Final day to raise funds for beauty spot sale

The campaign group hoping to buy the Heavens Valley in Stroud is at "a pivotal stage"

A community campaign group has reached its final day to raise the remaining funds needed to purchase a much-loved beauty spot.

The Heavens Valley Community Benefit Society, who are behind the community purchase of the Heavens Valley in Stroud, has about £5,000 left to raise to hit its target by 1 November.

The group needs to raise £300,000 to seal the deal, with an extra £550,000 of the total £850,000 to be loaned by two members of the local community.

Martin Whiteside from the society said the sale needs to be completed in early November.

The Heavens Valley Community Benefit Society won a bid to purchase the 102-acre Thrupp Farm in September.

The land, known locally as the Heavens, has a waterfall and meadows and is used widely by locals and visitors.

"We are at an absolutely pivotal stage," Mr Whiteside said.

"The current landowner has accepted the community offer but the sale needs to be completed in early November."

'So close'

The Heavens Valley Community Benefit Society team has raised money through donations and share sales in the past few months, but contracts cannot be exchanged until the final few thousand pounds are secured.

Mr Whiteside urged those who pledged money to fulfil their pledges if possible, and asked those who can afford to donate to do so.

He added: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring a major piece of land into community ownership to enable nature recovery and community access in perpetuity.

"We are so close to achieving this."