By Gordon Olson, Acting CPO - Melksham, Calne & Chippenham Branch

The Trust has begun a major campaign to build formal community support for its giant 70-mile canal and towpath restoration project - the largest underway in England.

The campaign is designed to make our many quiet supporters along our route much better informed about our volunteers’ continuing charitable work for the public benefit. We need all the support we can get from local government councillors and other stakeholders in the
many special interest groups - such as natural history enthusiasts, ramblers, cyclists, runners, and anglers – who use our towpaths and waterways. Having their support, particularly in local planning applications and major fundraising bids, will be crucial for the Trust’s continuing success.

The campaign has been trialled at our Melksham, Calne & Chippenham (MCC) branch, which sent out its first Partners’ Newsletter on 31st January. We are now working on a roll-out across all five of the Trust’s branches and are gathering the necessary contact details for the individual people we need to enrol for their support.

Information provided to Partners will be tailored by each WBCT branch to ensure that it is relevant to the interests of their local communities. We plan to recruit at least 300 Partners during 2024, considerably strengthening the support needed to give our project wings.