Waterways Magazine - Spring 2023 - No 279

WATERWAYS FOR TODAY

Exploring how waterways are good for local communities and individuals Making

WAteRWAYs edItOR:

Ffion Llwyd-Jones Tel: 01283 742962

E-mail: f.llwyd-jones@wwonline.co.uk

ARt edItOR: Claire Davis

AdVeRtIseMeNt MANAgeR:

Laura Smith Tel: 01283 742956

E-mail: l.smith@wwonline.co.uk

AdVeRtIsINg desIgN: Jo Ward

AdVeRtIsINg PROdUctION: Samantha Furniss

E-mail: s.furniss@wwonline.co.uk

RePROgRAPHIcs:

Waterways World Ltd, 151 Station Street, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 1BG. Printed in England by Warners (Midlands) PLC, Bourne, Lincs Articles may be reproduced provided permission is obtained and acknowledgement made.

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RegIsteRed OffIce: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA Tel: 01494 783453

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Website: www.waterways.org.uk

National Chair - Les Etheridge

Chief Executive - Dave Pearce

Company Secretary – Vedy Reddy For press enquiries please contact: pressoffice@waterways.org.uk

All IWA national and branch committee volunteers can be contacted by email: firstname.lastname@waterways.org.uk

Nothing printed in Waterways may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless stated, otherwise IWA accepts no liability for any matter in the magazine. Although every care is taken with advertising matters no responsibility whatsoever can be accepted for any matter advertised. Where a photo credit includes a note such as CC-BY-SA, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence; full details at www.creativecommons.org

5. Welcomes and farewell

Les Etheridge (National Chair), Dave Pearce (CEO) and Jonathan Smith (Interim CEO)

7. News

The latest within IWA and beyond

18. Waterways for today

The second in a series of articles spotlighting benefits of the waterways

22. Restoring Britain's derelict waterways

Progress, barriers and opportunities

24. Love your waterways

Georgia Howe, a waterways enthusiast and poet, talks about doing a job she loves with IWA

26. spring walk with IWA

A spring walk along the old southern section of the Lancaster Canal

30. silver propeller challenge

Exploring ancient history and traditions, nature and restoration on the North Eastern waterways

33. then&Now

Celebrating the story of Braunston Marina

1. IWA Canal Clean-ups led by our branches keep many waterways clear of debris

2. Restoration is kept high priority through funding for the Waterway Recovery Group

3. Over 10,000 days of volunteering each year will be supported with the right training, tools and materials

4. IWA can campaign to defend the waterways from unwelcome development

5. We can pass on traditional skills and workbased experience for volunteering young people

6. We can lobby the Government and work with other organisations to repair, improve and protect our waterways heritage

7. Your voice is counted when IWA speaks up for all those who enjoy the country’s canals and rivers

COVER PICTURE: Springtime at Alvechurch. Georgia Howe

Welcome from les etheridge, national chair

I became an IWA member many years ago a er holidays on the Norfolk Broads, the canals and the River Thames. I had read Tom Rolt’s book Narrow Boat and started to appreciate how IWA’s early campaigning had saved many of the inland waterways. There was also a very basic understanding that IWA continued to work to benefit the waterways.

Over time, I started to realise just how important IWA was in terms of protecting and restoring waterways so that people like me could enjoy boating and many other activities. Our Waterways for All approach fi ed well with me and eventually led to me taking on volunteer activities where I felt I could support our work. I never imagined that this would lead to two spells as National Chair.

I now realise just how much IWA – and only IWA – continues to do to support the waterways and how much less of an asset to the country they would be if IWA hadn’t and didn’t still exist. There is no other organisation in the UK that does or could do the range of work undertaken by IWA.

Current times are hard for everybody, including IWA, and we have had to look at how we fund our future work. For the first time in ten years, we have increased our membership fees. We have also reviewed our expenditure. As a result, considerable savings are being achieved through, for example, a move to a smaller o ce, reduced IT costs and a revised sta structure. While beneficial, these changes are not enough on their own and IWA needs to change its mindset

Farewell from Jonathan Smith, Interim CEO

This is my final time writing for Waterways as Interim CEO as I’m very pleased to introduce everyone to our new CEO, Dave Pearce, who joined IWA on 3rd January this year.

My seven and a half months at IWA have been an amazing experience – there has been the hard work in pu ing the building blocks in place to allow IWA to deal with its most significant issue, which is its finances – but there has also been the joy of working with enthusiastic sta and volunteers, and the privilege of being in post when our report Waterways for Today was launched and the subsequent parliamentary debate. I am very clear that ‘only IWA’ could have done this, and that the waterways will benefit om it.

IWA is very e ective at protecting and restoring the waterways, but it is not as e ective at telling either its members or the wider world what it is doing, nor is IWA good at ensuring it has the money to continue its vital work. As well as our campaigning mindset, we need to have a fundraising mindset, because if we don’t have the finances, put simply, we can’t continue. This will be one of the key tasks Dave will be focussing on.

I have been amazed and humbled by the support I have had om across the association and I’m sure that if we all (as volunteers) can support Dave as I was supported, then he can only be successful. So, I will end my final Waterways as Interim CEO by simply saying thank you to everyone who has helped and supported me over the past months.

and look to more actively raise funds to support all our work.

Jonathan Smith and I became Chief Executive and National Chair in May 2022 as an interim solution. Jonathan completed his role at the end of 2022 and I cannot thank him enough for his energy and commitment in ensuring that we have taken a big step forward and put IWA on a much sounder footing. Jonathan can now hopefully start to enjoy the early retirement he was looking forward to earlier last year! Fortunately, IWA will continue to benefit om Jonathan’s involvement as a volunteer.

Our new Chief Executive, Dave Pearce, joined us at the beginning of January. Dave’s chari experience of over 20 years and a proven track record in fundraising will help to achieve the change in mindset I referred to above. I look forward to working with Dave to ensure that IWA continues its vital work until my interim concludes during 2023.

Dave is a real enthusiast for the waterways and I know many of you will soon get to know him and appreciate his energy and determination. He will aim to meet as many people as possible at an early stage and I hope you will all be enthused by him to both support and become involved in the need to raise funds to support IWA’s vital ongoing work to protect and restore the waterways.

Welcome from Dave Pearce, CEO

I have worked in the chari world for over 20 years as a chief executive (older people, working in A ica, visual impairment and hoarders) and, before this, for 26 years in the commercial field. Therefore, I hope to bring a wealth of skills, knowledge and experience to develop IWA. I understand there are some significant challenges ahead, particularly financial, but together we will overcome these and build upon all the incredible work that has already taken place.

to bring a wealth of skills, knowledge

I am very excited by the opportuni of working in the boating world. As a canal user, I have experienced many wonderful days on the canals, meeting so many other users and enjoying the chats, camaraderie and challenges faced each day. Protecting, retaining and opening the canals and rivers to even more users, while working alongside the amazing sta , volunteers and canal users who support IWA, are all things that I am really looking forward to.

On a personal basis, I am married with three children and seven grandchildren, which keeps my wife and me busy (although incredibly happy), so ge ing out on our li le boat to relax along with some gardening, cycling and travelling, when possible, makes life so enjoyable.

I hope to meet as many people as possible at the various events that run around the cut and do what I can to support the boating communi , protect the canals and rivers plus open these beautiful areas to even more people.

PROFESSIONAL PRIMERS & TOP COATS FOR THE ULTIMATE FINISH

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DONATION TO STEAM NARROWBOAT PRESIDENT HONOURS RENOWNED BOAT-BUILDER

IWA Lichfield Branch has donated £2,000 in memory of Malcolm Braine, founding member of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal Society. The donation will support the current restoration work and design and installation of a new boiler for President – one of the world’s only surviving boats of its kind and part of the National Historic Fleet.

