Community move to protect the Heavens
On Monday 25 March, a packed public meeting about the future of the Heavens Valley took place in central Stroud. Participants agreed that the Heavens Valley Action Group (HVAG) should attempt to buy the 102-acre site on behalf of the community, or collaborate with other potential buyers if necessary.
The Subscription Rooms was full to capacity for the meeting, which aimed to share information about the work done so far by the HVAG, to gain residents’ feedback, and to get a sense of how committed the community is to helping fund a purchase of the land.
The campaign has the support of the National Trust and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, local councillors, Stroud’s MP and the Labour and Green parliamentary candidates.
The meeting heard that the sum needed (around £750,000) will be raised through a community share issue, donations and other fundraising. Supporters are invited to go online and pledge their support.
While HVAG is waiting to be legally registered, Stroud Valleys Project, a registered charity, is accepting donations on its behalf. SVP’s CEO Clare Mahdiyone spoke at the meeting, saying, “We’ve been managing public open spaces since 1988 and we hope we can look after this one too.”
Members of the audience pointed out that both the Sub Rooms and the Oakbrook Community Farm were brought into public ownership thanks to contributions from the community. As one member of the audience said, "This community has form for pulling together."
Summing up, HVAG member Ben Challis said, “A lot of people have, like me, grown up in the Heavens. A lot have come more recently and fallen in love with the place. It’s so important to the whole community.
“We know from what happened at Verney Fields and Juniper Hill Field the potential risks of land being sold. If this land was fenced off or parcelled up it would be a tragedy. We have the opportunity to do something that will leave a lasting legacy. Everyone has a stake in this. When things really matter our community comes together and does amazing things, and this is one of those moments. This is the start of something; let’s save the Heavens together.”
Image credit: Map design by Val Saunders