Ref. 12574/1CAMPAIGNERS for the protection and improvement of the River Kennet have this week launched a pictorial map of the river from its source near Avebury to Hungerford.

Action for the River Kennet officially launched its new map and guide on Tuesday night at the town hall in Marlborough.

It has been produced in partnership with the Marlborough Area Development Trust, which hosted the launch.

Other contributors include the Environment Agency, English Nature, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, the North Wessex Downs AONB management committee and the Campaign to Protect Rural England. All were represented at the launch.

The highlight of the launch was a presentation of a framed copy of the map to one of the founders of ARK, former county councillor and retired farmer Jack Ainslie.

Mr Ainslie together with Roger de Vere, both from Mildenhall, the late Neville Mutter from Ramsbury, and Alastair Service from Avebury were the inspiration behind the founding of ARK in 1989.

At that time there was little water in the river and it was choked with algal growth suffocating the natural water weed, Mr de Vere, ARK vice-chairman, told Tuesday's meeting.

ARK was launched at a packed public meeting in the town hall and has since been successful in campaigning to have the river reinstated as one of the premier chalk streams in the south.

ARK was instrumental in persuading Thames Water, in partnership with English Nature, the Enviroment Agency and local landowners and water keepers, to set up a rehabilitation project on the river between Marlborough and Ramsbury.

The five-year project has been completed resulting in re-established banks, better water flow and improved habitat not only for the fish and waterlife but also the many creatures and plant species along the river banks, including the protected water voles.

Mr de Vere said on Tuesday that problems of over-abstraction of water from the river and phosphate pollution from household detergents and farm fertilizers still continued.

He warned: "We are still a ginger group and will act as one when necessary."

Lord Kennet told the meeting that the word Kennet meant different things to different people. His father took the name of the river for his title when he was made a peer in 1935.

Lord Kennet, who lives at Lockeridge, said: "We should all thank Jack Ainslie for all the work he has put in over the past 12 years to galvanise us into showing respect for our river."

Martin Cooke, chairman of the environment committee of the MADT, told the launch: "This map and guide will encourage people to be more aware of the river."

Geoffrey Findlay, also ARK vice-chairman, thanked the sponsors and the map's contributors, including Marlborough photographer David Uttley and Ramsbury painter Simon Orton whose works illustrate the guide. The map is available from local bookshops, priced at £5.