Category: Personalities

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Take a Walk on the Boardwalk next Spring?

The last few months have been exciting times for the YVS Committee as it has worked with a team at UEA to seek funding from the Greater Norwich Growth Board and the National Lottery Community Fund to replace the UEA Boardwalk.

Firstly though, a big thank you for the generosity of all who have contributed to the fund to replace the University of East Anglia (UEA) Boardwalk, exceeding the target of £5,000. The UEA/YVS bids for additional funding would not have been viable without your clear signal of strong community support.

Added to this is now £260,899 of funding from the Greater Norwich Growth Board. Taken together with funds from other sources, the total now covers the estimated cost of replacement of £439,708. Work on the new boardwalk will begin in Autumn 2026 to a timetable that will minimise the disturbance to wildlife. Completion is due in Spring 2027. See the UEA press release for more detail.

The UEA and Yare Valley Society (YVS) are also seeking funding from the National Lottery Community Fund for a “UEA Boardwalk Community Engagement Project”. The Project is a partnership between the YVS and UEA. It will give opportunities for people to say what they expect for the boardwalk, and their views and ideas for a launch event, for creating signage and interpretation panels, and for guiding promotional and educational materials.

The old boardwalk
The UEA team: Justine and Orla

The YVS committee was thrilled to work with a great UEA team. YVS and UEA worked in close cooperation to seek funds from the Greater Norwich Growth Board and the National Lottery Fund. Regular meetings and correspondence took place, and the YVS committee expresses its gratitude to the UEA team, Justine Mann and Orla Condra for their exceptional effort in preparing and assembling the extensive documentation.

Members of the YVS team, the UEA team, UEA Estate team, the Fringe Project, and Eaton Residents Association on site. Photo courtesy of UEA
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Andrew Salisbury

It was with great sadness the committee learned of the passing of Andrew Salisbury. Andrew was a Stalwart of the Society for many years and a past Chair. John Thurman, also a past Chair, knew him well and writes:

“Andy Salisbury, who died last August aged 91, was a prominent figure in the Yare Valley Society during six decades. He was part of a small group who founded the Society in the late 1960s in response to the threat of building a large cinema and car park on a site between Bluebell Road and the river. With that development fought off, the Society became dormant until it was re-formed in the late 1980’s after an application by Tesco to build on the same site. Andy became Chairman for a short time in 1993, and again for almost 10 years from 2007. He was a robust defender of the valley and represented us at countless events; saw our membership grow to over 400 and, as an early user of I.T., brought greater professionalism to our newsletter and membership records, with able help from his wife Val, who pre-deceased him.

Andy was a mathematician who taught maths and trained teachers at Keswick College and, later, UEA. He was also an enthusiastic bell ringer and sailor. His organising skills and leadership were of great value to us, and his good humour and friendship continue to be missed by his many neighbours and friends.”

The Yare Valley Society continues to strive to mitigate the impact on our green space of the development between the Bluebell Road and the River to which Andy devoted so much effort.

Andrew Salisbury