West
Vale Branch |
The situation with Foot-and-Mouth Disease is slowly improving but at the time of writing this piece, the footpaths and towpaths of Oxfordshire are still closed to walkers and cyclists. This aspect is being reviewed regularly by the authorities and hopefully we will soon be able to get back to normal and access the paths once again. The spring growth is quickly hiding all the good work that the Canal Amenity Group have achieved over the past years and it will take us awhile to put this to rights, so please bear with us (or help !).
I have a snippet of good news to report this month. The Branch had applied to the GWR Christmas Appeal for, and has subsequently received, a small grant of £400 to improve the towpath between Steppingstone Lane Bridge and Station Road Bridge. At this point, it has been incorporated into the Shrivenham Circular Walk, but for those of us who regularly use this path know it to be very wet especially during the winter and spring months. It is worth noting that the canal towpath at this point was originally on the northern (Shrivenham) side of the canal, having changed sides at Station Road Bridge. This move came about in the mid 1990’s when the canal was roughly dredged, and the original towpath found to have been breached by at least twenty land drains. The Branch are going to review the situation in the light of this grant and the problems with the towpath flooding in its current position. It may move back to the north side but no decision has yet been made.
I am pleased to report that our mini-digger has been repaired and will be ready for us to use on the towpath improvements when the F&M restrictions are lifted. We are also carrying out major maintenance on our grass cutting machinery in readiness for a major attack on the errant shrubbery on the towpath and Canalside Park. However, before using the grass cutters in the park we will have to carry out an extensive Poop-Scoop exercise as many dog walkers have been kind enough to leave plenty of evidence of their visits!
It is with some regret that I have to report that our Branch Treasurer of some 10 years, Rod Storey, has stepped down from his post as he is shortly moving away from Shrivenham. Rod has given great service to the Amenity Group over the years and will be missed. An everlasting tribute to some of Rod’s efforts are the towpath hedges which have been expertly laid and tended by him over the years. Whilst another member has stepped in to the post of Treasurer, we will find it very hard to replace the countryside skills that Rod brought to the Branch.
The Wilts & Berks Canal Amenity Group are continually on the look-out for pictures and photographs of the canal at any point in its history. It is amazing to us that there are so few graphic records of the 60 miles or so of this canal. We expect that there are many old photos hiding away in family albums and archives (the shoe box in the attic or under a spare room bed!). So if you do have, or know of any, we would be really pleased to hear about them, and with permission, copy them for our archives. New pictures are essential to us in producing articles that assist in gaining publicity for our canal.
For more information or to volunteer assistance please come along to one of our meetings held in the Shrivenham Bowls Club, Martens Road, on the second Wednesday of every month at 8 p.m. You will be made very welcome. Alternatively, ask any of the volunteers that you see working on the canal or park, they will be more than pleased to stop and talk!
Orph Mable - Branch Project Co-ordinator
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