Background
The bridge over the river Calder at Copley stood from 1831 to Boxing Day 2015 when it was washed away by flooding. The bridge was originally part of a turnpike route used to move livestock. From the mid-19th century it was crossed by factory workers to get from Akroyd's model village at Copley to St Stephen's Church. There's no alternative crossing up or downstream for a long way. Unti
l Boxing Day 2015, hundreds of people crossed the bridge every day - on foot and by bike - to visit the church, explore the woods and exercise children and dogs. The bridge was also the only way one person, Graham Wilson, got to his home. The purpose of this campaign is to fund a temporary footbridge to maintain 200 years of access across the river Calder at Copley for anyone who wishes to cross. Our dad, Graham Wilson, lives in the old Toll House which collected tolls for the bridge in the 19th century. Graham restored the Toll House and has lived there since 1999. He is now in his mid-60s and has Parkinson's disease. The Toll House is on the far side of the bridge from Copley and without a temporary bridge, Graham cannot get to his home. What do we want to achieve? We want a temporary footbridge over the Calder at Copley within three weeks. It's an immediate, locally organised solution to the problem of the current bridge being washed away. A temporary bridge will allow Graham to live in his home and allow people to cross the Calder at Copley as they have done for 200 years. How are we going to achieve it? We are working with a number of British manufacturers and suppliers of temporary bridges to find the quickest and most cost effective solution. Why do we need your help? Large areas of the Calder Valley and further downstream have been devastated by the floods. Calderdale Council has a growing list of urgent infrastructure replacements. A new bridge is on the list, but Copley and Graham need a temporary footbridge right now. Graham can make a significant contribution to the cost of installing a temporary bridge, but he needs financial and practical support to ensure a temporary bridge is installed quickly. He needs your support to make an unanswerable case to the Council for giving permission for and helping to fund a temporary bridge. Why is the target £10,000? It will take at least a week to establish the exact cost of a temporary bridge, but we need to start fundraising and sharing this story now. We have set a £10K target because, together with Graham's own contribution, we think it will be sufficient to cover the installation of a temporary bridge. What if we don't hit the target? We'll negotiate with the Council and campaign for it to contribute what is necessary to get the temporary bridge installed. What if raise more than the target? Once the temporary bridge is in place, the focus will shift to a new permanent bridge. Any extra funds raised will be used to ensure Copley gets a new bridge as good as the old one. Every penny raised will only ever be spent on a bridge at Copley. Why can't the Council pay? It's a good question. The Council might be able to pay, but Copley and Graham need a temporary bridge now and we don't want the project to get bogged down with funding issues. If the Council do come through, we'll reallocate all funds raised as above. Risks and challenges? The companies we are working with have installed hundreds of bridges previously, across the UK and beyond. It will then fall to the Council to give the necessary consents and offer financial support. We hope this fundraising campaign will be the foundation for that, we hope it will send a clear message that the temporary footbridge is an immediate necessity for Graham, Copley and the wider community. Legal Information:
indiegogo page, paypal and bank account registered as 'Copley Footbridge - Help Build It', a non-profit community action
Signatory: Graham Wilson, Toll Bar House, North Dean Road, HX4 8QA
Email address: [email protected]
Phone: Stanley Wilson (son of Graham) 07986 828 868
Drone video © Mark Bull
Other ways you can help:
No money, no problem - by sharing this story on social media you'll also be helping Graham and Copley reinstate a vital link.
