Showcasing the Wildlife Trail at Studley Grange and Ideas on Raising Funds

Kate Jones, our project leader for the Studley Grange Wildlife Trail, was invited to set up a display for the networking session of the local Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Area Board Meeting last week. This gave her the opportunity to show off some of the work that local young people have been doing for the project. She took along some of the draft Interpretation Boards with a variety of illustrations done by students at Swindon College, some brass rubbing plaques, made from designs by local primary school children and bee hotels and bird boxes made by local schools and scout/guide groups. Richard and Judy, local WBCT members with a keen interest in ecology, supported Kate at the event. I understand that it was received with some very positive remarks, noting that it was a good resource for the community for the future and a great project for community involvement.  It also gave Kate the chance to explain that there is no access at the moment to the site, but that we hope work will re-commence in April, weather permitting. 

 

We should hear by the end of this week about one of the funding bids for Pewsham so all fingers crossed for that.  Also this week we have an important meeting planned to discuss next steps at the Peterborough Arms.  I am pressing on with writing bids, large and small for funding for various projects but as we know these things can take a long time and have varying results! 

 

I asked in Dragonfly for members’ thoughts on the Trust Annual Draw for 2016 and whether we should change the format.  I had an interesting response today from a member suggesting online draw tickets which I shall look into. Apparently they are simpler and easier to buy.   It is always good to hear other views and get ideas.

 

Those of you who receive Dragonfly magazine will have noticed that I advertised some surplus paving slabs in exchange for a donation to the Trust. I can report that these were snapped up quickly with a generous donation.  Obviously a good forum for advertising.   Maybe other people have items to clear out for the benefit of the Trust?

 

Kath Hatton

 

2016 on the Wilts & Berks

Firstly to wish you a Happy New Year. I hope it is going to be a successful one for the Wilts & Berks canal restoration –there is much going on so I thought I would summarise some of the projects that will be high up the list during 2016.

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust reorganisation is definitely centre stage at the moment – please see the WBCT web site for more information about how you could be a part of it. http://bit.ly/1J6rdej

Melksham Link- Paul Lenaerts and the team are currently completing the final chapters of the Environment Statement and very shortly will be submitting it and the drawings package to Wiltshire Council’s planners. Separately and in parallel the Masterplanning team are working on the plans for enabling development.

Pewsham Locks: Two funding applications are in process at present so we hope that  this brings success in the form of funds to progress the scheme. At the other end of this canal section WBCT intend to apply for planning consent to complete the canal restoration around Double Bridge. This work will include provision of a new spillweir and habitat mitigation.

The habitat management programme for the canal north of the A4 at Pewsham is continuing this winter with the final part scheduled for next year.

Dauntsey Lock. You can expect some real progress with the Peterborough Arms this year  with a plan to use the building in the short term while funding is sought to carry out the major refurbishment.

At Seven Locks it is planned to revive the work to complete the planning application to complete Locks 3 & 4 and to apply for the work on Lock 2.

At Templars Firs we hope to start the preliminary works on the extension to the existing canal. 

The Studley Grange project  will continue with the final excavations for the canal being completed in the spring and first works started for Bincknoll Lane bridge.

Wichelstowe. The delayed project to connect East Wichel to Westleaze will start as soon as Swindon Borough Council complete the agreement with their joint venture partner Barratt Homes.

Elsewhere the team are discussing plans for Swindon Town Centre, Abingdon, Grove and starting further discussions following the recent floods to see how the restored canal could be used to help prevent flooding.

Finally to add congratulations to John Laverick & Mike Lee for their well deserved awards in the New Year’s Honours list.

Ken Oliver

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year

A very short report this week to thank all the WBCT team  for all the hard work during the year - another busy one  moving the restoration forward .
Here's to 2016 and even more success!
Perhaps over the Christmas break you might like to take a look at the current Trust invitation to join the new Executive and suport teams- emails are currently being sent out - please contact  Jonathan Till  for more information email: jonathan.till@wbct.org.uk
The next blog will be in a couple of weeks time in the first week of January.

Merry Christmas

Ken Oliver

Some serious stuff – but a reminder of why we do it

At the AGM in October we laid out the plans for the re-organisation of the Trust’s structure, with the objective of streamlining our management, and making a clear distinction between the governance of the Trust, to be in the hands of the Board of Trustees, and day-to-day management, which will be looked after by the Executive.  Since that time we have been working on the details of those plans.  Part of that has been planning an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Trust, at which we will update you on the final shape of the re-organisation, and members can give formal approval to any necessary changes to our Memorandum and Articles resulting from the steps we are taking.  At a meeting of the Board of Trustees last week we confirmed that the date for that meeting will be:

Saturday 5^th March 2016, and it will be held at Ellendune Community Centre, in Wroughton at 2.00 pm. 

Full details will be circulated with the next edition of Dragonfly.

