, SN15 4HD   Tel: 0845 226 8567  Office hours remain the same

F&L Branch team win the Branch award at the very well attended MCC Quiz night: well done Nancy, Robin, Sheila and Susan.

REQUESTS

Still looking for great photos of people and wildlife for the new web site: Contact Sheila Wade:  sheila.wade@wbct.org.uk

Don’t forget the online consultation survey for Pewsham Locks:  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/63KKLDN

Find out all about the WBCT by:

Read “On the Button”, our monthly email newsletter, available on request from the web site ( Click here to subscribe)and read about us in Dragonfly, our quarterly journal: next issue due out shortly, and look at our web site  new web site coming soon):  www.wbct.org.uk

Follow us on Twitter: @wiltsberkscanal,

Like us on Facebook Wilts & Berks Canal Friends and Volunteers   

Blog: Headlines for week ending 11th March 2016

This is a summary of some of the things that have happened in the Trust over the last week.

OUT AND ABOUT

• Lots of moving stuff inside Peterborough Arms in preparation for electricians, fire alarms and fire doors and the main office move on 20^th.
• Another £200 in donations this week: thank you so much everyone.
• EGM enthusiasm and energy carries on: Martin Stubbs appointed as Head of IT. Congratulations Martin
• Another positive and productive Peterborough Arms meeting on Tuesday: Phase 1 on track for Community Rooms to be opened in summer.
• Environment Statement for Melksham Link handed in to Wiltshire Council: a massive document and a massive effort: Well done Paul and team
• Meeting of Canal & River Trust restoration officers group – discussion on classification of restoration projects into local regional and nationally significant + framework for agreement for connection of restored waterways to CRT network
• Meeting with leaders of Swindon Borough and Vale of White Horse District Councils-discussion on how Local Authorities and WBCT can co-operate more
• Work plan for restart of work at Studley Grange – emphasis on early  delivery of towpath surfacing
• First meeting of Board of Trustees

REQUESTS

Looking for great photos of people and wildlife for the new web site: Contact Sheila Wade:  sheila.wade@wbct.org.uk

Volunteers with skills sought to join highly motivated  Peterborough Arms group: Contact Dave Maloney: dmaloney@sheldonschool.co.uk

Don’t forget the online consultation survey for Pewsham Locks:  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/63KKLDN

IT savvy volunteers needed to support Trust wide IT function: Contact Martin Stubbs: martin.stubbs@wbct.org.uk

Find out all about the W&BCT by:

Read “On the Button”, our monthly email newsletter, available on request from the web site ( Click here to subscribe)and read about us in Dragonfly, our quarterly journal: next issue due out shortly, and look at our web site  new web site coming soon):  www.wbct.org.uk

Follow us on Twitter: @wiltsberkscanal,

Like us on Facebook Wilts & Berks Canal Friends and Volunteers   

 

Its been a very busy week -here are the headlines...

• Melksham Link:  Environment Statement completed and revised drawings and documents about to be submitted to Wiltshire Council planners.
• Pewsham Locks:  HLF bid team met : likely submission date June 1st. As part of the continuing community consultation there is an online survey https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/63KKLDN
• Planning application for the next phase of works at Naish Hill near Lacock has been submitted and registered -Ref 16/01709/FUL http://bit.ly/1LtP8W5
• Grant awarded by Chippenham Area Board of £19,873 towards restoration of Top Lock Pewsham. Lots of fantastic support from the Area Board members. Thank you so much!
• Grant awarded by Malmesbury Area Board of £990 towards refurbishment of Community Space at the Peterborough Arms. Thank you once again for your very welcome support.
• Donations of £270 received for Studley Grange last week: many thanks to all concerned.
• 90 members attend EGM to hear about new structure for WBCT and an update on restoration and projects.

“A very positive atmosphere in the room and loads of enthusiasm”

           “I wish we could bottle this and let it out exactly when and where we need it”

• New Executive Directors announced at EGM: see web site for more info.www.wbct.org.uk
• The 200 Club has become the 300 Club: first draw for 2016 takes place at EGM: fantastic support for such a worthwhile funding effort. Branches to benefit from more grant aid available.
• Volunteers from Swindon shop have busy time on the merchandise stall at EGM: £200 sales. Well done team!
• Dragonfly Boat crew announce that they have a newly qualified skipper. Boat trips start again on Easter Saturday
• New Land Fund Appeal announced by Kath Hatton at EGM, for the purchase of land between Melksham and Lacock: see Dragonfly and web site soon for more details.

Quote of the week: “Figures are fun, fun, fun” …. as new Executive Directors are asked to think about their presentations to EGM, and use these as an opportunity to enthuse members and seek volunteers for the next layer down.

Find out all about the WCT by:

• Following us on Twitter
• Read On the Button, our monthly email newsletter, available here
• Look at our web site www.wbct.org.uk
• And read about us in Dragonfly, our quarterly journal

Funding, Events, Community Involvement

Peterborough Arms

Kath Hatton remains extremely busy applying for funding for the refurbishment of the Peterborough Arms… not to mention all the other Trust projects! 

