WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUST

Hi Boy's & Girl's
Yes that's another year over and a big thank you to everyone that helped to make it Swindon's busiest yet. I will not dwell on the Lottery bid as it will have been dealt with by others in this issue. So what has happened in the last three months.

Well the D.V.D sales go from strength to strength, Richard has now produced 280 and we have made over £1300 for branch funds, They have gone from places as far apart as Northern Ireland and Seattle in the U.S.A, Thanks to all those Dragonfly readers that have contacted me and bought a copy.

On the publicity front we have averaged something in the local news every three day's and there is no such thing as bad publicity they say. We have been on the local radio three times and best of all we had a spot on Alan Titchmarsh's Nature of Britain showing off our new Weed Cutter down at Westleaze. This program was regional but on the B.B.C. 4 network it went out Country Wide.

We are also opening a shop in Swindon Town Centre to get our message across and by the time you read this it will have been in full swing for some time.

The Bonfire bash organised by Rachael and the Waterways Recovery Group was a huge success with bodies all over the place and a massive amount of work done at Moredon but still we could not get the clay in place next to the Tunnel stop planks by Sunday nightfall despite all the hard work done by the Guy's there so we put out an appeal for help the following weekend and they turned up from all over the canal network with their wheel barrels and spades. Job done, We owe you Guy's & Girl's one, Each of you were gems and there are to many to name without missing someone out so thanks to you all.

We have also been approached by the Swindon Council with a view to having one of the new Estates being built in the Town named after Canal related names.
I researched this and came up with over 250 possibilities but Council of Management quite rightly said that no persons living should be included, This will stop any animosity from anyone left out by mistake.We also could not use names that were close to ones already in use in the Town or any that could be altered by our graffiti artist's into something else.(So I crossed out Mr Pollocks just a joke folks) This left us with 165 possibilities mainly Locks and Bridges all the way from Melksham to Abingdon and Swindon to Latton. This list is now in the hands of the correct department at the Council and they have replied and thanked us for all the hard work this task took. I look forward to walking down Ferris Way (the lock keeper at South Marston 1890s  or (Dalby Drive our first President in 1984.) some day soon.

Finally we now have a E mail list of members in Swindon many of who cannot make it to the meetings that I send all the latest information too about what is going on in Swindon and at Branch meetings, Minutes, Agenda's, etc. If you would like to be on this list just drop me an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and I will happily add you to the growing list

Roy Cartwright Branch Chairman