Extra flood recovery cash for Tewkesbury (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Extra flood recovery cash for Tewkesbury

10:07am Wednesday 27th February 2008 in News

TEWKESBURY, Bishops Cleeve and Winchcombe will benefit from the £1.1m awarded by the Severn Trent Recovery Fund to Gloucestershire First , the countywide economic partnership.

The cash will be used to benefit business recovery in Gloucestershire, in particular those companies affected by the floods and to promote the fact that the county is open for business.

"We are extremely grateful for this funding, which will enable us to continue the good work already carried out to put Gloucestershire firmly back on the map." said Gloucestershire First chairman, Chas Fellows.

"Restoring the county as a tourist destination in 2008 is a high priority and £200,000 has been earmarked to counter the negative publicity we experienced worldwide," he explained. "An advertising campaign will be designed to help those sectors worst affected, such as tourism and retailing."

In the longer term, Tewkesbury, Winchcombe and Bishops Cleeve will receive £100,000 to help retailers and other businesses get back on their feet, with a further £140,000 ring fenced to support retail and tourism initiatives in Tewkesbury, including this year's food festival and half-term activities.

The largest single sum - £500,000 - will go towards a project to repair and re-open some of the many public rights of way extensively damaged by soil erosion during the floods.

A Severn Vale Wildlife Highway is to be created to encourage the regeneration of habitats decimated by the floods. Volunteers will be recruited and trained in a £50,000 scheme to create new habitats, monitor sites and help with conservation measures.

"This is a wide-ranging response to help alleviate the many problems faced by Gloucestershire business since the funds," Coun Fellows said. "Local people can also have their say by coming forward with their own projects, for which £50,000 has been set aside."

Some of the funding will be used to begin drawing up a strategy to mitigate extent of future flood and Gloucestershire First will co-host a national event designed to look as resilience and disaster management.