Depressing isn’t it?
The days are getting shorter, nights longer. The all to brief multi-coloured
leaves of autumn have all but passed and everything in nature is shutting
down for the coming winter. Not us though! We are just getting started! We
are revitalised now we can get back to restoring the canal after the
enforced halt caused by the Foot and Mouth outbreak of the spring and early
summer coupled with the usual break for summer holidays.
We hope to “get-on”
this winter and really have something to show for our efforts by the spring.
We hope to have completed the Steppingstone Bridge diversion before
Christmas and to have started on the bridge itself. Additionally we hope to
have made some accessibility improvements to other areas along our section.
More about that during the coming months.
The October working party
was cut short to just a morning due to its co-incidence with our Group
Annual General Meeting which was held at Foxham (near Lyneham). This did not
stop us however carrying out our final cutting of the towpath grass for this
year, before we went. We managed to cut the full length from Tuckmill Brook
to Station Road Bridge as well as strimming the new cemetery path from end
to end. Additionally we planted out some saplings around the edge of the
Canalside Park. This was a good achievement for the five stalwarts who
attended.
There has been the usual
amount of mindless vandalism at the park over recent weeks with several
bottles being smashed in the carpark, rubbish dropped and various pieces of
our timber thrown in the canal. Members of the Branch make time to go to the
park at regular intervals to tidy up and remove the glass which is a great
danger to both children and animals. Anyone noticing glass at the park are
asked to contact myself or any other member and we will ensure that it is
removed as soon as possible.
The main thing of general
interest that came out of the AGM was that we have decided to modify our
name from Wilts & Berks Canal Amenity Group to Wilts & Berks Canal
Trust. This is less of a mouthful and brings our group in line with other
restoration groups across the country. We will still retain our charitable
status. The date for officially adopting the new name is yet to be set as
some legal niceties still need to be completed but “watch this space”!
Please note that the
Branch is combining with the Shrivenham Bowls Club to hold a Wine Tasting
Evening at the Bowls Club on Martens Road on Saturday 3rd of
November. Tickets are £6.00 each and the price includes a buffet supper.
The tickets are available from Allan Williams, Jean Norris and Ken Downton.
If previous Wine Tasting events are an indication, this will be a very
enjoyable evening, so please come along.
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