Wlak the Greenway - new dates!

We have been taking groups of people to walk along the route of the Greenway, and they have proved to be very popular, even through the winter when the ground has been pretty soft underfoot.

Although we can't follow the route exactly, we are able to get close for much of it and we are sure from the feedback we've received that it is informative and interesting.

The route starts in Wellington close to the site of the new station, sets off along the canal and public footpaths until we end up in Taunton about four hours later. The terrain is flat, and we take a short break in Bradford on Tone.

We have added new dates for March, April and May, so join us whenever you can. It is free (unless you're feeling generous!) and we are sure you will enjoy the walk, the company and the views. Click here to sign up

As for progress with the Greenway, we are in acvtive discusions with councils and landowners at each end of the route. As you probably know, we hope to build this in stages from either end and eventually meet in the middle.

Although we have over 400 supporters, our 'committee' is small, and we are always on the lookout for skilled and experienced volunteers who can add to our skillset. This year is hugely important as we begin the real process of evaluating the route and having conversations with planners and landowners. If you have expertise you think you can lend to the group, please get in touch, and we will be pleased to hear from you.

Somerset Council supports the Greenway

It has been an interesting end to 2023 for the Grand Western Greenway. We held our inaugural meeting 12 months ago and set the following objectives for the year which felt pretty stretching at the time:

1. Recruit 250 supporters over the next six months

2. Engage with two landowners and negotiate a written commitment

3. Participate in the Sustainable Travel Between Wellington and Taunton study commissioned by Somerset Council

4. Raise £1500

5. Create publicity material to promote the campaign

6. Participate in one promotion event such as the Wellington Pop-Up shop

We described the first year as one in which we wanted to make friends with people, and we have certainly done that! Let's look at those objectives, and maybe you can decide how we've done.

1. Recruit 259 supporters. We have over 400 people subscribed to the campaign, and have recruited businesses ranging from small CICs to the largest employer in Somerset. Somerset NHS Trust and the Integrated Care Board as provider and commissioner recognise the enormous benefit to be had from ready access to nature and exercise. Do you reckon we can move that up to 1000 people this year?

2. We are actively engaged with two landowners, both of whom are having realistic and positive discussions with us about how they can best support the Greenway. There is a long way to go, but engagement and commitment are our touchstones for 2024.

3. We have participated in the unusual Somerset Council study. I say unusual because it came to a conclusion that they don't seem to support themselves. That was that the Council should build a path alongside the A38. This is despite it costing at least four times as much as a countryside path, is generally unpopular with all but a small group of travellers, and starts a mile from Wellington town centre and ends at least another mile from Taunton town centre. The Council acknowledges that they would be very unlikely to build such a path and therefore fully support the community-led Greenway. This support is extended to any number of Parish and Town Councils, as well as receiving the enthusiastic backing of County Councillors across the political spectrum.

4. We have raised in excess of £1500 pounds through the generosity of Taunton Town

5. Richard Huish College have taken the Greenway on as a project for their A level art and design students to develop the materials to promote the campaign. They have received their brief from us, and have a deadline to complete in time for our last objective....

6. We have the Pop-Up shop in Wellington Fore Street booked for a week in April!

Walk the Greenway

In addition to that, we have guided almost 100 people who have walked the Greenway with us, and will continue to do that every month for as long as people want to do so. Our next walk is on 20th January, so sign up if you want to join us. There is no cost, and the details are in the Events section of our website here

What a year!

With your support, we have made much progress with the Greenway.

Somerset Council has agreed to fully support the project (sadly, without any money) despite their own options assessment supporting a route alongside the A38.

We have presented our campaign to numerous parish and town councils, all of whom have pledged their support. Important County councillors are actively lobbying on our behalf, and we have developed relationships with innumerable influential people and organisations.

Somerset Foundation NHS Foundation Trust is the biggest employer in Somerset with responsibility for all the hospital and community care in both mental and physical health, as well as running a number of GP surgeries across the county. The Trust supports the Greenway at Board level in recognition of the crucial part that nature and exercise has to play in the health of our communities.

The Somerset Integrated Care Board (it has had many names and guises before including the Health Authority, PCT, PCG etc) welcome the Greenway as an active space that can be used for Social Prescriptions i.e. supported exercise and activity in conjunction with traditional treatment.

Wellington Town Council strongly demonstrated their support of the Greenway by identifying £10,000 in their 2024 budget to be used for kickstarting the campaign and supporting its development.

Somerset Community Trust has generously granted a significant sum for us to develop materials to promote the campaign and to continue our development.

So, thank you to you, our supporters. Thank you for coming on our journey, and especially to those of you who have 'Walked the Greenway' with us. We continue to do this on a monthly basis so, if you want to join us on one, sign up on the Events page on our website.

Thank you!