Let's hope that Branson comes up with the cash

And one campaign that certainly seems to be gathering a head of steam is the one to bring back the Hayling Ferry.

The service, which ran between the island and Portsmouth, provided a vital link for many, saving huge amounts of time.

It meant people travelling in either direction could cut their journey significantly – some could even walk or cycle to get to where they were going.

But the axe fell when a council subsidy was pulled and the previous owners went bust.

But since then, support has grown and grown on the island with the community trying to find a way to bring it back into service.

Of course, it will not be cheap – the new owner says around £40,000 would be needed to get the service up and running for 12 months.

So it’s great to see those behind the campaign to bring it back thinking laterally.

They have turned to billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson for help.

He is a regular visitor to the island where he kite-surfs along its beaches.

And the noises coming from Virgin seem positive.

The company told The News: ‘Richard is looking into the proposal to see how he might be able to mobilise wider support from the kite-surfing community in order to save the ferry’.

This just goes to show what can happen with the right ideas and some action.

Yes, there’s still a long way to go, but it is certainly another step in the right direction.

Watch this space and we’ll keep you up to date with all that is going on with this story and whether Mr Branson comes up with the cash.