Warwickshire News Mine

If people get online and voting for Connect2 from Monday, both Kenilworth and Rugby could have lottery wins of more than a million pounds.

Volunteers will be manning a stand reminding people to vote for the Kenilworth project at the town’s light switch on this Friday, but there will also be some fun and games when a panto horse comes to town, astride a tandem…!

The pantomime horse will be out and about most of the weekend and on Monday in Kenilworth, plus it will then head to Warwick University where it will be joining students for a cycling tour around the site.

The horseplay is to promote Connect2, one of 4 projects competing in the Big Lottery Fund’s: The People’s £50 Million Contest on ITV this December. Only one project will win the £50 million, and it all comes down to votes.

If successful the Kenilworth scheme will mean a new bridge and improved access for walkers and cyclists in the town, plus a much safer route for young and old alike across the A429 Coventry Road.

People can register their intent to vote by calling 0845 0581373, going online to http://www.sustransconnect2.org.uk or by texting Connect2 to 80010 – and the Connect2 Sustrans team will then notify people how and when to vote.

Voting will take place online and by phone following the TV shows. Online voting will open on 26 November at http://www.thepeoples50million.org.uk

There is also now plenty of local information available on a new website at http://www.connect2kenilworth.org.uk

The scheme is being promoted by Warwickshire County Council with the strong backing of the University of Warwick, as it could provide an important element in the university’s Green Travel Plan supporting its current expansion plans. Warwick District Council councillors and officers are also backing the project.

The Chair of the local Connect2 Steering Group, Warwickshire County Councillor John Whitehouse (Kenilworth Abbey) said: “We’re going to have some real fun in raising awareness of this opportunity for the people of Kenilworth to vote their way towards a lottery win.

“I have never seen a panto horse aboard a tandem before, so it should be a real spectacle to behold!

“We have already seen tremendous support and enthusiasm for the Kenilworth Connect2 project. All the local schools have agreed to help us publicise the scheme, and the support at the University of Warwick is great, both from the university itself and from the students. We are also in contact with many local clubs, groups and other organisations asking for their help.

“Hopefully many local people will already have seen our Connect2 posters and banners displayed in many locations, and we shall be distributing a lot of postcards reminding people how and when to register their votes.

“With on-line voting starting on the 26th November, we are planning some eye-catching publicity events around that time and in the lead-up to the start of telephone voting on the 7th December.”

Robert Wilson, Director of Estates at the University of Warwick, said: “The proposed Kenilworth-University cycle route is being supported by the University as part of its green travel plans for the future and is consistent with the University Strategy’s goal of ‘greening’ the campus.”

John Grimshaw, Sustrans CEO, said: "Sustrans needs you to vote for Connect2 in the Big Lottery Fund’s: The People’s £50 Million Lottery Giveaway coming soon. Online voting opens on Monday, 26 November at http://www.thepeoples50million.org.uk. Lorraine Kelly will be championing Sustrans’ Connect2 on an ITV1 show on Tuesday 4 December. Telephone voting will begin on Friday 7 December.”

The Kenilworth scheme is one of three Connect2 projects in the West Midlands being coordinated by Edward Healey, Sustrans Regional Officer based in Birmingham. The other projects are in Birmingham and Rugby – more details on the Rugby scheme and the entire Connect2 project can be obtained from the Sustrans Connect2 website http://www.sustransconnect2.org.uk

Link to WCC