Winscombe & Sandford Millennium Green

When it began in 1996, the aim of the Millennium Greens initiative was to provide new areas of public open space close to people's homes that could be enjoyed permanently by the local community.

They were to be breathing spaces - places for relaxation, play and enjoyment of nature and pleasant surroundings. They could be small or large, and in urban or rural locations.

At the end of December 2001, 245 Millennium Greens had been created. They were all developed by the local people who had drawn up their plans, purchased the land, and carried out the work necessary to provide a local green space.

On 21st July 1997, the Winscombe & Sandford Millennium Green Community Group held its first meeting. Its aims were to create a Millennium Green on the site of the old station at Winscombe. To achieve this it was proposed to:

Obtain a Millennium Commission Grant, through the Countryside Commission (now known as the Countryside Agency).
Acquire the land.
Obtain Charitable Trust status, enabling funds to be raised and the land to be held in perpetuity for public access and use.
Gain local support within the community.
Form a management group to maintain and manage the land.

The group became a Registered Charity on 4th November 1998, No. 1072279. The Trust Deed was dated 22nd November 1998 and signed by seven General Trustees:

Lois Brenchley	Penny Bond	Phyllis Cram
Lucy Hornshaw	Peter Rossiter	Chris Walters
John Westlake

At this point the group became known officially as The Winscombe and Sandford Millennium Green Trust and the site known as The Old Station Millennium Green. Two Parish Councillors (Margaret Ballard and Chris Sampson, representing the Sandford and Winscombe parts of the Parish respectively), a representative appointed by The Railway Walk Society (Ray Salter) and a representative appointed by Winscombe Community Association (Helen Smith) all became Trustees.

Planning Permission for change of use of the land was granted by North Somerset Council on 13th January 1999. The site was designated "of County Importance for Conservation" and a conservation management plan was drawn up.

The land was formally purchased on 19th February 1999.

Local architect James Barattini became Joint Project Co-ordinator with Lois Brenchley.

Responsibility for management of the site involves North Somerset County Council and the Cheddar Valley Railway Walk Society, which has a pedestrian right of passage through the site.

Winscombe & Sandford Parish Council, the Railway Walk Society, Winscombe Bottle Collection (now disbanded) and the community at large generally were all very generous with financial support and assistance.

Groups who provided volunteers include Wrington Vale Rotarians, Winterstoke Day Centre, Cherrywood House and many others.

There was also assistance from local businesses, in particular Sandford Stone (now closed) and Somerlap Fencing.

Grants were received from Bass Brewery and Natwest Bank.

Help in kind was provided by North Somerset Council, Winscombe Community Association, United Churches Group and Save the Children.

The project was officially launched on 27th February 1999 with a ceremony attended by over 200 people.

Mrs. Sue Gunn (great-granddaughter of Mrs. Yatman, who cut the First Sod of the Cheddar Valley Railway on 26th February 1867) cut the First Sod on the Old Station Millennium Green, using the same ceremonial silver spade as at the original ceremony.

There was a Grand opening ceremony of the Millennium Green on 6th May 2000 at what was the first "May Fair on the Green".