Malcolm was a renowned boat-builder and restorer who formed a link from the historic working boatyards to the modern leisure boats. Malcolm’s abilities for boat renovations were second to none; he worked on almost 150 historic boat conversions during his lifetime.

A hugely respected figure in boat-building, Malcolm was recruited by Tom Rolt into IWA in 1948, which led to his honorary life membership 70 years later. Sue Gurney, Lichfield IWA, states that the donation is “particularly fitting as Malcolm was instrumental in originally rescuing and restoring President in the 1970s”.

REGENERATION OF BRIDGWATER DOCKS

Approval was given at an executive meeting of Sedgemoor District Council in December 2022 to submit the business case for the Bridgwater Docks Regeneration Project to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities for final approval.

A total of £5.2m from the Town’s Fund award to Bridgwater will be spent on the regeneration project, with £4.2m being specifically directed at the docks and the remaining £1m being used to deliver better walking and cycling links in the docks area as part of a growing active travel network.

The district council has said that it intends to replace the pontoons and other infrastructure to provide a “highquality residential and leisure marina community, and a new distinctive feature in the town centre”.

Provided approval is granted by March 2023, the local authority will be able to consult on the detailed designs and secure planning permission by early 2024. Once the work on the Docks has been completed (anticipated for June 2025), the site will be transferred to Bridgwater Town Council as part of the wider reorganisation of local government in Somerset.

IWA fully supports the proposal to transfer the docks’ site to Bridgwater Town Council, once the works funded by the £4.2m Town’s Fund award have been completed. West Country Branch’s volunteer work parties based in Bridgwater continue to work at the docks under an agreement with Somerset County Council. The branch has been campaigning for the regeneration of Bridgwater docks for some years now, and will continue to do so.

2023 WATERWAY RESTORATION CONFERENCE

The 2023 Waterway Restoration Conference, run by IWA and the Canal & River Trust, will be held in Chesterfield this March. The event will focus on the sustainability of your restoration and explore your journey to operation with keynote speakers from Derbyshire County Council and Chesterfield Canal Trust. We will also be running technical breakout sessions, self-guided tours as well as plenty of time for networking!

Time: 10am – 4pm, Date: 18th March 2023

Location: Winding Wheel Theatre, Chesterfield S41 7SA

VOLUNTEERS WITH PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

Waterway restoration groups are reminded of the free services offered by IWA’s Honorary Consultant Engineers, Honorary Consultant Planners and the Planning Advisory Panel and Heritage Advisory Panel. These panels of experts exist to provide technical expertise to support waterway restoration projects and assist with other inland waterway campaign work throughout the UK.

We would like to expand the range of services offered. If you have, or know someone who has, professional skills in other areas that could be useful to waterway restoration groups, and you would be prepared to share those skills, please contact Jenny Hodson at IWA’s Head Office (jenny.hodson@waterways. org.uk). We are particularly looking for quantity surveyors, solicitors and people with environmental expertise.

(L-R) Carolyn Sankey, Director of Development at BCLM, Sue Gurney, Treasurer IWA Lichfield Branch, Pete Gurney, Chair, IWA Lichfield Branch, Nick Haynes, Chair, Friends of President.

Bridgwater Docks.

MANCHESTER SHIP CANAL GUIDE

The Manchester Ship Canal is a waterway which links Manchester with the coast and provides access to the city for large ocean-going vessels. The canal is over 37 miles long and has five locks in total. However, it is not considered a leisure waterway and the incompatibility of large ships and small boats means that hired vessels are not usually permitted. Boat-owners must seek permission to use the canal from the Manchester Ship Canal Company, proving that their boat is seaworthy, insured and has the required safety equipment on board. A guide for small craft planning to use the canal was originally prepared for IWA by John Fletcher and published by IWA North West Region; a revised version was recently released. The 38-page route section of the guide has been completely reworked by John Fletcher (former National Chair) and the preceding notes revised with input from IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch. A link to the guide will be included in new editions of Nicholson’s No 4 and No 5. It is also available to download from waterways.org.uk/ manchester-ship-canal.

SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT CALDON CANAL HERITAGE

IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch submitted an objection to a Canal & River Trust planning application for Listed Building Consent for alterations at Hazelhurst Top Lock (Lock 10). IWA objected strongly on heritage and health and safety grounds to one aspect of the application, which was the proposal for a fabricated ‘restrictor’ on the end of the balance beams. Despite what the Heritage Design and Access Statement says, we were concerned that this would have had a detrimental impact on the heritage setting of the listed lock (which is also part of a conservation area), and would have introduced a new unexpected hazard to boaters operating the lock, who would no longer be able to pass around the end of the balance beam in an emergency, for example if the gate is swinging closed of its own accord. The problem at this lock is that the balance beams are too long for the original stonework of the lock. We suggested this could be rectified by reducing the length of the balance beams and adding additional weight underneath (if the balance of the gate is affected), as has been done in many other locations around CRT’s network of waterways. This view has been endorsed by IWA’s national Navigation Committee. Objections were also submitted by the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust and the Historic Narrow Boat Club for the same reasons.

We recently heard that our objections have been taken on board, as CRT has removed the part of the application referring to the balance beam restrictors. It now plans simply to move the handles on the end of the balance beams to align with the quadrant below, as well as investigate the possibility of shortening the beam.

TIME CAPSULE

Let us know what the waterways mean to you and we’ll include your name and response in our time capsule! We will be creating the Waterways Time Capsule to mark the launch of the Waterways for Today report in 2022.

While the report focuses on waterways in the present day, we very much hope that it will become a benchmark for the waterways of the future, too. Our Time Capsule Project will help to achieve this by creating a snapshot of today’s waterways that can be revisited in many years to come.

The time capsule will include your responses, a copy of the report, case studies, and photographs of our waterways. Once you’ve completed the online form, we’ll keep you updated on the progress of the time capsule and let you know when/where it will be buried.

Visit waterways.org.uk/time-capsule to take part.

CANAL CAMPS

We have received a number of enquiries from people who are interested in attending a Canal Camp. The 2023 programme will be available in early spring and we’ll also be recruiting volunteers for key roles including:

• Canal Camp Leader As a Canal Camp Leader, your main role is to make sure the Canal Camp is a fun, well-planned and safe experience.

• Assistant Canal Camp Leader As an Assistant Canal Camp Leader, you will support the Leader in making sure the Canal Camp runs smoothly and safely.

• Canal Camp Cook As a Canal Camp Cook, your main role is to feed 12-18 Canal Camp volunteers. Canal restoration is hungry work, after all!

Manchester Ship Canal, Salford Quays.

Hazelhurst Top Lock bottom gates, Caldon Canal.

TOWPATH UPGRADE AT WOOTTON BROOK

IWA Northampton Branch adopted the Northampton Arm of the GU Canal in 2013. There are 24 regular work parties each year, and in recent years we have been partnered on the weekdays by staff from Cummins Power Systems in Daventry.

There have been several housing developments to the west of the town through which the arm runs. Over the last 10 years, various council initiatives have used Developer Contributions to fund vast improvements to the towpath between Lock 17 (Northampton Town Centre) to beyond Lock 14 where the housing area now extends. Cummins helped fund and lay a recent small extension to the path in 2019.

The recent lockdowns have contributed to a vast increase in foot and cycle traffic along the towpath. Many of these walkers and cyclists now use the towpath regularly. There remained a stretch of towpath that was still in its original state, and got very muddy in wet weather, often passable only by the brave. The Northampton Branch team resolved to improve it. The parish council was very supportive, Canal & River Trust was on board, and local business Cummins was keen to support by paying for the materials and bringing staff to help.

