Welcome to the November 2020 edition of On The Button

Our first news item this month is a report on the Trust's November Executive Committee meeting.

Executive Committee

The Trust's Executive Committee meets monthly to discuss & manage the Trust's day-to-day business.  Notes of the meetings would be tedious to read, but we'd like to include a summary of issues under discussion, so readers are better informed not just of what's happened, but what may be round the corner.

At the November meeting we discussed the blockade of the canal at Wichelstowe, the financial position of the Trust and the effect of the pandemic on our restoration work. To see more details on these and the others topics discussed click the link below.

Finance

Looking after the pennies (and hopefully the £££!!!) in the WBCT – learn more about the Accounts team and how we keep the Trust finances on track to deliver our canal. And maybe about how you can help us!

Trust Videos

We have added a page to the website where we will provide links to videos and media that are relevant to the Trust. The first video we added is a WBCT Introductory Talk by John Farrow. This is a great introduction to the WIlts & Berks Canal. We have also added links to two videos from Daniel Glover which cover the Drayton + Ardington locks and Jubilee Junction.

Vacancies

As the Trust gears up to restart restoration and community engagement work after the Covid-19 lockdown we have vacancies that urgently need filling in fundraising, project illustration and trip visualisation.

New Trustee

The Trust is pleased to announce that John Henn will be joining us as a new Trustee. John starting working on the restoration of the canal in 1983 so has extensive knowledge of the canal. The link below is a short canal biography for John.

Restoration Committee

Not everyone will know that WBCT has a Restoration Committee, RESTCOM for short.  Circumstances have prevented much activity recently, but work has been going on to prepare for some actual restoration to take place, for example reworking the Work Party Organisers' handbook, Local Maintenance Plans & Covid compliance signing in sheets, restocking safety equipment, liaising with WRG for canal camps, audit of plant & equipment, and much else by way of essential background work.  First in the list for action are Shrivenham Canal Park, where a recent grant enables work to start; Childrey Wharf, where a WRG camp should at least make a start on repairing the collapsed wall there, Chaddington Lane (Bincknoll Lane) bridge to progress the design work so work can start once funds are in place and at Pewsham, where a third-party engineer has been assisting with the background work necessary for work there to resume.

200 Club

Don't forget that applications to join the 200 Supporters Club 2021 are now open. If you would like to participate go to https://www.wbct.org.uk/get-involved/200club
The closing date for applications is 31st January 2021.

For regular news updates follow our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/wiltsberkscanal and visit our website - www.wbct.org.uk