Trustworthy, bureaucrat, administrator
5,275
edits
Changes
typo
In January 1969 SVR News reported that a public “Save the Footbridge” appeal had been launched and that Sir Alfred Owen, Managing Director of the Rubery Owen organisation who built the original footbridge, had visited Bridgnorth. The ‘Footbridge Appeal Fund’ was organised by Bridgnorth member Roger Sellick and was independent of the SVR Company.<ref>SVR News 11, “The Station Footbridge”</ref> £1,500 had been raised by early 1971.<ref>SVR News 19, “Matters of Moment”, R.H Dunn</ref>
Following the demolition of the bridge in 1976, interest appears to have waned. However in 1982 Bill Hinkley happened on the copies of SVR News reporting on the old bridge and the attempts to save it and began to canvas opinions on building a new bridge.<ref name=SVR112>SVR News 112, “The Bridgnorth Footbridge Saga”, Bill Hinckley</ref> . Following an agreement between the SVR Company and Rubery Owen (under which the they become shareholders in the SVR), the 1984 budget included a capital project for the reconstruction of Hollybush Road Footbridge.<ref>SVR News 31, ‘Boardroom Notes’</ref> By 1995 a committee had been formed and over the next three years designs were drawn up and planning permission obtained.<ref name=SVR112/>
== The Bridgnorth Footbridge Trust==
By the Fund’s 4th AGM in September 1992, fund raising was still continuing in spite of the economic recession at the time. A by-product of the recession was that the cost was thought to be around £100,000 less than before.<ref>SVR News 104</ref>
In September 1993, the Fund had raised just over £70,000 of the £95,000 then estimated to be needed, a grant of up to £90,800 having been pledged by the European Regional Development Fund subject to a deadline of 31 December in that year. Contracts for construction were signed on 24 December 1993,<ref>SVR News 108/109</ref> and the bridge eventually opened on 15 July 1994 having been completed at a cost £150,000.<ref>SVR News 113</ref>
The Fund was removed from the Charity Commission register on 27 February 1998 when it ceased to exist.<ref name=CC/>