In May 2022, during very hot weather, 70m of path were dug out and levelled, 35 tons of gravel barrowed along from the nearest access point, and 30 ice lollies consumed! After a summer of further refining their plans, a further 70m were dug and levelled in September, along with 35 tons of gravel shifted, laid and compacted, countless cups of coffee drunk, and some new faces seen among the IWA volunteers. The last full day of work brought heavy rain showers, a visit from CRT’s Richard Parry, and some thoughts on the missing 140 or so metres to Lock 13 that they hope to complete in 2023.

IN MEMORIAM

Wendy Humphreys

We were deeply saddened to hear that Wendy Humphreys, Chair of IWA Lancashire & Cumbria Branch, passed away on 6th October 2022. Wendy was an incredibly proactive branch chair who was truly committed to her role. She had led the Lancashire & Cumbria Branch for several years and was also a Zoom Champion. Wendy will be missed by many, not only in her local branch but within the wider IWA community. In light of this sad news, Audrey Smith stepped in to help manage correspondence for the Lancashire & Cumbria Branch. She can be contacted by email at audrey.smith@waterways.org.uk.

Roger Leishman

We were very saddened to hear that Roger Leishman, former Chair of IWA Chiltern Branch, passed away on Friday 28th October 2022. The loss of Roger was felt not only within the Chiltern Branch, but also within the wider waterways community.

Denis Farmer

IWA Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch lost a good friend with the passing of Denis Farmer on 21st October 2022. Many members of IWA Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch and the waterways community will remember Denis fondly.

SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT WATERWAYS HERITAGE IN LONDON

IWA’s Heritage Advisory Panel supported the North & East London Branch in objecting to a proposal from Canal & River Trust to dispose of the strip of land alongside Commercial Road Lock on the Regent’s Canal. IWA felt that disposal of this land threatened the canal’s heritage setting and amenity value.

Taking Limehouse Basin as a meeting place for boats between the tidal Thames and the inland canals, this lock stands as a gateway to the canal system. The two lock chambers fit neatly into the space between two historic bridges, twin arches of the Commercial Road Bridge and the fine single arch of the docks railway, now DLR. This canalscape is very important to the character of the designated Regent’s Canal Conservation Area and we felt that anything built on the site would inevitably damage these views.

Additionally, we believe that it is inappropriate to dispose of any land that forms part of the operational environment for a canal lock. The second chamber is an important heritage feature, and it deserves to be kept to show how the canal operated in its busy commercial days. It is also important to make sure that restoring the second chamber is possible in the future, even if not currently an option.

Objections were also raised by the Friends of Regent’s Canal, the Commercial Boat Operators Association, the Lower Regents Coalition and the Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society. The Canal & River Trust responded to the objections saying that they have “carefully considered the various representations made”, and “accept that the sale of this land on a freehold basis is not in the best interests of the Trust and we will not be progressing it”.

IMPORTANCE OF WATERWAY FUNDING DISCUSSED BY MPS AT ALL PARTY GROUP MEETING

The first hybrid meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways (for which IWA provides the secretariat) took place on Wednesday 2nd November 2022, with MPs in a meeting room in Westminster while representatives of waterway organisations were able to join by video link.

The meeting was chaired by Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield and APPGW Chair, and was also attended by Heather Wheeler MP for South Derbyshire, Wendy Morton MP for Aldridge and Brownhills, and Suzanne Webb MP for Stourbridge. Other MPs and peers joined by video or sent representatives to attend on their behalf.

The main purpose of the meeting was to highlight to MPs the importance of waterway funding, particularly in the context of Defra’s review of Canal & River Trust’s grant funding which is currently taking place. As Richard Parry, CRT Chief Executive, explained in his presentation, the outcome of the Defra review, due to be announced in 2023, will be critical for CRT’s longterm financial position, with the current grant funding contract only in place until 2027.

Richard gave an overview of the Trust’s achievements during its first ten years, and explained the importance of its waterways to the nine million people who live within 10 to 15 minutes’ walk of them. He also highlighted the importance of the inland waterways to the Government’s plans for ‘levelling up’, with 61% of households within 1km of their waterways experiencing well-being inequalities.

Jonathan Smith, Interim IWA Chief Executive, then gave a presentation detailing IWA’s new report, Waterways for Today. This report demonstrates how the country’s network of 5,000 miles of inland waterways can contribute to the country’s economic recovery. It details the 12 most significant benefits that the inland waterways can bring to our economy, environment, local communities and lives.

A lively Q&A session followed, with questions raised by waterway organisation representatives and discussed by the panel, on subjects such as the impact of climate change on the costs of maintaining safe waterways, heritage structures at risk, and how waterways under restoration and those run by other navigation authorities can also get better support from Government.

The meeting closed with the MPs agreeing to put in requests for a Parliamentary Debate on the subject of waterway funding.

Some of the MPs who attended the Waterways APPG meeting at Westminster.

L-R: (sitting) Wendy Morton MP, Suzanne Webb MP, Michael Fabricant MP; (standing) Jonathan Smith, Interim CEO, IWA and Richard Parry, CEO, CRT.

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE AND PQS ON THE FUTURE OF THE WATERWAYS

Following on from the APPGW meeting, MPs were successful in securing a Parliamentary Debate and this took place on Tuesday 22nd November 2022. More than a dozen MPs spoke passionately and knowledgeably about the importance of public funding for inland waterways, but IWA was disappointed by the response from the Waterway Minister. It is IWA’s view that Government has missed an opportunity to reassure the public that 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales will receive sufficient funding in the future to keep them safe for the people who live, work and spend time on or near them, and to protect this important infrastructure network for future generations.

The Westminster Hall debate was opened by Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways. Michael outlined the importance of waterways to local people, the environment and the economy. He noted that with waterways more popular than ever “we are seeing their benefits realised on a grand scale, repurposed for leisure and recreation, for health and well-being, for homes – and still playing a vital economic role for freight and other commercial uses, attracting visitors from across the globe while also enriching the lives of so many local communities”.

The 90-minute debate heard about waterway projects in constituencies across the country, with many MPs mentioning the importance of the Canal & River Trust’s 2,000 miles of waterways. Waterways managed by other navigation authorities were also discussed, with MPs from Norfolk, Scotland and Northern Ireland also taking part.

Issues raised during the debate included the potential for more water transfer projects, the impact of climate change on historic infrastructure, waterway restoration projects and the hard work put in by volunteers, as well as the most important issue of continued support for the waterways funded by Government.

The outcome of the review by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) of its funding for CRT’s waterways, originally due to conclude in July 2022 and then postponed until 2023, will be critical for the Trust’s long-term financial position, with the current grant funding contract only in place until 2027.

Rebecca Pow MP, who had, at the time, been recently reappointed as the Defra Minister with responsibility for waterways in England and Wales, responded to the debate, but was unable to confirm any timescale for the announcement of Defra’s review into Canal & River Trust’s funding, saying only that, “… the outcomes… will be announced forthwith”.

The Parliamentary Debate was followed up with a series of Parliamentary Questions in December, asked by Michael Fabricant MP, to which the minister again responded with no definitive answer about when Defra’s review of CRT funding would be concluded.

IWA is disappointed that the minister is still unable to give a more positive response to the debate, and in particular to the question of timing for the Defra announcement. As endorsed by many of the MPs during the debate, IWA considers that it is essential for CRT to have the certainty of knowing that it will receive sufficient funding to meet the increasing challenges of climate change and inflation, so that it can plan for the proper maintenance of its waterways and associated historic structures.

Some of the MPs who took part in the Parliamentary Debate on 22nd November, 2022. L-R Maggie Throup MP for Erewash, Richard Parry, Chief Executive CRT, Michael Fabricant MP for Lichfield, Sue O’Hare, Deputy Chair IWA, Wendy Morton MP for Aldridge & Brownhills.

