Walkmill Community Woodland saved! Community Asset Transfer successful

Dec 2020. We recieved the best news of all. The Community Asset Transfer of Walkmill Community Woodland from Cumbria County Council to Moresby Parish Council had been approved! In Dec 2018 we heard the devestating news that this beautiful community woodland was up for sale. As a family who used to live in Moresby and walked there almost daily we couldn't sit by and do nothing. We wanted to do everything we could to keep this incredibly special place in public ownership. Catherine was a co-founder of a community action group Walkmill Action Group (WAG) who raised awareness, gathered support and forged strong relationships with Moresby Parish Council (MPC) and West Cumbria Rivers Trust (WCRT). As a family we helped to gather signatures for petitions and helped conduct surveys to support the case for a community asset transfer of the woodland from County to Parish Council. This business case had to show how the woodland would be cared for financially over time and also how the transfer would lead to increased community engagement with the woodland. Catherine wrote part of the business case relating to plans for increased community engagement and activities. WCRT had interest in the woodland as it is adjacent to the River Keekle which they were restoring. Their vision is to have links between these 2 beautiful features. They did an amazing job with the business case and have so much passion and experience. MPC formed a sub-commitee of the Parish Council to care for the woodland which included the 3 founders of our action group and WCRT. County Council helped by providing staff time to help with the process too. So then the case was submitted and seemed to recieve an initial positive response.. We had expected it to go to panel in March 2020..but then something happened in that month which threw everything and panel was delayed.. It was delayed again in September... Finally, in Dec 2020 it went to panel and was sucessful. After 2 years of uncertainty and a lot of hard work the woodland was safe. There were tears of joy and relief in our family when we heard the news. All along I said to the children that we would do our best to save it. I had to be honest and say that I didn't know if it would be possible or not. However, at least we would know we did our best and we could be satisfied with that. We are now so happy the campaign has been successful. I love that the experience has shown the children that it is worth standing up for what you believe in. Before we knew it was for sale we didn't even know the woodland was called "Walkmill" . Locally we knew it as "the pit road". "We saved the pit road!" Said the children and, along with the other members of WAG, MPC and WCRT, we did!