Endeavour
1 to attempt (eg the fulfilment of an obligation) by exertion of effort; 2 archaic to strive to achieve or reach ~ vi to make an effort to do something n a serious determined effort
NEW MIDSUMMER MEADOW BRIDGE IS NOW OPEN A NEW 36m long iron footbridge (below) has been opened over the River Nene at Midsummer Meadow in Northampton — although it is highly doubtful if many boaters will actually pass under it! It reconnects a public right of way which has been unavailable since the previous rotted wooden bridge was closed on safety grounds two years ago.
Northampton Branch Newsletter - November 2009
SOS 2010 campaign launched
“SYSTEM COULD COLLAPSE LIKE A PACK OF CARDS” SOS 2010, the IWA’s new national campaign launched in the face of yet further Government cuts in British Waterways funding, is acknowledged by Branch Chairman Bill Joyce as an “absolute necessity” in the continuing fight to save the country’s canal system from potentially falling into an irreversible decline. He says: “No matter how you view it, the situation is critical. I cannot see any way how there will be significant spare money to allow BW to cope with emergency repairs of any sizeable proportion and if one or more of these situations occurs over a relatively short period, then the system could deteriorate like a collapsing pack of cards. Am I being alarmist? I don’t think so. Just realistic.”
The bridge spans the original line of the river which was re-routed during the construction of the nearby Washlands flood relief lake during the 1970s. The disused stanked-off length is now heavily overgrown, attracting only canoeists and other intrepid “explorers” in small boats, but in August 1971, the year of the IWA National Rally in the town, boats moored to both banks. Importantly, the bridge provides a link between the town centre and the Brackmills industrial area as well as removing an embarrassing gap in the national cycle network through Northampton. So once more there is an attractive route, part of the Nene Way, alongside the wide stretch of river very close to the site of the Battle of Northampton waged on the 10th July, 1460. There is free parking by the bridge, accessed off the Bedford Road opposite Allen Ford cars. The path also provides easy access to the Barnes Meadow nature reserve, which has matured nicely in recent years, with good interpretive panels. Together with the generally tidied up Midsummer Meadow, including a new riverside path and EA visitor moorings, the whole area is well worth a visit on foot or by boat. *See “New road bridges span the Arm” on page 15. BLISWORTH CANAL PARTNERSHIP IS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED
See Blisworth Bankside notes on page 6
The Association nationally has voiced its major concern at the depth of the cut in grant-in-aid for BW covering the next financial year (2010-2011). It is being reduced from this year’s available grant of £57.448m to just £47.848m, representing a reduction of over 16.7%. It is feared that the Environment Agency will be similarly affected. “These figures illustrate only too clearly the necessity for the Association to launch Save Our System (SOS) 2010,” Bill adds. “And who is to say the cuts will end here?”
Widespread support SOS 2010 is additionally supported by the Assocation of Waterway Cruising Clubs, The Boating Association, National Association of Boat Owners, Residential Boat Owners Association, Royal Yachting Association and Save Our Waterways. The aim of the campaign is to encourage all local waterways stakeholders to collaborate and to pursue local action, such as towpath events, publicising the benefits of waterways in their area and highlighting the effects of the cuts. “Have no doubt, Northampton Branch will be doing its fair share of campaigning,” says Bill. IWA is also calling upon all stakeholders to work in partnership with local navigation authority managers to identify instances of poor maintenance and slipping standards, especially those affecting safety, and to report them at www.sos2010.org.uk
The IWA was founded in 1946 to campaign for the retention, restoration and development of Britain’s navigable waterways and for their fullest commercial and recreational use. The IWA is a registered Charity (no. 212342) , whose work is supported by members’ subscriptions.
The next edition of ENDEAVOUR will be published in February 2010