TRAILBOAT FESTIVALS

Due to cancellations during the Covid-19 pandemic, there are no National Trailboat Festivals planned until 2025. We would, therefore, like to encourage waterway restoration trusts, societies or councils that are engaged in restoring a waterway to apply to host a Trailboat Festival in 2024/25.

Trailboat Festivals are very useful for drawing attention locally and nationally to restoration or improvement projects. In addition to a greater awareness of the project, these events can draw local political attention to successful restorations and also provide a source of additional income. When people see others gathering and the tranquil movement of pleasure-boats – illuminated at night and decorated with bunting and flags – on even a small part of their previously disused canal, it gives a lot of pleasure. It adds considerably to the quality and tone of the locality – urban or rural. It leaves people wanting to see further improvement and attracts more supporters for the restoration project.

There is no set design for a Trailboat Festival as its very nature will depend upon the waterway being promoted. These events depend in part on the availability of volunteers, financial resources and the extent of support from local politicians and the community. We have members and supporters in all parts of the country, and can certainly ask those who are local to you if they are willing to help with preparation. A Waterway Recovery Group (WRG) team could be available if requested, depending on availability, to provide manual assistance in constructing, running and dismantling as they have people who have been putting on events for many years and may be available to give advice in person, over the phone or by email. We may also be able to free loan a two-ton trailer full of the sort of gear necessary to stage an event, although a 4×4 vehicle with a tow bar is required to collect it. Some marketing for the event can be carried out centrally as part of our programme of events which is advertised each year, and our website can also be used. You can apply to our Finance Committee for help with your early organising costs.

The format for applications is to submit a written request but the first step is to check that you have the basic facilities available. Please email the Trailboat Officer for a list of required facilities. As each event tends to be unique to its waterway and to its organising committee, all we need at the outset is an Outline Proposal of your Trailboat Festival Plan. We will send you advice on what this should cover and an example for guidance. To secure the approval and support of IWA, it is necessary for us to feel sure the event is likely to take place and that the event is planned properly. Organisers will need to plan several years ahead and have a suitable budget in place. For assistance with answering the questions in the application, just email iwa.trailboat.festivals@gmail.com. We are continuously looking for applicants for Trailboat Festivals up to four or five years in advance to allow plenty of advertising time.

WENDOVER CANAL TRUST CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY

On Tuesday 1st November 2022, Wendover Canal Trust staged its biggest community engagement event with more than 100 guests from 85 different organisations, to mark the 25th anniversary of work starting on restoration of the Wendover Canal. The occasion also enabled the trust to provide an update on its activities, hold a dialogue with representatives from local organisations and thank its current supporters.

IWA has supported the project throughout those 25 years, both nationally and through IWA Chiltern Branch, while IWA’s Restoration Hub has recently provided a significant amount of support. Our Technical Support Officer, Mikk Bradley, worked with the Canal & River Trust over drawings and designs for Whitehouses sluice structure. He also prepared detailed drawings for the repairs to the foundations of the swing-bridge, including stop plank design, the Narrows structure and towpath strengthening wall. Mikk has also taken on an active role in training WCT volunteers in levelling. The WCT Environment Group was trained by IWA’s former Volunteer Coordinator Alex Melson on Biodiversity Net Gain, who led a training afternoon walking along the Wendover Canal and highlighting many aspects of value to the wildlife at Whitehouses Pocket Park.

At the event in Your Café in the Park in Aston Clinton, WCT Chair Clive Johnson said the canal was almost impenetrable when the decision was taken to restore it and the first task was to clear the hawthorn scrub. He said that volunteer construction started in 1997 and that “our wonderful volunteers have been doing heavy construction work for 25 years – and we are all unpaid”.

He added, “Our plan is that, by the end of 2025, we will complete our lining of the section which has always leaked near Tring, then we will restore the water level all the way to Wendover for boats to Buckland, and eventually Wendover. None of this would have been possible without the funders of the restoration and the towpath upgrade.”

The canal and its towpath were becoming a green corridor, he said, “accessible to us all to boost our well-being, with increased biodiversity”. Ros Daniels (CRT Director for London & South East) proposed a celebratory toast and other distinguished guests included Commodore Tim Hennessey, RN DL, Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Wing Commander Anna Toothill, Deputy Station Commander, RAF Halton and Councillor Christopher Townsend, Mayor of Tring.

Over the years, local Waterway Recovery Group volunteers have got stuck in at the trust’s regular work parties and, in summer 2022, two WRG Canal Camps were held on the Wendover Canal. WRG regional groups have held weekend digs on site, two digs so far in 2022. IWA’s Restoration Hub will continue to support this project and run camps there in 2023 and beyond.

P HIL S HARPE

WATER TRANSFER SCHEMES OFFER POSSIBILITIES FOR WATERWAY RESTORATION AND NAVIGATION

The EA’s National Framework for Water Resources consists of five regional groups, bringing together the water companies that operate in each of England’s regions with key water users and other stakeholders. All five regions are currently consulting on their Dra Regional Water Resources Plans. Many of the water transfer schemes (to move water around the country and share resources more e ectively) have implications for navigation and for restoration projects.

Open-water transfer has the potential to be cheaper, improve biodiversi and wildlife corridors, as well as provide ameni value in the form of boating links, and enhanced walking and cycling access to the countryside with associated health benefits.

It also opens up the possibili of using waterborne eight to deliver materials and remove spoil om these large in astructure projects.

Several of the regional water resource networks are exploring options which could benefit navigation.

Water Resources East (WRE) is planning two new reservoirs as part of its Water Resources Plan. The proposed Fenland Reservoir would be built near the town of Cha eris in Cambridgeshire. If Anglian Water opt for open-water supply to this, it could provide a link to the Middle Level om the Great Ouse. The historically important Welches Dam Lock, currently closed to navigation, could be reopened (or a new lock built parallel to it). IWA has been campaigning for the reopening of this lock since it closed. Not only would the tidal crossing be made unnecessary, but a new cruising ring created.

The second proposed reservoir would be in South Lincolnshire and WRE is working with the Stamford Canal Socie to understand the feasibili of restoring the Stamford Canal to help transfer water as part of the Boston to Peterborough wetland corridor.

CANALWAY CAVALCADE

IWA’s Canalway Cavalcade will return to London’s Li le Venice for a 40th anniversary celebration between 29th April and 1st May 2023. The event is held annually over the three days of the early May Day Bank Holiday and is a vibrant waterways celebration. London’s Li le Venice will be transformed with hundreds of colourful boats, live music, re eshment stands, cra stalls and family activities!

Boat bookings are now open for this unique festival and you can download an application form om our website. The commi ee that organises the event is also seeking new members and volunteers so please do consider joining the fantastic team behind one of the most successful and besta ended inland waterways events in the country.

Current vacancies include:

• Marketing & Social Media Assistant

• Secretary

• Site & Services Assistant

• Treasurer

Additionally, WRE is working with the Environment Agency and the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Park to explore the water and flood risk benefits of linking the Grand Union Canal and the Great Ouse.

Water Resources West and Water Resources South East are also developing plans for water transfers that would use existing assets such as canals to move water within and beyond regions. Their consultations found these were particularly favoured as they are sustainable and require less investment.

The Grand Union Canal transfer would use the existing canal in astructure to transfer water om the Midlands to areas likely to experience water shortages in the South East. The scheme plans to use a treated wastewater discharge at Minworth as the resilient source of water to supply this canal transfer via a pipeline.

The proposed Severn-Thames Transfer would convey raw water om the River Severn into the River Thames via a pipeline or via the disused, derelict Cotswold Canals.