Dauntsey Parish Council, Lyneham and Bradenstoke Parish Council and Malmesbury Area Board have agreed grants and donations for this project and we are very grateful for their support. 

You will have seen from the recent Press release that the first stage opening is close now, and various summer events are in the process of being planned to make good use of this great resource.

Summer Events and Shows

Talking of summer events, the season is coming up fast now when our volunteers attend many events throughout our area, to publicize the work of the Trust and to attract new members. If you can help in this very important work, even if only for a few hours, please get in touch with your Branch Chairman or myself. It really does make a difference… and it’s good fun as well.

Branch Chairs: if you need publicity material, more merchandising items and general help, please get in touch with me: sheila.wade@wbct.org.uk

Dragonfly Magazine

Editor John Millican has reminded us all that the copy deadline for the next edition is 1^st March: so last call for anyone who wants something included in this edition.

Contact:  editor@wbct.org.uk

Widening Our Appeal

I had an excellent meeting last week with Kate Jones who has been working on the Studley Grange Towpath project with various community groups and schools. We want this work to be developed into a Trust wide initiative to attract younger members and families to the canal and to the Trust. So watch this space as we develop our ideas and ask for your help and input.

One recent example of attracting younger members and families were the three days of children’s activities organised by the MCC Branch, at the excellent Chippenham Museum & Heritage Centre during February Half Term. This third year of the event attracted about 130 children with their parents/carers. They made miniature bricks, printed t-shirts, made decorated plates and used the excellent Canal & Rivers Trust WOW activities. There was even a visit from Frankie, the honorary canal horse. See the Wilts & Berks Canal Friends and Volunteers and Chippenham Museum’s Facebook pages for photos.

WBCT Extraordinary General Meeting

Trust members are reminded that an EGM will be held at Ellendune Community Centre, Barrett Way, Wroughton, Swindon SN4 9LW on March 5^th starting at 2.00 pm. Full details are on the Trust’s web site. Your newly appointed Executive Directors will be there and would be pleased to meet with as many members as possible.

Sheila Wade
PR Communication and IT Director  

 

New Planning Application, work at the Peterborough Arms and help from WRG

New Planning Application

A planning application was submitted last week for Naish Hill, just south of Pewsham. This covers both the construction of a new spillweir with associated discharge into the River Avon and raising the level of the towpath in this section.  There has been some problem for several winters in this area with overtopping. A number of shallow mitigation ponds for great crested newts and other amphibians will be put in. The project will be volunteer led and hopefully will be carried out later this year, provided all permissions and funding are in place.

The Peterborough Arms

Work is being carried out at the Peterborough Arms at the moment on the new Fire Alarm system. Other projects are being planned as part of the effort to open the Community Space at the pub for use by local clubs and groups this summer, such as the new disabled access toilet, repairs to the floor, redecoration.  We have received a generous cheque of £1000 from Lyneham and Bradenstoke Parish Council towards these works. 

WRG at Chippenham

Volunteers from the Waterways Recovery Group (WRG) spent the weekend at Chippenham working on the stretch of canal north of the A4 that we have leased from Bowood Estates. The local Melksham, Calne & Chippenham branch volunteers have been clearing this very overgrown section of the canal for the past three winters, following a Habitat Management Plan. This has meant that the clearance has been more sympathetic to any wildlife on site, taking out different sizes of scrubs and small trees in succession that were blocking the canal track and towpath, hence always leaving some habitat. Some of the hedges have been laid and gaps filled with new whips and logs piled up on the off side for more habitat. Volunteers also came from Foxham/Lyneham branch and as a consequence there was a large group of about 25 people who managed to do a lot of logging and scrub clearing.  I am told it looks like a real canal now!

Kath Hatton

Plans and funding

Vale of White Horse District Council Local Plan Enquiry

I attended the Public Enquiry on Wednesday where on behalf of the Canal Partnership I answered questions from the Inspector regarding the submission made to re-instate in Part 1 of the Local Plan a policy to protect the route of the Wilts & Berks from other development. (The Local Authority is proposing to temporally ‘save’ the existing protection policy while asking for further evidence to be submitted for Part 2 of the Plan). The Inspector will now assess the submission and make his recommendations as part of his report. 

Dreamfund

Kath & I have been working on a funding programme as part of the Canal & River Trust’s Dreamfund Heritage Heroes application to Peoples Postcode Lottery . You may have seen that CRT were successful in obtaining  a £1/2m grant from PPL which will be shared by a number of restoration projects. The Wilts & Berks part of the scheme is restoration of top lock at Pewsham and working with partners Help for Heroes details of the project are now being worked out. There will be a full public announcement about the scheme in a few weeks time 

Dragonfly Magazine

Editor John Millican reminds all contributors that the copy deadline for the next edition is March 1^st. 

WBCT Extraordinary General Meeting

Trust members are reminded that an EGM will be held at Ellendune Community Centre, Barrett Way, Wroughton, Swindon SN4 9LW on March 5th at 2.00 pm. Full details are on the Trust’ web site

 300 Club

Last call for the 300 club- first draw at the EGM.  Application forms are available here.

 

Ken Oliver