<div>
 For many years, the Friends of Gresford Lake and Gresford Community Council have been discussing the challenge of removing the significant build-up of silt from the lake. This has built up over time, made much worse by four years of drought, and has reduced the lake's water capacity, impacted water quality and affected the long-term health of this much-loved community asset.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 This is the fourth consecutive year of very hot weather and little rain, and this summer's prolonged drought has brought devastating consequences. For the first time in living memory, the lake has pretty much dried out completely.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Whilst this has been upsetting for residents, volunteers and everyone who cares about the lake, it has also created a rare and unexpected opportunity.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 With water levels at their lowest in living memory , we can now access and remove the accumulated silt mechanically using excavation equipment, something that would normally be far more difficult, disruptive and expensive to achieve.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 However, this opportunity will only exist for a short time. Once significant rainfall returns, the lake will begin to refill and the chance to undertake the work efficiently will be lost.
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
 <strong>Work has already begun</strong>
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Earlier this month, Gresford Community Council funded specialist contractors, Sweeptech, to remove sections of the silt using specialist equipment designed to extract silt while returning water back into the lake.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 When work commenced, it quickly became apparent that the exceptionally dry conditions had left the lake too dry for this method to work as well as had been hoped and only 30tonnes of silt were able to be removed.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 It was very disappointing that the Sweeptech effort did not work as hoped but the Friends group could see that here was a possible opportunity to dig out a significant amount of dry surface silt - the drought had created an opportunity as well as a threat! Rather than allowing the opportunity to pass, members of the Friends group sought advice through local contacts and explored alternative methods of desilting the lake.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Following discussions with a local contractor, a practical solution was identified: remove the silt mechanically while the dried out silt remains accessible.
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
 <strong>A Huge Community Effort</strong>
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 One of the main issues with any desilting project is not so much about removing the material, but disposing of it afterwards.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Through the efforts of Gresford Community Council, discussions were held directly with Enovert, the operators of Hafod Landfill Site, who have generously agreed to accept 175 tonnes of silt free of charge. This support represents huge savings for the overall project and has played a vital role in making the work financially achievable.
</div>
<div>
 This contribution demonstrates what can be achieved when local organisations work together for the benefit of the community.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Current estimates suggest there may be at least 200 tonnes of silt able to be removed. While Enovert's generous offer covers the disposal of the first 175 tonnes, additional funding will be needed to help cover the costs associated with removing and disposing of any remaining material.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 <strong>Local People Have Already Stepped Forward</strong>
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 The Community Council has already committed the available funding it had set aside for lake improvement works. Unfortunately, there are currently no grant funding streams that can be accessed quickly enough to take advantage of the current conditions.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Faced with the prospect of missing this once-in-a-generation opportunity, members of the Friends of Gresford Lake, Community Councillors and local residents took the extraordinary decision to personally underwrite the funding of the work themselves.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Together, they have pledged approximately £10,000 to ensure the desilting can go ahead asap - before the weather changes.
</div>
<div>
 This is an incredible example of community spirit and demonstrates just how important Gresford Lake is to local people. The Friends hope that through this fundraising effort it might be possible for them to be reimbursed to some extent, but their commitment stands even if that proves not to be the case.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 <strong>How Your Donation Will Help</strong>
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 The work is happening now because a small group of committed individuals chose to step forward and underwrite the necessary funding.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 We're now asking the wider community to help share that responsibility.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Your donation will help to:
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<ul>
 <li>Reimburse the residents, volunteers and councillors who underwrote the necessary funding to make the desilting works happen before the weather changed and the opportunity was lost.</li>
 <li>Support the removal and disposal of any additional silt beyond the 175 tonnes already covered through Enovert's generous contribution.</li>
 <li>Ensure we maximise this unique opportunity to restore the lake while conditions allow, protecting it for years to come.</li>
</ul>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Whether you can donate £5, £20, £50 or more, every contribution will make a difference.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 <strong>Why This Matters</strong>
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Gresford Lake is far more than just a body of water.
</div>
<div>
 It is a place where people walk, meet friends, enjoy nature, exercise, volunteer and spend time with family. It provides valuable habitat for wildlife and is one of the village's most cherished green spaces.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 By removing the accumulated silt now, we can:
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<ul>
 <li>Increase the lake's water-holding capacity.</li>
 <li>Improve resilience against future droughts.</li>
 <li>Make full use of the measures put in place using the 2023 grant funding which the silt has hampered and slowed.</li>
 <li>Enhance habitat conditions for wildfowl and other creatures.</li>
 <li>Protect an important and much loved community asset.</li>
 <li>Ensure the lake is better able to capture and store future rainfall.</li>
</ul>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 This work will help safeguard the lake for future generations and reduce the likelihood of it drying out again during periods of prolonged dry weather.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 <strong>Please Support Gresford Lake</strong>
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 The circumstances that have created this opportunity are unfortunate, but they have also given us the best chance in decades to tackle a problem that has been growing for years.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Thanks to the commitment of volunteers, residents, Gresford Community Council, local contractors and the support of Enovert and Hafod Landfill Site, the work can now be undertaken.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 <strong>Now we need your help</strong>
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 If you have ever enjoyed a walk around Gresford Lake, watched its wildlife, spent time there with family and friends, or simply value it as an important part of our community, please consider making a donation.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>
<div>
 Together, we can restore Gresford Lake, improve its resilience for the future and ensure it remains a treasured part of our village for generations to come.
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
 Thank you so much for your support.
</div>
<div>
 <br>
</div>

Anonymous

Ceris Richards

Jan Ketteringham

Paul Dooley

Sophie Collins

Kenneth Thomas

Chris Knight

Sian Canning

Carol Crinson

Laura Griffiths

Martin Roberts

Samantha Macmillan

Caroline Barratt

Graham Jones

Mrs J Chaplin

Terence Purchase

Laurane Till

Charlotte Allen

A rare opportunity to save Gresford lake

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

currencyCode

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

writePath

Stream Notification

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

Native 11.3.0 and above

Influencer - Prod

US fundraisers and US users

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Enter your donation forA rare opportunity to save Gresford lake