IWA’s Navigation Commi ee will be engaging with these consultations, emphasising the benefits of using canal restorations, new, navigable channels and existing waterways for open water transfer instead of pipelines.

All these roles require a endance at around eight commi ee meetings per year, and the need for general availabili during the week to take on duties a ributed to the role. You will of course also be required to a end the event.

For more information, or to register your interest, please contact Christine Smith by email: christine.smith@waterways.org.uk.

ABOVE: Silting problems at Denver.

RIGHT: Welches Dam showing reeds.

MIKE DAINES

CHRIS HOWES

FESTIVAL OF WATER

The IWA Events Committee needs your help ahead of the 2023 Festival of Water in Pelsall, West Midlands. The three-day event takes place every August Bank Holiday, and is organised and staffed entirely by volunteers. It is an opportunity each year to remind the public of everything IWA does and everything that only IWA can do for the waterways. The event is free to the public and there are live performers in the Entertainments Marquee all weekend, as well as plenty of activities for both adults and children. We attract about 100 boats and nearly as many campers.

We also have to attract a good selection of caterers, traders and exhibitors, and this is one area where we need your help – it’s a major income stream for the festival.

Jane Elwell, the Chair of Events, has taken on the job of recruiting caterers and traders as well as all her other responsibilities. We really need someone to take on this role, initially, of course, with Jane’s help. We have a core group of traders and caterers who attend every year, and we would like to reach out and add to this group, looking especially for local businesses and charities to engage with the local community.

It’s not just recruiting and selling space – someone has to record and manage traders’ application forms and their requirements for space, power and water, as well as liaising with the site team on the allocation of spaces. We can tailor the role to suit the volunteer, and in the past caterers and traders have been managed by two different volunteers.

We also need a volunteer to identify sources of grant funding and sponsorship. Finding grants that are available could become a valuable source of extra income, and so could local businesses prepared to sponsor us. We would have to make sure that we comply with any terms attached to grants, and also that any grants and sponsorships are properly acknowledged and publicised, in our programme or on banners, for instance.

For more information about volunteering as a committee member for the 2023 Festival of Water, please get in touch with IWA National Treasurer, John Butler: john.butler@waterways.org.uk.

IWA

AWARD PRIZE

MONEY

USED TO FUND BUCKINGHAM CANAL SOCIETY MOSAIC

In October 2022, around 50 people attended the unveiling of a kingfisher mosaic on the restored bridge over the Buckingham Canal at Cosgrove. The mosaic was created by local artist Melanie Watts and funded by the Christopher Power Prize money awarded by IWA to Athina Beckett in 2020. The Christopher Power Prize is awarded to a person, society or trust who has made the most significant contribution to the restoration of an inland waterway.

Athina Beckett was nominated for her dedicated and enthusiastic contribution to the Buckingham Canal Society’s ongoing restoration of the Grand Union’s Buckingham Branch.

She joined Buckingham Canal Society in 1993 as a volunteer. Further roles soon followed and in 1997 she took on the job of work party leader, a role she continues to hold today. She has been particularly successful at encouraging involvement with the Buckingham Canal Society from a number of corporate organisations.

Pete Winkleman of MKDons, and landowner of the farmland adjacent to the canal, kindly attended and unveiled the mosaic. Canal & River Trust CEO Richard Parry also attended the event and was impressed by the work the Buckingham Canal Society volunteers have done and continue to undertake.

WEST COUNTRY BRANCH HOSTS WATERWAYS FORUM

The West Country Branch hosted a Waterways Forum for waterway groups in the South West peninsula on Saturday 8th October 2022 and, as previously, this took place in the Canal Room of the Globe Inn, Sampford Peverell, Devon, which is adjacent to the Grand Western Canal.

The forum provided an opportunity for the local waterway groups to meet up, exchange information and ideas, and to hear about current and proposed developments – of which there are many – on some of the local waterways.

The event was attended by over 30 waterway enthusiasts, representing the Bude Canal Trust, Bude Canal & Harbour Society, Rolle Canal Society, Stover Canal Trust, Friends of Exeter Ship Canal, Friends of Grand Western Canal, Somerset Navigators Boat Club, Cocklemoor Community Trust and IWA. Special guests were Nicola Dyer of Greenwood Projects and Brian Smedley of Bridgwater Town Council.

The waterways represented covered operational waterways, restored waterways, those undergoing restoration

and others in need of regeneration. The presentations made it clear that they all face issues and problems and that, while good progress is being made in dealing with these, there is always more to do. Our guest speaker, Nicola Dyer, spoke about her project at Underhill Yard in Bristol and it was well received.

Overall feedback was that the forum went well. It was particularly pleasing to see the local waterway groups networking with each other and having an opportunity to see the progress made by the groups that made presentations.

Navigation Committee

Sue O’Hare, IWA Deputy Chair and Chair of Navigation Committee, provides an update on the committee’s most recent developments, priorities and ongoing activities

Following the sad loss of Steve Warwicker in June 2022, I was honoured to be asked to take over as interim Chair of Navigation Committee. It is proving to be a busy, enjoyable and fulfilling role, with a great deal of work going on, and I thought it was time for an update.

First, we have refreshed the membership of the committee to make sure there is representation from each region and from Scotland. We have welcomed new regional representatives Iain Duncan (North East), Jonathan Mosse (Scotland), Andrew Strawson (South West & South Wales) and David Struckett (West Midlands), with a continuing vacancy for Eastern Region. Amy Tillson (IWA Campaigns Officer) and Paul Greenhalgh (volunteer) are now members and Jessal Murarji (IWA Honorary Consulting Engineer) has joined as a corresponding member. Alison Smedley continues as a committee member after stepping down from her IWA staff role in Jnauary 2023.

Trustees have confirmed the remit of the Navigation Committee and the committee has spent some time considering the areas to be prioritised. In line with the concerns expressed by many IWA members, we will be focusing in two main areas: waterway funding and waterway condition. The Canal & River Trust is very much in the spotlight at present pending the outcome of its Grant Review, but the Environment Agency and other navigation authorities face similar financial challenges. IWA provides the secretariat to the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways and helped arrange the meeting on CRT funding on 2nd November 2022. This led to the Westminster Hall debate on the future of the waterways on 22nd November, which I was pleased to attend on behalf of IWA. The APPGW will next be turning its attention to Environment Agency waterways.

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that the condition of waterways is declining in terms of asset maintenance, vegetation management, dredging and water resources. To support a campaign, we are seeking to collect an evidence base, including data made available by navigation authorities and data collected independently by IWA.

In terms of relationships with navigation authorities, we have broadened our agenda to include the Broads Authority, the Middle Level Navigations and Scottish Canals. We have reinstated regular liaison meetings with the CRT National Boating Manager and the Environment Agency National Navigation Team. I am representing IWA on the new Environment Agency National Waterways Forum, with Verna Smith as my deputy. IWA continues to have representatives on the Stakeholder Engagement Groups for the Anglian Waterways (Chris Howes), the River Medway (Mike Marsh), the River Thames (Verna Smith) and the River Wye (Jonathan Mosse). This group of IWA representatives met for the first time in Decmber 2023 to share information and agree a common approach. IWA was recently consulted by the Broads Authority about appointments to its Navigation Committee. A meeting has been scheduled with the new Chair of the Association of Inland Navigation Authorities.

One of the Navigation Committee’s responsibilities is to provide support for branches and regions with local matters where specialist advice or a national perspective is needed. A good example was a recent approach by Lydney Yacht Club for support with the regeneration of Lydney Harbour. A second example was support to the North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch in its successful objection to a proposal by CRT to add ‘restrictors’ to the balance beams of the listed Hazelhurst Top Lock on the Caldon Canal. Other current matters include Bridgwater Docks, the River Great Ouse at St Ives, the North Walsham & Dilham Canal, the Tennant Canal and the tidal Trent.

