WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUST

August, 2012

West Vale were pleased to have a mid-week work-party with two dozen volunteers from RWE npower. They got stuck in to clearing the towpath from Station Road, Shrivenham to Steppingstone Lane Bridge. 

For some time the permissive footpath along this section has been on the south side of the canal where the ground is sort of level after the dredgings were deposited there some years ago. However, this path is subject to flooding and the original towpath was to the north of the canal, so we took advantage of this large band of helpers to start clearing the northern bank.

By the end of a long, hot day it was possible to traverse the full 300m from Station Road to our bridge at Steppingstone Lane.

Much further work is required before we can open this section to the public, but thanks to the staff of RWE npower a great start has been made.

 28 March, 2012

West Vale hosted another successful mid-week work-party, this time with volunteers from Research Councils UK and Swindon Branch. Beforehand, they did not know what they were getting into, but the red-shirted band of got fully involved with cutting the last of the scrub from the canal bed between the Canalside Park and Tuckmill Brook and having two good bonfires, despite it being an unusually warm day!

 The team left tired, hot and rather dirty but well satisfied with their day's graft, as were we.

Although not having been dredged, this whole section of canal is now readily visible from the towpath; with just some brambles to clear when conditions allow.

 March, 2012

Over the past months we have been fortunate to have had several visiting groups of volunteers from The Nationwide Building Society; the latest team on March 7th was from the Change & Implementation Department.

Despite the day starting rather wet and windy, that made getting the bonfire going somewhat difficult, they got stuck in.

Working along the canal eastwards from our Canalside Park in Shrivenham, after putting in a full day's hard labour, they had cleared the scrub from a further 100m of the canal bed.

We hoped they enjoyed it, we did!

Photos: Kyla Adams

December, 2011

The Woodland Trust, the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust and the Forest School group from Chestnut Trees Pre-school in Shrivenham are making an early start in celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee by planting 2 "jubilee" specimen oaks and 30 native saplings at the Canal-side Park in Stainswick Lane, Shrivenham.

The trees have been provided by the Woodland Trust as part of a major project to celebrate the Queens Diamond Jubilee in 2012. The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust will be planting more trees on the site over the next year.

Alan Norris, chair of W&BCT West Vale Branch said:

"We started work on Shrivenham Canalside Park in 1996 and we are very proud that our volunteers have created a wonderful amenity for the community. We were delighted that the Forest School chose to plant the trees in the park because it fits perfectly with the work of restoring the canal which is a haven for wildlife and is enjoyed by a wide cross section of the community through activities like walking, running, cycling and bird-watching."

Roz Dobie, Forest School leader said:

"I'm thrilled that our bid for trees from the Woodland Trust was successful. The children visit the park regularly and enjoy playing and learning about nature. It was a wonderful day; the children are at an age where the experience will stay with them for years to come as they return to the Canalside Park and see their own special trees flourishing."

Photo copyright Al Cane - Faringdon Folly