At last night’s Full Council meeting, Councillors voted to support two valuable initiatives for the community. The first of these was to make a small donation to support the campaign by the Woodland Trust to purchase Avoncliff Wood in order to preserve the ancient woodland at its heart, and create amenity space for the community to use. Although just over the parish boundary, a majority of Councillors noted the value of this site to the local community and the environment as a whole.
Mayor, Cllr Alex Kay said:
“I’m delighted that we were able to approve the grant for the Woodland Trust campaign and although it’s only a small amount, I hope this will help to raise awareness of the important work that they do and particularly conserving valuable ecosystems like that at Avoncliff Wood. I’m proud of the diverse range of green initiatives that BOATC have been supporting and working towards this last 18 months.”
You can find out more about the Woodland Trust’s campaign HERE
A majority of Councillors also backed a proposal from the Leader of the Council, Cllr Dom Newton, in support of an initiative from Wiltshire Councillor Sarah Gibson, working with members of the boater community to provide £1000, matching funding from the local Area Board, to help to set up the Floaty Boat Fund. The fund will be managed through the Bradford on Avon Community Area Network (BOACAN) and will initially concentrate on further fundraising and offering workshops and support to Boaters to help them undertake preventative maintenance, and reduce the risk of more vulnerable members of our canal community reaching crisis point. In doing so, Councillors noted that preventative work should also help to reduce the instances of boaters needing to use the towpath as spillover while boats are repaired or dried out.
Cllr Newton said:
‘This was a comparatively small amount of money for a great scheme that we will continue to support, and in doing so ensure that the links to this vibrant part of our community continue to strengthen. This initial funding will help to allow the Floaty Boat Fund to grow, raise further funds, and help to provide a safety net for some of the most vulnerable members of our community, and a part of our society that is sometimes not well thought of or treated.’
If you’d like to support or find out more about the The Floaty Boat Fund, click HERE