Page 34 - link magazine

34 The Link Magazine • October 2002
Cycling for CALM and CLIC Fancy a dirty weekend?
Two children's cancer charities are to receive a boost thanks to the This is a slogan which can be seen on stickers on cars driven by
efforts of Andy Barker from Shaw and his dad David. members of the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust and the Cricklade
They covered the 1,009 miles be- sive treatment Seren is now in re- Branch is certainly offering the chance to get grubby on a major
tween Land's End and John mission and will continue with restoration project two miles north of Swindon.
O'Groats during the first two maintenance treatment until July
weeks of September and raised next year.
over £2,000 for CLIC and Swindon Computer consultant Andy said, L ►'.
based charity CALM. "the ride was my first long dis-
Andy was inspired to do some tance attempt. My father is a seri-
serious fundraising following the ous cyclist and it was a bit of a
support given to his three year old struggle to keep up with him until
goddaughter Seren Kitchener, who I built up my strength."
was diagnosed with leukemia last Andy attended Highworth
year, and her family. After inten- Warnford School with Seren's fa-
ther Gareth. Her mother Mary said
Clic and Calm had provided the
family with wonderful support
during her illness. "When you are
told by the doctors that your child
faces treatment for two years with
an uncertain prospects, both Clic
and Calm are brilliant in the posi-
tive practical and emotional help
they give. Andy and David have
been great in putting in so much
Volunteers hard at it, top level, Graham Smith, director of the Wilts & Berks
effort to help them." group council, Susan Sharman, Gavin Silcocks. Middle, Dave Warren, Dave
Seren has a big day to look for- Northcott. Bottom, Robert Jackson
ward to when she will be a flower
girl at Andy's wedding tohisfiance Members are uncovering a 190 in the next ten to fifteen years the
Kate later in the year. year old aquaduct over the River canal enthusiasts expect to see the
Further donations to Clic and Key which means shovelling out whole canal navigable from the
Calm can be made via Andy's over 100 tons of refuse and silt Kenett and Avon at Melksham to
sponsors: Storm Recruitment, 27 from three culverts before repair- the Thames at Latton.
Commercial Road, Swindon. ing damaged brick work where If the volunteers come forward
Seren and Andy before the ride the tunnel roofs have collapsed, works party organiser Dave War-
and rebuilding and repointing ex- ren hopes to have the culverts
ternal walls. cleared by Christmas. "There are
Work canth en start on remov- jobs for everyone on this site; come
D 3 f1 Qairpentfry ing thousands of tons of bricks, down and find out what we're
clay and household rubbish from doing and lend a hand."
S rvkQe4 the canal when it was used as a Working parties take place on
Fitted bedrooms municipal dump in the 1950s. Sunday gam to 1pm. Contact Dave
Specialists in PVCU, Eventually the Cricklade section on 770546 for details. The aquaduct
and kitchens
windows, doors and will be joined to the Swindon sec- can be found on the B4553, south
O Replacement
conservatories. doors & windows I tion at Moredon road. Some time of Cricklade, OS map ref 09759245.
O Laminate floors Donation in memory of Marlene
()Doors and Dave Northcott, pic-
staircases tured above, earlier
O Household repairs and this year presented
general maintenance the Swindon branch
of the canal trust
Free no obligation quotes with £500 in
Tel: 01793 848177 or 770596 Kevin Cook memory of his wife t =_,
,22 Ravens Walk, Wootton Bassett, Tel: 814833 or 07776 142981 I Marlene who long
dreamt of travelling
i the restored canal
until she died in
M.P.S. Plumbing & 1993. ^sihcr.w^ti
She is honoured
Heating Services on a plaque in the f W Ifs °ie P° d 17`%+p,h.
a(3erts Coo l T ^t
u
wall of Moulden
Cd
Lock, Moredon. '500—pp '
For gas central heating, Dave said, "this
place is very appro- Dave, centre, with Swindon branch members
bathrooms, showers and all priate as Marlene Janet Flanagan, Ray Aldridge and Henry Smith
came from Rod-
other plumbing & heating work bourne and I worked at Moredon Water provided romantic days out
power station. We often walked in our courting and early marriage
CALL 01793 522579 beside the then overgrown canal years. My work took us away from
and we would ponder over the the town, but when the restoration
MOBILE: 0781 6906437 ', ,/ ruins of the lock, trying to imagine of the canal was first mooted in
the boats using it. 1977, Marlene was enthusiastic
[email protected] Reg No 67416 "In the 1960's, the canal towpath about the idea that she could visit
and the reservoir park at Coate Swindon via water rather than road."