The restoration of the Wilts & Berks Canal beyond Melksham will be the subject of a free talk next week.
The local branch of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust regularly organises presentations by volunteers.
The next session features the chair of the Swindon branch of the charity, Chloe Ford, who will focus on the new route around her town and the stretches that have already been rebuilt.
Her illustrated talk is due to take place at the Rachel Fowler Centre in Melksham Market Place on Tuesday 15th October from 7.45pm, followed by a break for refreshments and then the regular branch meeting from 8.30pm.
The public is welcome to listen to the presentation and leave during the break, or stay for the whole evening.
Chloe said, “I’m looking forward to sharing the exciting progress we’ve made. People will be surprised when they see how much of the canal has already been brought back to life. Developers have carefully incorporated the route into their local projects, creating new sections of waterway that are now hugely popular with the whole community. There’s even a canal-side pub and regular boat rides. These sections are due to be extended and longer-term we hope to connect with the stretches that have already been restored at Royal Wootton Bassett and near Lacock, ultimately joining the K
ennet & Avon Canal via the proposed ‘Melksham Link’.”
The event has been organised by the Melksham, Chippenham and Calne branch of the Trust.
Branch chairman Dave Maloney said, “It’s going to be a fascinating talk.
“Swindon faces some of the same challenges as Melksham, where the original line of the canal has been lost and an alternative route needs to be found, but the charity has made impressive progress by having the reconstruction included as part of local authority approval for new projects. A restored waterway provides a popular leisure amenity and ‘blue and green corridor’ through these developments, boosting biodiversity and supporting tourism and employment.”
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 and Swindon.
Visit www.wbct.org.uk
