22 January 2007
Lottery funds Wey study
The historic character and cultural traditions of the Wey Valley are under the spotlight thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The £50,000 grant is enabling the Wey Valley Landscape Partnership, led by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, to study the area and come up with a series of projects to help conserve and enhance this unique landscape for public enjoyment.
The projects will form the basis of a £2 million Lottery bid next year.
Chris Burnett Associates is carrying out the landscape study and consultation. Workshops in Godalming and Woking were very successful with nearly 50 organisations taking part and consultation has already taken place in the Hampshire section of the Wey and is on-going in Guildford.
Work has begun on finding out what people want when they visit or use amenities in the valley and training and volunteering opportunities are being developed.
The Heritage Lottery Fund’s Landscape Partnerships Scheme is funding around 15 schemes across the country. The Wey Valley initiative will look at the landscape character of the valley and identify heritage under particular threat. It will also analyse visitors and potential audiences to find out how to improve accessibility and public enjoyment.
The four main priorities under the HLF Scheme are designed to provide long-term social, economic and environmental benefits for rural areas.
In the Wey Valley this involves:
• conserving the historic character of the landscape, for example the historic site of Henry VIII’s Woking Palace or the old water meadow systems along the River.
• Celebrating the cultural traditions of the area-such as the canal art of the Wey Navigation, which makes such a colourful feature.
• Encouraging more people to visit and gain access and learn about their heritage. HLF also want more people to be involved in making decisions about their local landscape.
• improving understanding of local craft and other skills by providing
Training opportunities. This could include teaching alder coppicing or countryside management skills.
The Partnership is made up of the main conservation organisations in the valley, including all the local authorities, Surrey Wildlife Trust, the colleges, British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV), the Environment Agency, Natural England and English Heritage. The partnership has been put together under the leadership of the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group. FWAG is a leading charity which helps farmers to conserve the landscape by assisting and advising them on conservation of their holdings. Over 75% of the landscape of England is in the care of farmers.
East Hampshire District Council’s Development Portfolio holder, Cllr Patrick Burridge said: "EHDC are pleased and excited about the opportunities that the lottery funding can bring. It will be a great opportunity for more people to visit and enjoy this unique area."
Geoff Cumbers, Guildford-based Planning Officer for the Scheme, said “We have been given a great opportunity by the Heritage Lottery Fund to work up a plan to bid to £2 million in funding which will help us to give the Wey valley a greater identity and help to sustain this unique landscape for future generations."
The partnership is also on the lookout for an attractive name for the area-some ideas already put forward include ‘Weys of Future Past’, ‘By the Wey’ and ‘Wey Together’….
Get in touch with Geoff Cumbers on 01483-404378 for more information...or email Geoff on geoff.cumbers@fwag.org.uk