Another Navigation Committee responsibility is to respond on behalf of IWA to relevant consultations. We are considering the consultations on the five draft best-value regional plans for water resource management in England and parts of Wales.

Ongoing activities include the oversight of relevant campaigns (community moorings, freight, HS2, sustainable boating) and the review and updating of policies. We are considering possible additions to the list of Silver Propeller Challenge locations for 2023. The most recently updated policy is the Policy on Moorings on Navigable Waterways, which is available with the other IWA external policies on the Library page of the IWA website.

Navigation Committee has a vital role and a broad scope and only IWA can do all this. If you would like to get involved, please do get in touch. You would be most welcome.

Letter writing campaign

Our Waterways for Today report was launched in a bid to highlight the importance of the waterways network. It demonstrates how inland waterways can contribute to the country’s economic recovery and outlines the 12 most significant benefits that the inland waterways can bring to our economy, environment, local communities and lives.

The waterways are valuable assets to our country, but ongoing funding is critical if we are to protect them so that future generations can continue to enjoy the many benefits that canals and rivers provide. Our Waterways for Today report forms a comprehensive resource that we hope will help to secure vital funding for navigation authorities, waterways charities and restoration projects.

With your help, our waterways may stand a chance of securing the investment they need. This is why we are encouraging all waterways supporters to write to their MPs about the importance of waterways funding, particularly with respect to Defra’s current review of the Canal & River Trust’s grant funding. This will be critical for the long-term financial position of CRT, which was discussed in an All Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways (APPGW) meeting in November 2022. See page 11 to find out more about the meeting and the discussions that took place.

All MPs with waterways in their constituencies have been sent a copy of the report, which can be downloaded from our website.

To assist you in writing to your MP, we have provided a letter-writing template on the next page. You can find this and other useful resources, including the IWA Directory of Parliamentary Constituencies with Waterways, on our website waterways. org.uk/campaigns/waterways-fortoday/lobby-your-mp.

For boaters who move around the system, please write to the MP in the location you are registered to vote.

Note: This template is designed so that you can pick and choose some of the bullet points. It is not necessary to use all of these points and, if the letter can be rewritten in your own words, then that will be even better.

Dear (MP)

Opening paragraph – choose from one of these options, or write your own:

Option 1: I am writing to bring to your attention the importance of the ongoing public funding of navigable waterways, particularly those in the management of the Canal & River Trust, which is currently undergoing a review of its funding by Defra.

Option 2: I am writing to ask for your support when the issue of funding for the inland waterways is discussed in Parliament. This is a subject that is very close to my heart because ...

Option 3: I am writing to let you know that the country’s inland waterways provide hugely important benefits to people, the environment and local communities, while also contributing significantly to the economy, but they are under threat due to lack of funding.

Background information paragraphs – choose 1 or more of the following:

Suggested paragraph: Our canals and rivers create jobs and bring financial benefits through tourism and leisure. They offer opportunities to mitigate flooding, transfer drinking water and provide habitat corridors for wildlife and biodiversity. They can also contribute to the improved health and well-being of the whole population. These benefits can only be realised if they are well maintained and looked after.

For England and Wales: It is vital that the waterways in public ownership funded by national or devolved government (such as those managed by the Canal & River Trust, the Environment Agency and Scottish Canals) receive adequate financial support.

For Scotland – letters aimed at MSPs as waterways is a devolved issue: It is vital that the waterways managed by Scottish Canals receive adequate financial support from Transport Scotland.

Suggested paragraph: Smaller, independent or local authorityowned waterways also need access to additional funds so they can remain viable as an important resource for local people.

Suggested paragraph: Without funding, existing navigable waterways are in danger of being closed, with local people and communities along their routes missing out on all the benefits that they bring.

Suggested paragraph: The Benefits of Inland Waterways (choose two or three benefits and add local examples of waterway businesses or regeneration projects if you can).

Suggested paragraph: The inland waterways network brings the following benefits to your constituency:

• Contributing to the country’s economic recovery – waterway projects can regenerate both rural and urban areas and improve the lives of millions of people.

• Increased spend in local communities – boat-based tourism and leisure activities contribute £2.5bn to the economy each year, with people on day trips, boat holidays and taking part in water-based activities spending even more in local pubs, cafés and shops.

• Savings to the NHS and social care budgets – waterways are well placed to improve the health, well-being and longevity of the many people living near them through increased physical activities and social prescribing.

• Protecting and improving the natural environment –waterways are blue-green corridors that allow opportunities for reconnecting disparate habitats, biodiversity net gain and improvements for wildlife.

• Waterways heritage for future generations – with their historic buildings and structures, waterways form a vast, open-air heritage network that is accessible to everyone and brings history to life for current and future generations.

• Sustainability and planning for resilience and climate change – our waterways face unprecedented challenges from climate change, but they can be part of the solution through adaptation, mitigation and enhancing the natural environment.

• Connecting communities – access to the paths that run alongside our waterways is free. These inclusive, flat, linear routes are active travel corridors that connect communities and provide passage between urban and rural areas.

• Education and young people – waterways offer opportunities for hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, as well as the humanities and arts, through outdoor classrooms, visits to local waterways and intergenerational learning.

• Jobs, training and apprenticeships – waterways offer many opportunities for employment, training and apprenticeships including in the tourism, leisure, hospitality, engineering and construction sectors.

• Improved physical health – waterways open up multiple opportunities for outdoor activities such as walking, running, cycling, fishing, sailing, canoeing, paddle boarding and volunteering.

• Improved mental health and well-being – waterways can boost well-being and improve mental health through physical recreation, shared social experiences and connecting with nature.

• Creating better places to live – waterside locations create a sense of place that can enhance people’s enjoyment of the area they live in. This can encourage greater diversity and inclusivity across local communities.

Concluding paragraph

Please will you raise this with the Defra minister with responsibility for the inland waterways, Rebecca Pow MP, as a matter of urgency, and bring to her attention all the benefits of the waterways mentioned above as reasons why the inland waterways in general, and the Canal & River Trust in particular, should continue to receive funding from Government into the future.

Suggested letter template

Highlighting the benefits Waterways for Today

Alison Smedley provides details of two more of the 12 benefits highlighted in the Inland Waterways Association’s new report

This is the second in the series of articles that will each spotlight two of the 12 benefits covered in IWA’s Waterways for Today report, launched at the AGM in September 2022.

The report has now been widely distributed among politicians at all levels to demonstrate the importance of the UK’s inland waterways. It provides evidence to demonstrate why waterways should be receiving full support and funding om Government, and is already being used in earnest as a campaigning tool in lobbying MPs and Government about future funding for the Canal & River Trust.

Having looked at two of the most topical issues facing the country in the last issue of Waterways (economic benefits and environmental issues), this time we delve down into two of the reasons why waterways are good for local communities and the lives of individual people.

Benefit 7: Connecting communities

From the ‘local communities’ section of the report, this benefit looks at how waterways can provide connections between di erent communities.

Due to their industrial past, hundreds of towns and cities are connected to the waterways network. Their towpaths provide active travel corridors that connect communities and provide ee, inclusive and level routes for walking, jogging, cycling and more. Cycle routes, long-distance paths and the national footpath network o en link to waterway towpaths, allowing improved connections at a local level.

These routes provide tra c- ee paths for people living in rural areas to access bigger se lements, and passage out to the countryside om inner ci and urban areas. The regeneration of a waterway can also spur local communities to take ownership of it, and work together to maintain and enhance ‘their’ communi asset.

Within cities, waterways are blue-green routes that should be considered part of sustainable transport networks contributing towards zero carbon, economic recovery and changing behaviour pa erns.

