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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">Dear
All,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">Your
support and help on Wednesday made FeCRA’s<span> </span>Kim Wilkie, 'The Happy City' AGM Event a big success. Thank you. I quoted Cambridge Mayor Jeremy
Benstead in my speech: ‘It’s not just the surroundings that make Cambridge
special, it’s our wonderful residents that make our city what it is, too’. Wednesday
night proved that. Kim Wilkie wrote, ‘</span><span style="font-size:11pt">it was inspiring to see such energy and
determination’. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">For those of
you not able to attend, see the following link. It includes Kim’s responses to
questions. </span><span style="font-size:11pt"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwEUs8UyvFASXmddPQ82NBFQ68XQn9PUs" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/playli<wbr>st?list=PLwEUs8UyvFASXmddPQ82N<wbr>BFQ68XQn9PUs</a> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">His
speech is embedded in today’s Cambridge News article..</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt"><a href="http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/how-make-cambridge-happy-city-12788816" target="_blank">http://www.cambridge-news.co.u<wbr>k/news/cambridge-news/how-make<wbr>-cambridge-happy-city-12788816</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-decoration:none"><br></span></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Urgent SOS message
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:11pt">from Cam Valley Forum about the River</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">They are desperate for practical assistance to remove
the invasive floating pennywort weed doing so much damage to the River </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;color:black">Sat, 1<sup>st</sup> April 2017 Floating
Pennywort Action party to tackle the upper Cam ( genuine !)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:black">The target is to remove as much pennywort
as possible on the day, from Byron’s Pool to Scudamores boat station. Scudamores
are giving CamValley Forum ten punts for the task, which will need a minimum
crew of one experienced poler, a raker and a netter. But just as
important, Cam Valley Forum also need people on the bank to rake out
easy-to-reach Pennywort and to help with lifting out filled bins from the punts
and to dispose of the material on the bank. Please contact Mike Foley
(Cam Valley Forum) on <a href="mailto:mfpfoley@gmail.com" target="_blank">mfpfoley@gmail.com</a>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">S<span style="color:black">tart time is between <b>9 – 10 am</b> and those punts that go the
furthest (Byron’s Pool) will not necessarily be out for longer as there is <b>much to do in the Grantchester Meadows</b>
area. It would be very helpful if you could supply details of your
experience, ( punting etc) how long you want to be involved, and whether you
prefer/can help on land or on water. If you have a long handled rake and
are prepared to bring it that would also be useful.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:0cm;text-align:left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;color:black">Information about Pennywort and its
impact on the River Cam</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:0cm;text-align:left" align="left"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:black">The invasive Floating Pennywort has in
recent years colonised the lower Bourn Brook, the River Cam and some of its
minor tributaries, and is affecting an SSSI near Wicken. It is also
spreading down river on the River Ouse and has been found as far down river as
the Denver Sluice. Since 1990, when it was first found in the wild on the
River Chelmer in Essex, it has spread rapidly and each year the number of
affected sites is expanding exponentially. In high season there are
long stretches of the Cam where dense mats reach out towards the centre of the
river, and in one part it has grown from bank to bank. It is a
threat to bio-diversity, a nuisance to river users and could increase the risk
of flooding.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:0cm;text-align:left" align="left"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:0cm;text-align:left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Consultation on Cambridge
Water Company’s <i>Water Resource Management
Plan</i> </span></b><span style="font-size:11pt"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">Invasive pennywort weed is not the only problem facing the river. P</span><span style="font-size:11pt">ressure on the chalk aquifers is the
most serious long term problem facing the River. Cam Valley Forum urge people to
comment on </span><b><span style="font-size:11pt">Cambridge Water Company’s <i>Water Resource Management Plan</i> for</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt"> <b>2020 – 2045
and beyond</b> (see attached). Comments due by: <b>Monday, March 27</b>.</span><b><span style="font-size:11pt"> </span></b><span style="font-size:11pt">They have also asked us to forward you Cam Valley
Forum’s draft response to the consultation, fyi <span> </span>(see attached).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">Best wishes,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">Wendy</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">Chair, </span></p>
<div><div class="m_3962442279912876878gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div>Wendy Blythe<br></div>Chair, FeCRA<br></div><br></div></div></div></div></div>
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