From: "John Reynolds" To: "Bar Hill Parish Council" ; "Bar Hill News" ; "Bar Hill website" ; "Binnie Harvey-Boxworth" ; "Dry Drayton News" ; "Dry Drayton Website" ; "Girton Parish Council" ; "Girton Parish News" ; "Girton Website" ; "Irish Nick-Dry Drayton" ; "Lolworth Parish Council" Subject: CAMBRIDGESHIRE RESIDENTS HELP SECURE EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT Date: 13 December 2007 07:42 CAMBRIDGESHIRE RESIDENTS HELP SECURE EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT Cambridgeshire residents have helped secure more than a million pounds to improve cycling and walking in the county, as part of a successful competition to win Lottery money. Residents rallied to the call to vote for the Connect2 project which will benefit projects in St Neots and Wicken as well as nearby Royston. The announcement was made today that the Sustrans backed Connect2 project beat off other national opposition to win the People's £50 Million Lottery Giveaway. The Connect2 project, which has been backed by Cambridgeshire County Council, will make it easier for people both locally and across the UK to walk and cycle for everyday journeys. Some £1.2 million of the overall grant will be spent in Cambridgeshire. In Cambridgeshire, a Connect2 project in St Neots includes top quality links to the upcoming pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Great Ouse. The scheme will connect the communities of Eaton Socon and Eynesbury, and will make school journeys in the area a lot safer for pupils. At Wicken Fen, there are ambitious proposals for a network of cycling routes giving access from Cambridge to the renowned nature reserve managed by the National Trust. The reserve is visited by residents across the County and has strong links with East and South Cambridgeshire, as well as Cambridge city. Just across the border in Royston Connect2 plans to provide a vital safe cycle link across the railway enabling journeys by cycle for all across the town. Connect2 is going to build bridges, foot and cycle paths nationwide, and even reinstate a ferry, giving people easier and healthier access to schools, workplaces, shops and leisure areas. Connect2 was competing against three other organisations, with the winner decided by public vote on ITV. "This money from the Big Lottery Fund is going to bring massive benefits to the people of Cambridgeshire and we want to thank everybody who voted for Connect2. The money will be used to help give more of us in Cambridgeshire happier and healthier journeys around their local communities, which is a great result. We will now be working hard with the local communities and our partner organisations to ensure that these improvements are delivered." Sustrans CEO, John Grimshaw said: "This is a fantastic Christmas present! We are delighted that Sustrans' Connect2 has proved itself the peoples' favourite in the public vote and won the £50million from the Big Lottery Fund. We are immensely grateful to the people of Cambridgeshire and everyone who got behind Connect2 to make their votes count. Ultimately the real winners will be those thousands of people who will now be able to Connect2 their shops, schools, workplaces and each other every day!" Schemes in the Anglia Region are in Norwich, Watton/Griston, St Neots, Cambridge/Wicken Fen, Royston, Cheshunt, Northampton and Wellingborough/Rushden/Higham Ferrers/Irthlingborough. Sustrans' is the UK's leading sustainable transport charity. Its vision is a world in which people choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment. It is achieving this through innovative but practical solutions to the UK's transport challenges. Sustrans' flagship project, the National Cycle Network, is now around 12,000 miles and runs within one mile of over half the UK population. During 2006 over 338 million trips were made on the Network. It is maintained by a team of 2,400 volunteer Rangers. The Big Lottery Fund rolls out close to £2 million in Lottery good cause money every 24 hours, which together with other Lottery distributors means that across the UK most people are within a few miles of a Lottery-funded project. The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004. It was established by Parliament on 1 December 2006. John Reynolds -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.5/1191 - Release Date: 20/12/2007 14:14