We will also be circulating shortly our proposals for the structure of the Executive team.  Very importantly, there are a number of posts to fill, so we will be inviting expressions of interest from all members for any of those posts.  Now is your chance!  If you would like to help carry forward the work of the Trust in any capacity, please make that known to us.  We are looking to build strong, active and effective support teams for the members of the Executive; if you have been unsure about becoming involved before, this is an ideal opportunity to explore how you can make a contribution.

We will be giving more details through the branches, and on the website, but contact us if you would like to learn more.

By way of contrast, last Sunday I had the pleasure and privilege of crewing on nb Dragonfly for the Santa trips.  It was a joy to see how much fun the children (and the adults too) had on the trips.  The amount of work that the boat team puts in to organising and running these excellent trips is phenomenal; the results in terms of publicity and goodwill are outstanding.  Well done the team.

Chris Coyle

 

Studley Grange canal construction now due to be completed in the New Year and tow path planting will take place in the Spring.

What has happened so far  at Studley Grange:

As you all know we have been talking about re-instating the 1.2km stretch of canal at Studley Grange for some years but it was only last year that we managed to complete the environmental impact study around the adjacent landfill site, and also conclude our discussions with BIFFA who own the route and who have been most supportive. BIFFA have agreed to lease the canal route to the Trust at a token rent for the foreseeable future.

The subsequent construction tendering process resulted in Land and Water Services (LAWS) starting work in June, with a completion date of 9^th November 2015.  Despite ecology studies and a pre-commencement walk over the site   the unexpected discovery of a Great Crested Newt resulted in the requirement for further ecologist input and investigation prior to undertaking site clearance and excavation.   
LAWS were back at work in July but since then two additional issues have emerged:
First, land slippage may require an element of re-design following discussions between WYG and Land and Water. Second, LAWS have determined that the site conditions have had an impact on the construction process and they have therefore taken the decision to postpone further works until the winter weather has passed.
We are all disappointed that this work could not be completed this year but you will see what looks like a completed canal . Unfortunately as the towpath works have yet to be completed it is not yet possible to access this section of canal. 
Next year: So the new stretch is not going to be completed until sometime in the New Year. I know everyone will find this frustrating  but we are hoping that work will re-commence in April/May, the exact date dependent on how wet this winter is. The towpath surfacing will be one of the first jobs and that will allow the planting of the banks, marginal areas and hedgerow infilling to be done. Kate Jones, our project leader for the Wildlife Trail, is organising some brilliant interpretation boards and leaflets with local students doing a lot of the illustrations. 

Elsewhere on the canal I hear the Santa trips on Dragonfly are going really well and are fully booked now.  329 children will have travelled to find Santa and there is a rumour that he may appear at the Waitrose store at Wichelstowe this coming Saturday to switch on the Christmas lights at about 4pm. Swindon branch will have a stand there and you could sign up to join the Trust or support us by buying some Christmas cards or a calendar.

 Kath Hatton

Many unknowns -working on the answers!

I think it is fair to say that we have now got to the really difficult stage of the Studley  Grange project! Winter weather has set in and the work is not yet complete. A number of options are being examined to see if any further progress can be made . It is particularly frustrating with probably only a week’s worth of excavation remaining and financial and external pressure to complete

Next week the WBCT team are attending Wanborough Parish Council meeting to outline the work being carried on the canal design as part of Swindon’s Eastern Villages development.

A new section of the canal line has become available  for potential purchase north of Melksham. It is not a straightforward sale and apart from the obvious  finance required  a number of other issues are being closely considered before any progress can be made.

Don't forget you can always donate to the 'land fund' from which purchases like this are made.

The question of office accommodation and location  for the Trust is also being considered in relation to current reorganisation and other factors.

Finally the Melksham Link project team led by Paul Lenaerts  are making final reviews of plans  and reports for the planning application. The current estimate is that this additional information which includes the long awaited  and lengthy Environment Statement will be submitted to Wiltshire Council in a few weeks time

Ken Oliver

Boat trips back to normal route and winter weather approaches

The boat team is pleased to advise that Skew Bridge is now passable again, after the necessary maintenance work by Swindon Borough Council.  The scaffolding has all been removed and the canal is clear.  Robert Yeowell has done the full trip, and went under the bridge in both directions without a problem.  However we are going to treat navigation of the bridge with some caution just in case the contractors have left something nasty below the surface. And in addition Robert had no passengers on board and the water level was up for the trial run.

All in all, however, great news as Santa Trips are getting closer.  Bookings are well up, so if you want to treat children or grandchildren, contact the boat team on boats@wbct.org.uk

Our contractors continue to make progress at Studley Grange, although the recent downpours have caused some slippage in the bank at one point, which will have to be sorted out.  And of course, the heavy rain makes work on excavating the main channel impossible, so inevitably delays are occurring.  On the other hand, that has meant that they have been able pretty much to complete putting in the gabions needed to strengthen the bank in some places.

Chris Coyle