New 'footprint' boards providing information about walking and cycling routes have been erected in Thorney, thanks to a charity donation.

Regional housebuilder Allison Homes Central has sponsored a Thorney Footprints information board, which has been mounted at its Abbey Park development in the village.

Organised by The Thorney Society, a registered charity set up to interest and educate people about the history and environment of the village, Thorney Footprints is a planned series of interpretation boards that will be installed around the area.

The boards provide details of walking and cycling routies and also informatio about Thorney and its history.

Currently, five boards are in the process of being put up in key places of Thorney, including at Sandpit Road bus shelter, Station Road and the American Air Crash Memorial in Thorney Dyke, on topics such as Thorney river, Thorney railway, the Duke of Bedford School, the prisoner-of-war camp and women’s land army.

The content of the boards has been developed by The Thorney Society and taken from Thorney Museum, with Abbey Park’s board being titled ‘Decoy, Deer and Smuggling’. Further boards are planned for the future.

Michael Sly MBE, chairman of The Thorney Society, said: “Thorney Footprints was born from an idea in lockdown, when many Thorney residents were exploring their area.

"We are delighted to have been supported by Allison Homes, and to be mounting one of our interpretation boards at the Abbey Park development.

“With Allison Homes’ sponsorship, along with the help from Thorney Parish Council and a grant from the Wryde Croft Wind Farm Community Fund, we have been able to turn this project from a dream

into a reality. We can’t wait for all five boards to be installed, and for more people in the area to learn about Thorney’s history.”

Charlotte Barber, Sales Manager at Allison Homes Central, said: “We are delighted to have sponsored a Thorney Footprints board, and are very excited to have it become a key feature of our Abbey Park development.

“At Allison Homes, we put the local community at the heart of all we do, so are thrilled to have supported The Thorney Society and to be promoting the village’s landmarks. We are looking forward to encouraging our current and future residents to take a stroll around the village and find out about its fascinating history.”

To find out more about Thorney Footprints and to find out when the interpretation boards are installed, visit http://www.thorney-museum.org.uk/thorney-footprints.

For information on The Thorney Society, go to http://www.thorney-museum.org.uk/.