Vital signs look good for canal
POPULAR SOCIETY WELL ON WAY TO REACHING FUNDING TARGET
DESPITE the constraints of the Covid pandemic, The Basingstoke Canal Society has made a strong start to the year as it looks to move ahead with a number of projects.
The charity, whose new website was launched last year, has received more than £14,500 in donations towards the £20,000 needed for its initiative to put in place more information signs along the canal path.
Called for by canal users, the information boards will give more information about the canal, its history and wildlife.
Donations have been made by the Fleet, Farnborough and Rushmoor Rotary Clubs, RAF Odiham, Farnborough Airport and from the De La Rue charity, in Basingstoke. Hart, Surrey Heath and Woking councillors have made extra contributions.
Two legacies have also been received from long-standing volunteer supporters of the society, Dieter Jebens, a founder member, and Dick Snell, also a long-term member.
The group also has plans for future projects which will increase mooring facilities at Odiham and will see the replacement of the 12-passenger electric boat at Woking to include disabled access.
Ken Sankey, co-vice-chairman of the society, said: “We are tremendously grateful for everyone’s very generous donations which means we have raised around almost threequarters of the £20,000 required for our information boards project. We hope to get the first signs in place within the next couple of months.”
Membership numbers have also grown over the past year, with the society hitting 1,000 members.
Mr Sankey added: “A new focus for 2021 is to develop our links with local councils along the canal, to promote this wonderful asset to our communities. We believe more people could enjoy the physical and mental health benefits to be gained along its banks, and an aim for this year is to develop ways to reach more members of our population.”
The Basingstoke Canal is owned by Hampshire and Surrey county councils with the Basingstoke Canal Authority acting as the managing agents for the waterway.
The navigable section of the canal currently runs for 32 miles from West Byfleet in Surrey through
Woking, Brookwood, Mytchett, Ash, Fleet and Crookham, to Odiham and finally ending up at Greywell in Hampshire.
You can find out more about the canal and how to support the Basingstoke Canal Society at https:// basingstoke-canal.org.uk/