Valley of Visions Community Trail Project

(Cuxton and Strood)

The Parish Council, West Kent Downs Countryside Trust, Ben Sweeney (Ranscombe Farm Reserve Warden) and the Cuxton Countryside Group have formed a working party to complete the Cuxton section of the Valley of Visions Community Trail Project.

This project is focused around improving local access and encouraging people to get out, learn about and explore their local area by creating a trail from the centre of the community to the surrounding countryside, using existing public rights of way.

The Valley of Visions (VOV) Landscape Partnership Scheme has up to £20000 available for a Cuxton community trail.  Funding can be used for landscape and access improvements such as planting hedges, small scale surface works to footpaths, installing benches and opening up viewpoints.

It is hoped that the trail will be recognised and valued as a local asset that the whole community can enjoy.

Details of the exact route and locations of the landscape and access improvements etc will be formulated by the working party. An application for grant funding will then be submitted to VOV, signed off and then works implemented.
The trail will be launched with a guided walk which will use performing art pieces developed by community groups (schools, guides etc) on artist-led workshops to bring to life the story of the landscape and rich history of the area. A 'gateway sculpture' reflecting the heritage and landscape of the local area will also be designed and installed at a key point along the trail. These two elements have their own allocated budget and will be delivered by VOV through a separate project called Engaging Landscapes.

Communities have been 'paired' to try to encourage links between communities that have been dissected (due to physical features such as the M2, CTRL and River Medway) to be made. Cuxton has been paired with Strood and both communities are encouraged to share ideas about their trail with their paired community and consider whether a physical link between individual community trails could be made.
The Parish Council will be the grant recipient and will play a key role in the development and delivery of the project. VOV will provide support throughout all stages of the project.

Click here for more information on the Valley of Visions Landscape Partnership Scheme.