Fit fundraisers took part in a sports challenge to raise £3600 for the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust.
The first Wichelstowe Games were held on Saturday August 24th 2019 on the southern edge of Swindon, where a short stretch of the waterway has already been restored.
Conceived by Karl Drew, the General Manager of the new Hall & Woodhouse pub adjacent to the canal, the games involved teams competing across four events: cycling, climbing, canoeing and a tug of war. Prizes included a Wichelstowe Games trophy and meals / vouchers courtesy of Hall & Woodhouse, Waitrose & Partners, Swindon & District Canoe Club and Wilts & Berks Canal Trust.
The money raised will support the construction of a new slipway providing safe access into the water, near Beavans Bridge.
Tessa Lanstein is the Head of Projects and a member of the Executive Committee for the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust. She said: “We are sincerely grateful to the Event Team (Hall & Woodhouse, Waitrose & Partners, Wichelstowe Development Team, Swindon & District Canoe Club, WOLT and Fandangos Events) for choosing our charity as the first beneficiary of the inaugural Wichelstowe Games and we’re delighted it was such a success. The canal is already proving to be a major asset for the local community and this event has provided much needed funds to continue its restoration, ultimately providing a vital new source of employment, leisure and tourism, as well as a new wildlife corridor.”
Karl Drew, General Manager of Hall & Woodhouse pub, said: “We wanted to arrange a fun event to give something back to the local community and were delighted to support the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust at our first games. We’re lucky to have such a beautiful waterway on our doorstep and look forward to the day when the canal is fully restored, providing a new tourist attraction which will boost the local economy.”
The aim of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is to restore the waterway from the Kennet & Avon Canal near Melksham to the Thames & Severn Canal near Cricklade and the River Thames near Abingdon, connecting Chippenham, Calne, Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon & Wantage. Visit www.wbct.org.uk for more information.
Next year’s Wichelstowe Games planned to run on Sunday 14th June 2020 have unfortunately been cancelled. Keep up to date on the latest news at www.wichelstowe.co.uk
