BURY'S bid for £200,000 of sponsorship cash for its "Sailing Into the New Millennium" project will go to boardrooms up and down the country.

A high-powered initiative to secure the vital corporate funding has been launched following a meeting at the House of Commons.

It was staged by Shuttleworth builder Melvin Magnall who is spearheading a Millennium sailing voyage to the USA next summer.

He has enlisted the support of Bury North MP David Chaytor and his predecessor, Mr Alistair Burt. The two, together with other backers, will be approaching companies throughout the UK to ask if they want to "get aboard" the Millennium project.

The £200,000 is required to pay for around 14 Bury youngsters to sail from Liverpool to America.

They will follow in the footsteps of Tottington Quaker Henry Wood who in 1682 travelled with his family to America to escape religious persecution.

He later founded the settlement of Woodbury on the banks of the River Delaware.

There are already ambitious plans for a one-week sporting and cultural festival in Woodbury.

Hopefully, hundreds of people representing a range of Bury groups and organisations will fly over to the USA to take part in the event.

However, the £200,000 is required to pay for the costs of the voyage.

Commenting on his Commons meeting, Melvin, of Millhouse Street, Shuttleworth, said: "It went very well indeed.

"Each person there was given companies to approach. At the same time, we have printed 250 'Sailing Into the New Millennium' brochures which give comprehensive information about the project."

Firms which show interest in funding the sailing trip may be invited to Bury to attend a presentation.

At the same time, they will be given copies of the brochure which outlines the corporate opportunities which the Woodbury trip offers.

Melvin also said the sponsorship appeal would not be confined to the UK.

"We will be approaching firms in the USA as well. We have a number of irons in the fire and will be spreading our net far and wide," he said.

"At the meeting, everyone was very keen and now we'll be getting in contact with many companies."

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