> Wetherby Weir Preservation Trust

The Wetherby Weir Preservation Trust was formed in 1982 primarily to repair and restore the weir which was rapidly deteriorating and had become an eyesore at the approach to the town. A group of volunteers undertook to apply for charitable status and raise the money by appealing to local businesses, townspeople and official bodies.

The Constitution drawn up by the Trust's Solicitors at the time gives scope for work in other areas providing it is adjacent to the river and for the continued enjoyment of the public.

The work of restoring the weir began in April 1982 with the help of over 100 volunteers and the raising of over £40,000 and it continued throughout the summer.

When the rains came later in the year the weir had been made safe and restored.

The following year a retaining wall was built alongside the river adjacent to the weir and a seating area was formed, the seats being provided by local residents. This work was completed mainly by volunteers and was opened in October 1983.

In 1984 Leeds City Council granted £500 towards floodlighting the weir and volunteers spent the year planning and raising money to provide a lighting system which was presented to the town at an official switch-on by Spencer Batiste on Sunday 13th October 1985.

In 1986 another retaining wall was built below the bridge and a seating area constructed, again by volunteers and the seating was provided largely by the Lions and opened on 24th July 1987. This area was subsequently extended and more seating provided.

Having twice replaced the turf around the seating the volunteers decided to lay concrete and setts to replace the turf and in 1996 the work began on the first area below the bridge, followed later by the second area. In 1997 the footpath was widened and a flowerbed built. To celebrate the Millennium the Trust embarked on its largest project since the original restoration and built the Bandstand all the work again being done by volunteers except for the Bandstand metal work which was made by Ollerton Engineering Co. Ltd. Preston and officially opened on 30th September 2000 by George Moore.