Group hits fundraising target to buy green space

The valley has a waterfall and meadows and is used widely by both locals and visitors

Contracts could soon be exchanged after a campaign group successfully raised £300,000 to buy a green space following a "wonderful community response".

The Heavens Valley Community Benefit Society (HVCBS) will purchase the 102-acre Thrupp Farm, Stroud, known locally as the Heavens.

The HVCBS needed £850,000 in total to buy the site. Two members of the community have pledged £550,000, with the final £300,000 raised through fundraising and selling shares.

The purchase rounds off the first phase of the campaign to bring the site into community ownership.

Work still to be done

A HVCBS spokesperson said: "We have now raised enough money to go ahead with the purchase of Thrupp Farm in Stroud.

"Solicitors are currently drawing up the documents and finalising the details needed for the HVCBS and the seller to exchange contracts."

More than 600 people bought shares to secure the site's future, but there is more fundraising work to be done, the society said.

The HVCBS said the next phase will be to raise a further £550,000 to repay the loans, as the lenders will, technically, own some of the site until repayments are completed.

Karen Thomas, a member of the HVCBS negotiating the purchase, said the campaign group will increase its fundraising efforts for the next phase.

"Our lenders want this beautiful land to be completely owned by the CBS as they are themselves part of the local community and are not in a position to manage large areas of public land themselves," Ms Thomas said.

"So we will be redoubling our fundraising efforts and we are confident that the community will continue its support."