Facts & stats

Among the interesting facts included in the report are the following:

■ Of the 76 places o cially designated as cities in England, Scotland and Wales, 41 are on a navigable waterway.

■ According to Sustrans, canalside paths in Birmingham saw a 128% increase in use by cyclists between 2012 and 2016, following improvements to the ci ’s towpaths.

■ A scheme funded by Sco ish Government and Sustrans saw £429,000 spent upgrading the towpath of the Monkland Canal, a derelict and partially filled-in waterway no longer connected to Scotland’s Lowland Canals but well used by the local communi for walking and cycling.

Waterways for Today overview of the 12 benefits

In the next issue we will look in more depth at two more of the benefits outlined in the report, but here, below, is an overview of all 12 benefits.

The full report, available to download om IWA’s website, can be used as a tool for your local campaigns, with materials downloadable om the website including PDFs relating to each of the 12 benefits.

Economic

1. Contribute to economic recovery

2. Encourage increased spend in local communities

3. Facilitate savings to the NHS and social care budgets

Natural & Built Environment

4. Enhance and improve the natural environment

5. Protect heritage for future generations

6. Improve sustainabili and help to combat climate change

Local Communities

7. Connect communities

8. Provide opportunities for education and young people

9. Create jobs, training and apprenticeships

Improving People's Lives

10. Encourage improved physical health

11. Improve mental health and wellbeing

12. Create be er places to live

BELOW: Stockingfield Bridge provides a route over the Forth & Clyde Canal in north Glasgow, connecting the communities of Maryhill, Gilshochill and Ruchill for the first time since the canal was built in 1790. It also completes Scotland’s national walking and cycling network along the Lowland Canals, connecting communities by providing a continuous active travel route along the length of the canal from Bowling on the Clyde to Edinburgh in the east.

Case Study: Bee Highway, Ashton Canal

A ‘bee highway’, connecting communities and wildlife, has been created along the Ashton Canal in Manchester. It follows a communal vegetable plot at Lock 4, which was set up by IWA’s Manchester Branch and Incredible Edible, a network of groups around the country that encourage communities to come together by growing food and supporting local food businesses.

A raised bed beside the lock was planted with a variety of edibles and herbs, including strawberries, beetroot, chives, onions, parsley and peas. The timber for the bed came from old lock gates which, along with the gravel and top soil, was donated by the Canal & River Trust. Volunteers have also sown wild flower seeds as the first part of the bee highway along the route of the canal.

IWA Manchester Branch supplied all the plants, created signage out of recycled timber and its volunteers gave out spare baby pea plants to passers-by, complete with instructions on their care.

Since then, further edible gardens have been created at other locations along the Ashton flight. People who use the waterway for walking, cycling, boating and relaxation are encouraged to pause a while to tend the garden and pick vegetables and herbs in return, enjoying the improved biodiversity of this very urban environment in the process.

“One of the continuing glories of the waterways and their upkeep and restoration is that they bring the oxygen-filled veins of rural life into our urban landscapes.”

Manchester Branch volunteers with the garden created as part of their bee highway along the Ashton Canal.

The actor, Timothy Spall, and his wife, Shane, are boat-owners and IWA members. Timothy provided the following quote for the report:

Timothy and Shane Spall with The Princess Matilda.

Benefit 11: Improved mental health and well-being

Another section of the report looks at how waterways improve the lives of individual people, and one of these is through improved mental health and well-being. As well as providing active forms of recreation, waterways also offer opportunities for shared social experiences and the chance to connect with nature.

Increased physical activity is known to improve mental health. As well as more strenuous forms of recreation such as cycling, running and paddle sports, our waterways can also be used for walking a dog, strolling with friends and family, relaxing, visiting canalside pubs and cafés, fishing, wildlife watching, going on a boat trip, photography and much more. Post-pandemic, shared social experiences like these have become more important than ever.

Volunteering can also improve mental health, through a renewed sense of purpose and the satisfaction of a job well done. As well as providing important social interactions and an opportunity to make new friends, volunteering can reduce stress and boost confidence too.

These opportunities are now recognised by health professionals, with social prescribing of waterway activities and volunteering now happening in several parts of the country.

Facts & stats

Among the interesting facts about wellbeing and mental health featured in the report are the following:

n According to The Economic, Social & Well-being Value of Boating, a new report jointly commissioned by CRT and British Marine, frequent boaters enjoy a 15% decrease in anxiety and a 6% increase in life expectancy compared to non-boaters.

n Studies by CRT indicate that waterways can improve the overall well-being of anyone who uses them, with waterway users boasting greater life satisfaction, happiness and feelings of worth than non-waterway users.

n The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare found a number of unique characteristics of the waterside environment which, combined with the urban and postindustrial areas they pass through, can demonstrably deliver positive impacts on mental health.

n Research carried out for Historic England found that volunteering on heritage projects contributed to participants’ well-being in six areas: purpose, being, capacity, sharing, selfnurture and self-actualisation. These findings are all underpinned by the heritage setting.

The World Health Organisation describes mental health as “a state of well-being in which an individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”.

Fishing is just one activity on the waterways where people can relax and achieve a sense of well-being.

JAn Worsop

Case Study: Waterways and well-being

People in Nottingham can enjoy an afternoon of paddleboarding, a well-being walk or some canalside gardening on prescription as part of a social prescribing project in the city.

The Waterways and Well-being project uses Nottingham’s canal as a focal point to help tackle mental and physical health problems.

People living along the canal, which runs from Nottingham to Beeston, have been accessing a variety of activities. As well as those detailed above, there have been canoeing, running and cycling sessions along the waterway, volunteering opportunities, and the chance to join photography courses, arts activities, cookery classes and communal meals at venues along the canal.

In its first year the project was run by a partnership of local organisations including CRT, Nottingham Community & Voluntary Service, Notts County Foundation, Canalside Heritage Centre, Nottingham Photographers Hub and local foodbank Himmah. Funding was provided through the National Academy of Social Prescribing, Arts Council England, Natural England and Historic England.

Thanks to funding from the Greenspace socialprescribing programme, the project has been extended for a further year and expanded to include activities at Holme Pierrepoint National Water Sport Centre and the Mill Base Adventure Centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield.

The programme is open to anyone living in the county who struggles with their mental well-being or social isolation.

Waterways for Today publicity

As well as sending the printed report out to politicians and organisations we want to influence, we have also been spreading the word locally and regionally, through newspaper and online articles, radio interviews and even a TV slot.

The report has featured in all the national waterways press publications and several waterway websites, including a series of four blogs on Canals Online. It has also featured in several local and regional newspapers, radio stations including BBC’s Radio Oxford, Suffolk, Merseyside, Nottingham and Leicester, while IWA West London Branch Chair, Roger Stocker, was interviewed on London Live TV.

The report is also now lodged in the House of Commons Library, having been included as background papers for the 22nd November, 2022 Parliamentary Debate.

Waterways for Today distribution

Over 1,600 copies of the report have now been distributed to politicians at various levels, as well as national bodies and waterway organisations. The distribution included tailored letters to 33 Ministers and Secretaries of State across eight Government departments, 435 MPs, 100 Peers, 74 Members of the Scottish Parliament, 43 Members of the Welsh Senedd, 275 local authorities, 22 elected and metropolitan mayors, and hundreds of waterway user groups, restoration societies and various national organisations.

Several high-profile politicians have written in response to the report, including the leader of the opposition, a Minister from the Department for Transport and several MPs including the MP for South West Surrey (just before he was appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer).

Paddleboarding on Prescription, Nottingham. CRT

Restoring Britain's derelict waterways – progress, barriers and opportunities

This gave a total of 58 restoration schemes included in the research. The bulk of the mileage and projects are in England, with just six restorations in Wales. The research to identi which restoration societies to approach found no active waterway restoration societies in Scotland. The study did not cover Eire or Northern Ireland as that is beyond the remit of IWA’s charitable purposes.

