Need Some Help...

[tony ingram]

I need a favour, guys. It will take seconds and cost you nothing, but it's important.

Two years ago, a group of very determined local residents here in Shotley, mostly retired people with no experience of this sort of thing, started work on a major project. Its aim was to raise funds and install erosion protection at the foot of Shotley Cliff, preventing it from crumbling and potentially saving the cliff, the sizeable wildlife habitat on top o it and potentially a nearby street from eventually falling into the Stour estuary. Later, a secondary aim was incorporated into the project: to buy the cliff from its current (disinterested) owner and turn it into a properly managed country park, renovating the derelict picnic area along the way.

Last year, with the help of Shotley Parish Council and a lot of support from various other agencies including the County Council and the port of Felixstowe, £40, 000 was raised and phase one of the sea defence project was put in place-90 metres of rock filled gabions at the foot of the cliff. This year, a further 120 metres are due to be laid down at an estimated cost of £50, 000. Meanwhile, the owner of the cliff has agreed to sell the land to us for £20, 000. So far, we've raised a further £43, 000.

The Haven Gateway Partnership has £18, 000 to give away to a deserving local project, and Shotley Cliff is one of the three finalists. That money could put us well on the way to turning a crumbling liability into an assett to the community. And the winner will be decided by a public vote. What I need is for as many people as possible to go to http://www.ilovelandscapes.co.uk and vote fro option A, Shotley Cliff, leaving your email address. If you have more than one email address, vote from them all. Or alternatively, you can text your vote by texting LANDSCAPE plus A to 80809. Or, y'know, you could do both.

This really could make a lot of difference to this village and to a lot of good people. Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to vote.

[tony ingram]

This is a picture of phase one of the project doing its job shortly after it was put in place last October. There has been no further loss of material from this section of the cliff since then. Further on, the undefended section has noticeably receded in the same period and one oak tree on the cliff face is in imminent danger of collapse.

[Phoenix]

I've started the ball rolling, Tony.

[tony ingram]

Thanks, Phoenix. We're up against a kids playground in Hadleigh for the grant, so we need all the help we can get...

[tony ingram]

Rather a nice surprise, today: a 'good luck' email from Tim Yeo, who has been surprisingly supportive of Shotley in recent months. Last year, he got us £5, 000 from the port of Felixstowe for the cliff project by writing them a snotty letter saying they should support us because their dredging was contributing to our erosion problem. They hotly denied it, but sent a cheque anyway because they couldn't actually prove it wasn't true, which is close to an admission of guilt as we were ever likely to see...

Who says MPs are useless?

[tony ingram]

Just received confirmation-we won! The Shotley project will shortly be receiving a cheque for £18, 000! Thanks to any and all who voted, this is going to make a big difference to Shotley and the local community!

[Phoenix]

Well done to Tony and his friends. It just goes to show what determination and concerted effort can achieve.