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:
Recruit 250 supporters over the next six months
Engage with two landowners and negotiate a written commitment
Participate in the Sustainable Travel Between Wellington and Taunton study commissioned by Somerset Council
Raise £1500
Create publicity material to promote the campaign
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.
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?
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.
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.
We have raised in excess of £1500 pounds through the generosity of Taunton Town
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....
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
Comentários