Dragonflyissue 142 The Quarterly Magazine of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust Autumn 2016 WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUST PATRON: H.R.H. THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL REGISTERED CHARITY NO 299595 RESTORING IN PARTNERSHIP THE WILTS & BERKS CANAL THROUGH WILTSHIRE, SWINDON AND OXFORDSHIRE A non profit-distributing Company Limited by Guarantee Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1WA The aim of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust To protect, conserve and improve the route of the Wilts & Berks and North Wilts Canals, and branches, for the benefit of the community and environment, with the ultimate goal of restoring a continuous navigable waterway linking the Kennet & Avon canal near Melksham, the River Thames near Abingdon, and the Thames & Severn canal near Cricklade. The objectives of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust Convince local authorities, government departments and local organisations of the benefits and feasibility of the proposed restoration. Convince landowners, local commerce and the general public of the merits of the restoration. Secure the route of the waterway and adequate water supplies. Establish the Trust as a key member of a partnership with local authorities and other bodies that will facilitate restoration of the canal. Implement an agreed programme for full restoration of the canal. Membership of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is open to all. The annual membership rate is £10, with discounts available for families and under 18s. Company and Society membership is also available. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust. The Editors reserve the right to shorten, change or not to publish any material received. Copyright © 2016 The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust DATA PROTECTION ACT The Trust membership details are recorded in compliance with provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 President The Hon Sir William McAlpine Bt FRSE Vice President and Founder Neil Rumbol Vice President Dr David Fletcher CBE Vice President Roger Crapper Vice President John Laverick MBE Office Telephone Number 0845 226 8567 Internet Address www.wbct.org.uk Email [email protected] Postal Address Dauntsey Lock Canal Centre, Dauntsey Lock, Chippenham, SN15 4HD Dragonfly 142 Cover Image Cheque for £200 being presented to Doug Small for attending Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally 2 Report From CEO Jonathan Till An eventful quarter to report on. After a significant and successful fundraising effort this summer, we were able to start the final phase of the Studley Grange project and although on a tight schedule, we aim to complete this flagship project by the end of October this year. We are also in the process of looking at lessons to be learned from this work and I am sure that I will have more to say on this subject later. The Peterborough Arms project continues to make progress largely as a result of many volunteers’ hours spent on preparing, painting cleaning and other work. And much planned maintenance work has continued all along the canal line, in accordance with the Local Maintenance Plans. Our volunteers also attended many shows and events throughout the summer season, flying the flag for the Trust, engaging with the public and recruiting new members. Thank you for your efforts and the efforts of all our volunteers on all our work throughout the Trust. The first external group use of the Community Rooms was on 21st September and we were very pleased to welcome the Dauntsey WI to the Peterborough Arms with press in attendance at this major step forward. Full opening of the Community Rooms will be taking place later this month. It is a great pleasure to the Trust to be able to take a part in our local community’s life. And as part of our increasing involvement with our community, earlier this summer our office staff took part in Dauntsey’s Decorated Wheelbarrow competition and were awarded a very creditable Silver Gilt. I look forward to more community events at the Peterborough Arms in the future. Contents Report from CEO Jonathan Till 3 Popular Pub Supports Canal Campaign Justin Guy 4 Chairman’s Report Roderick Bluh 4 Volunteering? Please record your hours! 5 Pewsham Lock Cottage Draw Malcolm Hitchinson 6 Chris Coyle 6 Membership Matters 7 Mapping Conference 2016 Sheila Wade 8 A Watery Weekend in Wiltshire Val Melville 10 Canal Partnership Countryside Officer’s Report Ken Oliver 13 Membership update George Eycott 15 The Trust’s Retail Outlet in Swindon 16 Peter Konitzer 17 Stinging Nettles By The Canal Judy Gosnell 20 Good News For Members 22 We are now licensed swan-drovers! Richard and Judy Gosnell 22 Tribute to Richard Ellis 23 MOPS outing: cruising on a sunny afternoon Margaret Jones 25 Wiltshire Donkey Show 2016 26 Fundraising for the Wilts & Berks Kath Hatton 27 Around The Branches 28 Branch Meeting & Contact Details 33 200 Club 35 3 Chairman’s Report Roderick Bluh I have to tell you the very sad news of the death retiring Principle Officers for all their hard and of our volunteer Peter Konitzer in August on difficult work over the last year. As and when one of our worksites. You will read about Peter suitable candidates are identified to become Branch in this edition. I can only add to the beautiful Officers, F&L will be re-launched as an independent and appropriate words from his family and Branch, carrying out Trust work on Trust sites with friends by expressing the Trust's deep sadness due diligence and attention to process and and profound sense of shock at this tragic procedures. In the meantime MCC Officers will accident. We are helping family and friends and supervise all F&L activities. other volunteers to come to terms with Peter’s At the AGM we will turn our attention to the Board death as much as we can, and we are of course of Trustees. There will be one vacancy to be filled: working closely with HSE in their investigations. the AGM will be your opportunity to vote for the At the EGM in March 2016 we introduced the members’ representative on the Board of Trustees. new Executive Committee to the membership. I am The Board is our governance and strategic body delighted to report that the Executive Directors have and I hope all our members will think carefully about been working effectively to deliver the Trust’s who will bring most to this important part of the agreed strategy in all areas of our work. I commend Trust’s work when they cast their vote. We need a their efforts particularly during a time when other truly representative member who will bring a unexpected and difficult challenges have required positive and forward looking approach to our the expenditure of a great deal of time and effort. important work, who will have only the best interests I am also pleased to see how the majority of of the Trust at heart, and who will work alongside members have been inspired and motivated by the other Trustees and the Executive Committee as a Trust’s new management. As a team we work well member of a team. together and we will rise to new challenges with I look forward to welcoming many of you to our even greater confidence in our abilities to deliver AGM held this year in Chippenham at Sheldon our great project. School on Saturday 15th October. The Foxham & Lyneham Branch was merged with MCC Branch this summer as a temporary measure due to lack of officers. I thank the three Popular Pub Supports Canal Campaign Justin Guy A POPULAR Wiltshire pub has adopted its first filled in. charity since being taken over by new Paul and Georgia hope the restoration of the management. waterway would provide a big boost to the local The Bell Inn at Bowden Hill, Lacock, has chosen economy and are already looking forward to raising to support the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust which is a significant amount of money to aid the campaign. restoring the former waterway through the local Paul, who has been manager of The Bell for more countryside. than ten years, said: “This is our first year as Paul and Georgia Maloney decided to fundraise leaseholders of the pub and we wanted to support for the charity after learning more about its history a charity with a local connection. through Paul’s father Dave, who is chairman of the “It would be superb if we could see the Wilts & Trust’s Melksham, Chippenham & Calne branch. Berks brought back to life. Everyone likes to sit in However, it also links in with the history of their a beer garden next to a canal, watching the boats pub as its address is ‘The Wharf’ - a reference to slowly passing by. how the former row of cottages was once located “It would also make Lacock even more popular near the canal before it fell into disrepair and was with tourists, boosting the local economy.” 4 The Bell has previously supported several good the partnership will be a huge success. causes, including the RUH Forever Friends Appeal “Our volunteers have already restored a and Barnardo’s. significant stretch of the waterway between Lacock Paul and Georgia hope to tap into that goodwill and Pewsham in the north, and we’re currently and are already considering several fundraising seeking planning permission for the ‘Melksham Link’ events including a beer festival, classic car show from the Kennet & Avon Canal to the River Avon in and regular quiz nights. the south. Dave has been chairman of the local branch of “We hope it would then simply be a matter of time the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust since last year.