WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUST

The present

Several work parties have been held and with a visit from WRG all efforts have been concentrated at the Canalside Park . The adjoining field to the north of the Park belongs to the Parish and was originally to be used as an addition to the cemetery as the existing one was filling fast, however with cremations now proving more popular the council decided that the overflow field would probably not be needed for some time. Where's this morbid subject leading us you may ask! Well in conjunction with the Great Western Community Forest the PC decided that the area could by planted up with trees and shrubs, paths and seats installed then the area could be used for quiet reflection and the spreading of ashes etc. and for recreation. Now you may well remember that we installed, at great expense of the council, a path at the edge of this field up past the back of the cemetery. It also had a superior fence installed by us, and a kissing gate either end of the path to prevent horses using it. This was all done to provide a new access to our Park from an existing public footpath, and to prevent people walking across the neighbouring field, much to the annoyance of the local farmer. The creation of this new area, named Coppidthorn Meadow, has meant that the fencing adjacent to the gate had to be removed, and an additional path laid to improve access to the Park. The idea is to blend the two areas together as one. A long explanation of why one kissing gate was left high and dry in the middle of nowhere! See our web site for old photos of the gate (projects cemetery path)! We decided that the park end gate must be moved, easy to move it back a few metres to the correct boundary and with a short fence either side down into the ditch to delineate Trust land from Parish land. Easy, did I say easy, we put it in so should have known! It was put there to stay, progress out, but out it came, but it will be re-positioned another day!

Whilst this was going on WRG and the rest of WV worked on erecting the new compound fence, we suffer mild vandalism and we hope the fence will act as a deterrent. But it is a longer job than you think putting up high fencing, still we progress, it will be finished soon, we have to, it will soon be time to return to Steppingstone Bridge , we do have a TWO week WRG camp in the summer and a lot of prep work is needed.

The past

Our biggest success here in WV is undoubtedly the establishment of the Canalside Park. Tthis 4 acre plot containing 150 yards of the canal, totally infilled with domestic rubbish as the village tip between the wars came up for sale in 1994 and we could see the potential. Dig out the canal dispose of the infill on site and with a bit of landscaping and the provision of paths etc it could become a useful Local Amenity What the Amenity Group was all about at that time. Lots of you will remember  we purchased the plot! Completely cleaned out our funds! The work would have to wait, but we had plenty of ideas so sketches on fag packets started to appear. The Vale White Horse Council got wind of our ideas for a  Canalside Park  and with no more than a leave it to us got on with it design, build and pick up the bill, we have always been most grateful, and you should see it now all the trees and shrubs have matured, go down and take a look, wait a while till all the leaves are out and perhaps stop a while to admire the views, walk the network of paths and perhaps help us cut the grass, there's quite a lot of it!

The Branch have been responsible for providing an extensive footpath network here in Shrivenham, However it would be great to have extended the actual waterway either way from the Park, but lack of progress on the leases has seriously held us back, I must add that there still is progress on the lease front with negotiations with several landowners still progressing, it just seems strange that, although all the landowners are keen to see the canal restored, progress is ridiculously slow, nearly 9 years on one of them!

The Future

Not quite crystal ball stuff but I am convinced that the whole canal restoration will happen, just when is the question, get these landowners sorted and will be rapid, mark my words, why am I convinced? Just look at what we have achieved, not just the restoration projects themselves and the countless volunteers that have given their precious time, but all the behind the scenes stuff, the studies; the Partnership, with all it's influential members, wouldn't have been formed without us; recognition from all the big boys, BW, Waterways Trust, IWA etc. and now the employment of a full time executive officer for the Trust, what a list! and why? It's because of you, the members, having faith in the Trust, just look at the latest membership list; your support is the foundations the Trust has built on, thank you all.

Spring has sprung; the sap has risen, let's get on, with Steppingstone Bridge . It's not all digging in the mud, you know!

It will happen.

Alan Norris
Branch Chairman