IT was a battle to get the funding and a constant battle with the weather but on Saturday, July 9, there were celebrations when Medstead’s ancient village pond was re-opened after receiving a complete make-over that has cost well over £20,000.

The work, organised by Medstead’s Parish Plan Committee, was funded in part by Medstead Parish Council, who own the pond, and part by Developers Contributions, supported by grants from the village’s two local councillors, Ingrid Thomas and Deborah Brooks Jackson.

Ingrid Thomas put £300 towards the planting and a further £659 towards signage while Deborah Brooks Jackson put £500 towards a new bench and £909 towards the signs.

All East Hampshire district council (|EHDC) councillors have a £4,500 ‘Councillor Grant’ fund they can use to support local groups and projects.

In addition, a lot of work was done by volunteers to help the parish pouncil, which owns the pond, and local resident Peter Charles took over the excavation work and paid for the pond’s new clay liner.

It was in 2008 that the parish plan revealed 71 per cent of the population wanted the village pond restored as it had turned into muddy hole. It is dependent on rain as its only source of water but with the mud and silt that had built up, even in the wettest weather it was draining away too quickly.

The vice-chairman of Medstead Parish Council, Roy Pullen, said the pond has always been an important focal point for the village: “It is recorded on ancient maps dating back to the early 1800s and there used to be a blacksmith’s forge near it.”

He said when it was seen how many people wanted it restored the challenge was then to get permission and the money to do it.

“We had to battle for both the permission and then the funding but the parish council, headed by the chairman, Deborah Brookes-Jackson, gave £10,000. We got £10,500 from developers contributions and Peter Charles offered to do a lot of the excavation work and pay for the clay liner for the pond.

“Before that we had a plastic one and the water used to drain away quickly.”

He added: “The pond is filled by the rain water that runs off the four roads that run down towards it and several years ago Hampshire Highways had to put in a soakaway as when it became too full the pond was flooding the roads.

“The restoration work began at the end of last year, removing the mud and silt and installing the new clay liner.

“Unfortunately we were always battling the weather,” said Mr Pullen.

“We needed it dry so the clay could dry out and then rain to fill it but we struggled, especially in June with all the rain. All other areas such as the soak away have been completed along with the dipping platform.”

“We also had a lot of voluntary help in clearing the pond which helped to keep costs down. We have two new signs, one directional and one decorative, and we had the donation of four benches which are now in place around the pond.”

Commenting on the project, Ingrid Thomas said: “The work to restore the pond is a product of many years of effort and enthusiasm from the Parish Plan Committee.

“I am delighted to have been able to use my

Councillor Grants fund to have provided some real support for the project which will provide so much benefit for the community as a whole.”

Deborah Brooks Jackson said: “There is a huge amount of support for the pond to be restored. A lot of work has gone into making it a wonderful asset to the village.

“I am really looking forward to seeing people sitting on the benches and taking a few minutes to enjoy the pond and its surroundings.”

The opening ceremony began with a parade, led by Medstead Pre-School children with their teacher Pat Brough, starting at the primary school and, with more and more people joining it, ending at the pond.

There Lisa Stevenson, chairman of the pond committee, welcomed everyone before saying how they had responded to the villagers request to have the pond restored and how they got the funding and planning.

She was, she said, grateful to those who helped with the funding and the volunteers who gave their time to work on the pond. Now all the work was almost done, there was still some planting and tidying up to do but they could now open the newly restored pond.

There followed the cutting of ribbons tied across each of the four new benches by the pre-school pupils before the parade moved off to the green to enjoy the annual summer fete.