Friends offer gratitude for saving green

SUPPORTERS of Epping's Swaines Green have been praised by local conservationists for helping to secure the land for the community.

At the Friends of Swaines Green's annual meeting last Wednesday, chairwoman Aud-rey Wheeler and vice-chairman Ian Anderson announced how grateful they were for the financial donations it received which formed its share of the purchase.

The land was bought in June by the Friends, Epping Town Council and the Corporation of London for £145,000, saving Swaines Green from falling into the hands of developers.

Mr Anderson said: "It has been a long hard fight for quite a few years. The land is as secure as land can be in the UK in 2005.

"I'd also like to thank Epping Forest Countrycare who have provided us not only with tools for conservation days but the wherewithal to do it."

The meeting also heard from Countrycare's Paul Hewitt and Zoe Freeman about how the site has changed during the past century and how volunteer days have helped to shape it.

Mr Hewitt added he was in the process of putting together a management plan which would include a vision for the green's future.

Epping town and district councillor Jon Whitehouse (Liberal Democrat) said: "It does give us more scope to do major things there. There may be something we could look at such as more access for everybody and improved sign-age."

During the meeting the committee agreed to investigate the possibility of claiming back the tax on the donations it received and re-elected all committee members to the same roles.