WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUST

Sky Television came out to visit the Wilts & Berks Canal on Thursday 10th November to record a show for the UK Boating programme. It is due to be transmitted on Information TV on Monday 21st November at 8.00pm.

The programme, which features the Wilts & Berks Canal and Hilperton Marina, will also be available to be viewed later in the week on www.uk-boating.tv

The Wilts & Berks section of the film includes Westleaze, Wichelstowe and Melksham. Hilperton Marina is a friend of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust having assisted greatly with the visit of their Patron to Semington Junction in September last year. Pieces by John Froggatt (Hilperton Marina), Fleur de Rhe-Philipe (Chair, Wilts & Berks Canal Partnership), Graham Ellis (President, Melksham Chamber of Commerce), Mike Lang and John Laverick (Trust Chairman) are included in the programme.

UK Boating is on Information TV at 8pm every Monday & Thursday, and 8:30pm every Sunday. Information TV is available on Sky channel 231 and Freesat 402. If you do not receive this channel all episodes are available to be viewed later on www.uk-boating.tv

From the UK Boating TV website:

UK Boating heads off to the Wilts and Berks Trust to speak with John Leverick and Tim Pyatt about the fascinating history of their waterways, and Mike Lang tells us all about the new award-winning developments along the waterfront around Swindon. Then we're off to Trowbridge in Wiltshire where Rebecca has a chat to John Froggatt of Hilperton Marina who tells us about the wonders of the local area and the environmental upgrades that ABC leisure have in mind for their car park.

UK Boating Episode 9 - Part 1

UK Boating Episode 9 - Part 2

The Trust's Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday October 15th.

As is now traditional, members had the opportunity in the morning to visit a current project - in this case MCC branch proudly showed what is happening at Pewsham, with a lovely stretch of water gleaming in the Autumn sun.

The formalities of the meeting did not take long. The Annual Report and Accounts were approved, and all the Directors who had to retire by rotation were re-elected, so we will continue to benefit from their experience and efforts.

British Waterways is in the process of changing from a nationalised industry to a charity.

DeFRA has just published a summary of the consultation carried out earlier this year which you can download here.

Further information is available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/

Melksham, Chippenham & Calne Branch is hosting this year's AGM for the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, to be held at The Lansdowne Hall, Petty Lane, Derry Hill, Calne, SN11 9QY.

Everyone is welcome to hear about all the exciting developments concerning the restoration of the Wilts & Berks Canal.

Keynote Speaker Mr John Bridgeman, Vice Chairman of British Waterways and Transition Trustee for the New Waterways Charity.

Meal Ordering is now closed

Download full details

HRH the Duchess of Cornwall was guest of honour at a drinks reception hosted by the Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne in the lovely surroundings of Bowood House. The reception was arranged by Lord Lansdowne, President of the Wilts & Berks Canal Partnership, to thank members for their work, and to celebrate their successes. The Duchess of Cornwall is patron of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust and takes a keen interest in the Trust's work. She enjoyed hearing at first hand about recent achievements like the success of Swindon's green development at Wichelstowe in the 2011 Waterways Renaissance Awards organised by the Waterways Trust. She also heard of the progress made in the plans to restore the canal link to Melksham. Although called ‘The Wilts & Berks', boundary changes in the two centuries since opening mean that the canal is no longer officially in Berkshire but now after leaving Wiltshire and Swindon approximately half of its length crosses the county of Oxfordshire.

HRH was delighted to meet Councillor Patrick Greene, Chairman of Oxfordshire County Council, Councillor Rod Bluh, Leader Swindon Borough Council, and Councillor Alison Thomson, Chairman Vale of White Horse District Council, as well as representatives of many members of the Partnership.

Chairman of the Partnership, Fleur de Rhe Philipe said, "The Partnership is most grateful for Lord and Lady Lansdowne's generous support in hosting the reception. The Wilts & Berks restoration is probably the most ambitious in Britain and the strength of the Partnership is key to maintaining progress. The Partnership shares a clear view of the many benefits that the restored waterway will deliver to communities across Wiltshire, Swindon and Oxfordshire."

John Laverick, Chair of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, said, "The part-restored waterway is already bringing many benefits to our local communities. Many people enjoy leisure activities like walking, running, cycling as well as fishing and boating on the water. The canal is a magnet for wildlife and offers a great deal for birdwatchers and wild life enthusiasts. And in the long term there will be significant economic benefits; as the restoration is completed the connections to the Kennet and Avon Canal and the Thames will open up a very attractive area for narrow boat cruising."

Patrick Greene, Chairman of Oxfordshire County Council said, "We see our membership of the partnership as very worthwhile because it has enabled us to lend support to a project that is bringing a wonderful amenity to Oxfordshire."

Cllr Alison Thomson Chairman of the Vale of White Horse District Council said "The work of the volunteers is much appreciated by our local communities and we look forward to the waterway connection being completed so that boaters and towpath users can enjoy the Vale from a new perspective"

Cllr Roderick Bluh Leader Swindon Borough Council said: "The recently opened section of the Wilts & Berks Canal at Wichelstowe is a demonstration of the Partnership delivering more of this exciting project and how in the future the countryside can be brought into the centre of Swindon."

Ken Oliver writes

I am very pleased to let you know that against some very stiff nationwide competition, the Wichelstowe project received a ‘commended' in the Partnership' category and ‘runner up' in Masterplanning in the Waterways Renaissance Awards.

My special thanks to all involved in the Wichelstowe project and to BAM Nuttall, the contractors at Wichelstowe, who kindly hosted us at the event on Wednesday evening in Birmingham ‘Gold' next year !

The Wilts & Berks team receive the certificates from Chairman of the judges Helen Carey. From the wide partnership that is restoring the canal, represented here are Wiltshire Council, Swindon Borough Council, the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust , designers of the Wichelstowe canal Arup, and BAM Nuttall who build the waterway and associated infrastructure.
The certificates are 'commended' in the Partnership category & 'runner up' in Masterplanning

The Waterways Renaissance Awards, run by The Waterways Trust, recognise exceptional projects that are using canals and rivers to enrich people's lives across the UK and the Awards Ceremony took place at in the opulent surrounding of Birmingham's Council House on 25^th May

[Images 1 and 2 Paul Mellor Photography;  3 Matt Allard]

www.thewaterwaystrust.org.uk/news

Swindon Advertiser June 2^nd 2011

Celebrating the Wilts & Berks Canal's 200th Anniversary - Sunday 12th September 2010

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust and Swindon Borough Council collaborated to organise a family fun day on the canal at Wichelstowe and 2,000 people came along to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the canal. The event was held at Wichelstowe, where 4km of canal form a key part of the new "green" housing and business areas.

Leader of Swindon Borough Council, Rod Bluh said, "Today has been a chance for the people of Swindon to get a sense of what a restored waterway might bring to the town. Some people think I'm trying to bring a dirty, industrial canal into Swindon. Why would I do that? What I would like to do is bring the countryside into the centre of our town."

The Duchess of Cornwall came to Semington to lead the celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Wilts & Berks Canal.

The event on Wednesday 8 September 2010 was designed to mark two forward-looking projects that will increase the Trust's momentum in restoring the canal. Firstly, the Trust's brand new trip boat will raise the Trust's profile in Swindon and will be an incentive to open a route to the new canal constructed in Wichelstowe, and secondly, the ambitious Melksham Link has strong local backing and is being seen as important in economic regeneration.