Event - Bestwood Heritage Day now arranged for Saturday 2nd February

A HERITAGE day to remember Bestwood Village in its colliery heyday was forced to be postponed last Saturday because of the heavy snowfall overnight.

The morning was planned for visitors to Bestwood Country Park to look back at the area’s past helped by special guests.

The event, which is being organised by owners of the country park, Nottinghamshire County Council, will now take place tomorrow, Saturday February 2 from 10am to noon at the Dynamo House.

“We just couldn’t risk running the event last Saturday with the arrival of so much snow from a health and safety point of view,” explained community liaison officer at Bestwood Country Park, Sue McDonald. “The nature of the event meant we would have attracted more elderly people but even the short distance from the car park to the visitors’ centre was trecherous.”

Holly Godward, 20, a BA (Hons) History student at Nottingham Trent University will be interviewing people about their memories of Bestwood as part of her final year dissertation.

And colleagues from Picture the Past, an archive library project managed by Nottinghamshire County Council in partnership with Derbyshire County Council, Nottingham City Council and Derby City Council, will also be at the event to scan images and documents for visitors.

“We hope the British weather will be kinder to us this weekend and enable the event to go-ahead,” added Sue. “We are looking forward to it and hope it will be a real celebration of the country park and Bestwood’s historic past.

“Do you have any memories, stories, old photographs or artefacts of old Bestwood village, the colliery, and the people who lived and worked here? If so, bring them along to the day to share your experiences and take part in this interesting research.”

Members of the Winding Engine House Volunteer Group and Friends of Bestwood Country Park are set to be at the Heritage Day.

Sue added: “And there will be plenty of warm drinks and cakes for a reasonable charge supplied by the WI and the Friends.”

For further details call Sue McDonald on 07500 106567.

From: http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/news/local-news/bestwood-heritage-day-postponed-due-to-snow-now-arranged-for-saturday-2nd-february-1-5362414

News - Funding crisis for canal plan(Chesterfield Canal)

The future of Chesterfield canal partnership has been thrown into jeopardy – after a local authority pulled its funding.

Nottingham County Council says due to budget cuts it will be not be paying its £13,000 share for the next financial year, which starts in April.

The news puts the future plans for Staveley Town Basin and restoration project in doubt.

Robin Stonebridge, chair of Chesterfield Canal Trust, said: “I think it is very regrettable that they are pulling out now. We need to keep the partnership together.

“It is a shame they can’t find £13,000 in a billion pound budget.”

He added: “We hope they can continue their interest and support even if they can’t find the money.”

The trust says the fully restored canal would give a huge boost to Nottinghamshire because all boats going through Chesterfield would have to pass through 28 miles of canal there.

The canal, which runs for 46 miles, links Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

Since 1989 over 11 miles of the canal have been restored along with 36 locks and 11 bridges. This month Staveley Town Basin, which has been under construction for more than a year, was filled with water.

There are only nine miles left to restore – but campaigners fear that without funding the project will be put on hold.

Mr Stonebridge added: “We are making phenomenal progress at the moment and this is just a real blow.

“The partners who are able to fund are going to have a meeting in the next couple of weeks to talk about a way forward.”

Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Kay Cutts said: “Like all other councils, we are facing considerable budget pressures and are having to find savings to protect services to the young, the old and the vulnerable.

“Difficult decisions have to be made and, sadly, this means we can no longer continue to provide funding for the Chesterfield Canal Partnership.

“We recognise the considerable achievements of the partnership and we welcome any ideas on how we can work together in the future.”

From: http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/local/funding_crisis_for_canal_plan_1_4160928