We made considerable progress in 2014/15 (see updated 2014/15 plan) but we failed to raise, via our Crowdfunder campaign, the £20,000 needed to progress the rail industry’s feasibility study.
Although this was a setback, since the campaign ended, Monmouthshire County Council has been in touch and is now working with us to develop a ‘Plan B’. In a nutshell we are intending to jointly run a promotional event to gain more financial support from businesses and other organisations that would benefit from the station development. With increased and assured financial support we could then afford to run a second ‘Crowdfunder-type’ campaign (having learnt lessons from the first one) with a lower target and much greater confidence of achieving success. More on this in due course!
In the meantime we have drafted a new plan for the coming year (Plan 2015/16) which includes carrying forward some of last year’s targets but also introduces some new or modified ones. The new plan is shaped by the messages and feedback we have received over the past year and particularly after the Crowdfunder event. For example, we will be communicating on a regular basis the general improvements to rail services that we are aware of or actively pushing for – as one of our supporters said to us, “What good is a new station if the rail services do not improve?”
Once again though, many thanks to all who support the campaign and have given their time to help, pledge, donate or just provide us with their opinions.
Paul
