During our original crowdfunding campaign, we successfully raised over £90,000 (with almost £20,000 of that through this website). We are keeping the page open to accept further donations to fund the continued proceedings of our cause. Find out more about our plans below.
Many of you will have seen the auction signs on the fields by the River Beane near Hertford North station, which were erected in June 2019. The land was up for sale, but we (Beane Marshes Conservation Group Ltd) talked to the sellers and they agreed to withdraw it from auction to allow our community group to buy it.
What do you need to raise? The price of the land is £135,000, plus VAT on one of the lots of £10,000. Together with various auctioneer fees and legal costs, our fundraising target from the outset was £165,000. We have raised £128,000 of this (as of November 2019). We have an existing shortfall of £37,000. In November 2019 we received a huge boost of £30,000 from Hertford Town Council.
You keep referring to “we”. Who exactly is that? Save Beane Marshes is a charity; the trustees are Bengeo residents and have been in active dialogue with local councillors and other local groups.
What’s the longer term plan? Our objective is to conserve and enhance the land for the benefit of ecology and wildlife, and thus also to the benefit of the local community. The Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust is interested in the site and have agreed in principle to take it on to manage once we complete our fundraising.