ACTION for the River Kennet has been given a grant from the Devizes Area Board to help with the Crofton Beam Engine boiler appeal.

At the meeting on Monday in West Lavington Village Hall a number of grants were decided on, including the appeal from the charity.

Peter Turvey, chairman of the Crofton branch of ARK, was in attendance to explain why it is important for the boiler to be repaired and to appeal for a grant of £5,000, the maximum the Devizes Area Board can give.

Mr Turvey said: “Without the boiler getting the repairs it needs we would be unable to run the beam engines which are the heart of the British industrial revolution. We get a lot of visitors and it is run completely by volunteers. I feel it is very important to keep these running so people can continue to visit the site.”

Chairman of the meeting, Wiltshire councillor Simon Jacobs, made the point that Crofton is outside of the Devizes parish and that the full grant may not be suitable.

“I am very conscious that we are being asked to spend £5,000 on something that isn’t near us, but I would be prepared to see if everyone agrees on a smaller amount,” said Coun Jacobs.

After a show of hands from the room it was agreed that the area board would donate the sum of £2,500 to the appeal.