Chair's AGM Report - 2024
We have made some very good progress this year!
We have our own bank account
We have a website, a YouTube channel and Facebook presence
We are VAT registered
We have received sufficient grant income for the Greenway route mapping
The track bed from Scrapsgate to Power Station Road has been cleared as a through route
for walking and cycling
The next steps are meeting with landowners to discuss the use of their land for the Greenway route; and changing the SLRG from an unincorporated community group into a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).
As a registered charity we will have access to more sources of funding. We made a first attempt to become a charity, but this was knocked back. Building a Greenway is not in itself a charitable purpose, and we also lacked the landowner agreements necessary. With the help of a consultant, we are confident that these issues can be addressed, and another application will be made.
Political and public support has been strong and we are hoping for great things to come!
When the route mapping has been done, and charitable status achieved, there will be a public launch meeting, so watch this space.
Thank you to all who have supported us, particularly the volunteers who did the path clearing at Halfway.
Chair's AGM Report - 2023
"The scheme would not work”, people told us. The internet is littered with previous projects so the populous was understandably sceptical. We don’t underestimate the challenge, but we have made an amazing start.
What started as a few seeds, scattered across the population of this island, has grown steadily. Long forgotten reports were dragged out from the archives and the media started to take an interest. Swale Borough Council appointed Adrian Oliver as an Active Travel Co-ordinator, to look at cycling and walking across Swale. The Government published a long awaited document called “Gear Change” and there were promises of funding from central government.
The Sheppey Light Railway, built by Colonel Stevens and opened in 1901, connected Queenborough with Leysdown. It closed in 1950 and much of the original track bed has been lost.
The Sheppey Light Railway Greenway (SLRG) project is an exciting initiative to recreate a walking and cycling route across the island, using the route of the railway where possible. This will be a essential resource, opening up safe routes for residents and tourists, encouraging exercise and recreation.
A number of public meetings have promoted the project, which has engaged with over 90 people. An initial pump-priming grant of £1,500 was received from the Foundation for Integrated Transport, a charity founded to promote UK-focused sustainable and transformational transport solutions.
SLRG Officers were elected – Chair: Tim Foreman, Treasurer: Chris Reed, Secretary: Linda Brinklow. In December 2022 a Constitution was created for the SLRG, and a Memorandum of Understanding in Partnership with Sheppey Matters who are providing back office support and development advice.
Despite small beginnings, this is a proactive project! The most exciting development has been a visit from John Grimshaw of Greenway and Cycleroutes Limited. Their purpose is “to build paths that have been long-awaited by local communities and which, for one reason or another, have not been built.” This is esactly the professional input SLRG needs to move things forward.
John, complete with bicycle, appeared on Sheppey on 23rd May and we were able, as a small group, to look more closely at possible cycle/walk routes. As a result of our travels, John has produced for us two maps and some information to help us get started. These will be shared during the AGM.
We are now seeking funding for John’s Company to produce a scheme for the route across the island. This will be aspirational initially, as no landowners have yet been presented with the scheme, and of course the whole scheme rests on their willingness to allow their fields to be used for the route.
It was very inspiring to see John Grimshaw indicate possible routes on the ground as we walked parts of the proposed SLRG route. It made our aspirations tangible.
The next steps are:
- find funding for John Grimshaw to produce the scheme
- discover who owns the various plots we want to cross
- raise public awareness and increase the size of the committee