How much? Blimey! You’re having a laugh!
Usually that’s the sort of thing that we trustees end up saying when some contractor or landowner wants to charge us over the odds for something. But in this case it’s a “cor blimey, well done!” How amazing was nine year old Jesse Candy this week when he completed a 5 hour plus stationary cycle-athon and raised over £500 for Frome’s Missing Links? Pretty amazing I think. It’s not too late to contribute – Jesse’s Just Giving page is here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jesses-cycle-athon
Jesse chose FML because it’s something that people can use as a family. He likes that people can cycle, walk or run without having to worry about sharing the paths with cars. Jesse and his family use route 24 regularly for family bike rides and he cycles alongside his Mum when she goes running. First of all, he sold at a car boot sale at Frome Market in the hope that some of the toys and books he’d grown out of would go towards his fund raising. His efforts raised £21.50 to add to the big event. Then on Sunday at Frome’s Venue – 23 Bath St he raised a heap more money and interest in our project. A fabulous effort and it was all his own idea. We just need a few hundred more like him!
Following on from Jesse’s brilliant lead and a recent presentation to Frome Town Council, we intend to take the show ‘on the road’ so to speak, starting with the local Lions and Round Table groups to see if they could help us raise some more cash.
Phase 2 continues to pose more problems than initially anticipated. As reported last month, more survey work will be carried out and further land negotiations are now needed to ensure that we can finally start completing this stretch. North Somerset Railway, who are against FML’s plans at present, have postponed a planned meeting, but we do have a meeting with MP David Warburton in the pipeline for the end of January.
The trustees have now received initial quotes for a feasibility study of the crossing of the A362 and we are ‘drilling down’ into the small print before we decide which one to use.
The Greener Greenways project, which aims to improve the cycle path verges for wildlife continues every Friday. If you would like to volunteer please get in touch with us. As I said last month, everyone involved has done a brilliant job and the trustees continue to thank every volunteer for all of their efforts.
As it’s Christmas, we thought we’d have a social get together on the 18th December at the Three Swans (upstairs). There will be a short PowerPoint presentation and lots of opportunities to join in and ask questions. Seasons Greetings and happy cycling!
Richard Ackroyd
Chair, Frome’s Missing Links