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Peters Bridge |News


Time for new friends and old memories


MORE than 130 residents were treated to a preview of the new Medway bridge before dignitaries gathered for the opening ceremony.


Developer Trenport and contrac-


tor Bam Nuttall invited guests from all generations, including 60 chil- dren from four village schools – Halling, Eccles, Burham and Wouldham – to walk over the bridge. The four oldest residents of Halling and Wouldham were also among the group, and for them it was a trip down memory lane as they recalled the last bridge that stood there decades ago. This was a World War II Bailey bridge, which was constructed by the Army. Gladys Parris (90), from Halling,


said: “They should never have taken it down. But we’ve got this super new one now.” Mary Cooper (91), from Would-


ham, said of the old bridge: “Peo- ple used it to get to jobs or just go for new walks – we made new friends. The councils fought to keep it after the war, but I think they needed to keep the river open for big boats in those days.” The walk was also marked by a symbolic gesture from the rectors of the parishes on each bank, who exchanged a fish emblem made by their respective village schools. The Rev Hugh Broadbent, Rector


of Snodland, said: “Apparently therewas some kind of fishing dis- pute between the fishermen of both banks and the then Rector of Burham was responsible for calm- ing things down – pouring oil on troubledwaters.” The Rev Mike Hayes, rector of Burham and Wouldham, said:“We thought it would be rather nice to use the new bridge to mark that ‘peace’ and exchange symbolic fish to herald what we expect to be a new era of co-operation between our parishes.”


Left: The oldest residents from both banks, Sidney and Mary Cooper, Gladys Parris and Bet Hodkin.. Below: Rectors Mike Hayes and Hugh Broadbent exchange their symbolic fish. Below left: A cyclist tries out the new path leading to the bridge


Residents from the two sides of the river meet in the middle of the bridge and below, children from village schools shake hands on the bridge


Dog walkers make


the first move ONCE it was open, residents could- n’t wait to explore the bridge. The first people to cross on foot to


the opposite bankwere Nicky Court- ney (left) and Liz Brunell, both from Halling, with their dogs Lucy and Mil- lie.


Liz said: “We have looked across


the river all these years but I have never been to the area on the other side. It will be nice to bring the dogs here for walks for a change.”


Malling October 2016 19


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