Mileage under restoration

The questions relating to mileage produced the total mileage figures shown in Figure 1 below.

The research aimed to identi how many waterway restoration projects are in a position to benefit om current and forthcoming Government and third-par funding opportunities.

It was carried out through a questionnaire to waterway restoration organisations, which aimed to identi what stage waterway restoration projects across England, Scotland and Wales were at, along with identi ing the problems and barriers that are currently preventing progress.

The overall objective was to get as wide a picture as possible of the waterway restoration sector so it was important to be sure that all active waterway restoration organisations were contacted. Consultation with IWA’s Restoration Hub identified all active organisations known to be on IWA’s corporate member list, or having a ended recent restoration conferences and events. Crossreferencing this list with the 118 waterway restoration projects listed in the then Inland Waterways Ameni Advisory Council’s 2006 Third Review report then took place, along with identi ing any new projects that had started up since that report was published.

The specific objectives of the research were:

• to confirm which derelict waterways have active organisations progressing their restoration

• to determine accurate figures for the number of miles currently under restoration at di erent stages

• to discover what barriers or problems are preventing progress on these restoration projects

• to enable IWA’s Restoration Hub to be﬙er prioritise its activities to support restoration organisations in building their own resources so that they will have the capaci to deliver projects when funding opportunities arise.

Completion rate was important to obtain a definitive answer to the question of how many miles are currently under restoration. The 94% completion rate in fact represented just three organisations who did not respond to the survey. For these three projects it was possible to use approximate mileage figures based on information available in the public domain (internet research looking at the relevant organisations’ websites). This enabled a meaningful set of total mileage statistics in the various categories to be identified.

In total, 55 organisations were identified and contact details obtained. All were sent the survey questionnaire and supporting documents, and 52 organisations responded. Three organisations responded on behalf of multiple projects, while other organisations that are working on multiple waterways provided a combined response. Several organisations also included branch canals as part of their overall response but these were regarded as being part of the same restoration project.

The estimate of 500 miles currently under restoration, o en quoted by IWA on its website and in publications, is not far out, with the total mileage identified as planned for restoration in the longer term by active restoration groups being 516 miles. This increases to 566 miles when 50 miles of proposed new build waterway is added in. Ten percent of the miles identified as feasible for restoration have all planning permissions and funding in place with work progressing.

The other figures represent the di erent stages of progress of the various projects.

Lack of resource, experience and capacity

Respondents were asked which specialist areas they felt their organisation did not have enough capaci , experience or resource in, out of a list of 18. There was also an option for ‘other’ to allow for any topics that hadn’t been listed.

Three organisations responded to advise that they had capaci in all of these areas, e.g. (the trust) “has full competence in all the above” and “the partnership has all the necessary skills to fully restore”.

The highest number of responses were for ‘funding’, which 77% of responding organisations identified. In the current climate of austeri , this is not a surprising find but also highlights the importance of ensuring that the sector builds capaci so that new funding opportunities can be exploited.

The category with the next highest number of responses was ‘volunteer recruitment’, with 58% of organisations experiencing a lack of volunteers. This represents a significant challenge to those groups, as even if grant funding was o ered to them, many are unlikely to have the capaci to take advantage of it.

The next and third highest number of responses was ‘ecology’, with 56% of organisations identi ing this as an area in which they were lacking skills and knowledge.

Figure 2 gives an overview of the findings om this question.

As part of her Management degree course with Anglia Ruskin Universi , Alison Smedley carried out research over summer 2022 that looked at the current situation experienced by waterway restoration organisations across the country

Figure 1

Top three barriers

This was a שׁee text box giving an opportuni﬚ for organisations to prioritise the top three problems they were currently facing. The results were consistent with the findings of the question about lack of resources. Funding continued to be the top concern of most organisations, with 32 respondents (23% of barriers raised) identi﬌ing funding as one of their top three barriers.

Volunteer recruitment was again the category with the next highest number of responses (21 responses representing 15% of the barriers raised). While most respondents mentioned the difficulties of recruiting sufficient active volunteers generally, three specifically cited the requirement for younger volunteers.

The third highest grouping was a new category, with 14 responses relating to ‘permissions’. These outlined the difficulties in obtaining permissions שׁom bodies such as the Environment Agency, Natural England or the relevant navigation authori﬚.

The next highest grouping was also a new category and related to political will and support שׁom local authorities at both elected and officer level, with 11 responses (15%). Local authori﬚ planning issues received eight comments, with three of those organisations having concerns about housing and retail developments affecting their restoration.

It is worth noting that it is likely that there are other issues not covered by the responses to this question, simply because the organisation (or person responding to the survey) is not aware that it is an issue, yet.

Figure 3 gives an overview of the top barriers.

Conclusions

The research identified the following:

• 53 derelict (or new-build) waterways being actively restored (or built) by 50 organisations

• a set of accurate figures for the number of miles currently under restoration at different stages (see Figure 1), with an overall total of 566 miles

• the barriers and problems which are preventing progress on these restoration projects (see Figures 2 and 3), with funding and volunteer recruitment coming out as the top two for both barriers and where organisations perceive that they are lacking in resource.

The main barrier to waterway restoration projects making progress has indeed been the availabili﬚, or lack, of thirdpar﬚ grants and other funding, as indicated by the responses to the questions about barriers and lack of resources.

Volunteer recruitment and knowledge of biodiversi﬚ and other ecological issues were the next most significant areas where organisations were lacking resources, which may indeed affect organisations’ abili﬚ to deliver projects even if sufficient funding was currently available to them.

Recommendations

As well as using the information provided in the research to update information on IWA’s website, the following three recommendations have been put to, and agreed by, IWA Restoration Hub’s High Level Panel:

Building capaci in the restoration sector

IWA’s Restoration Hub’s High Level Panel should use the results of the questions around barriers and lack of resources to help build capaci﬚ in the restoration sector. The topics identified as being highest in need (funding, volunteer recruitment, ecology, permissions, marketing/PR/ communications and communi﬚ engagement) should all be prioritised for training and topics at workshops, webinars and the annual restoration conference breakout sessions.

Influence Government departments and agencies

IWA should use the findings of this report to raise with relevant Government departments and agencies such as the Environment Agency, Natural England and others, the problems being experienced in the bureaucracy and costs of obtaining permissions. In many cases these are presenting real stumbling blocks to progressing restoration schemes and an opportuni﬚ exists to campaign for simpler and cheaper procedures.

Raise awareness at a political level

IWA should use the findings of this report, alongside the separate Waterways for Today report, to raise the profile of waterway restoration and the wider waterways sector generally. Both reports should also be used to engage with local authorities and MPs to ensure support for waterway projects is included in initiatives such as the Levelling Up and Shared Prosperi﬚ funds.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Adventures on the waterways

Waterways enthusiast, poet and student, Georgia Howe is excited to be IWA’s Marketing & Communications Officer, doing a job she loves

“I’m excited to be working for IWA and to be helping make its vision for the waterways a reality,” says Georgia, who became an association member after attending the IWA Festival of Water in 2021.

She explains how she and her partner were living on a narrowboat and cruising through Worcester at the time so figured it simply made sense to go to the festival to see what it was all about. Georgia adds that she learned so much about IWA at the event, although it was just the “tip of the iceberg at that point” – and not realising at the time that the experience would eventually lead her to a new role with the association.

Georgia and her partner Dan live on Torestyn with their daughter and were continuous cruisers from 2019 until April 2022. Georgia says that, as they moved on the boat just before the pandemic and its lockdowns, everything was a “bit of a learning curve”. She adds that, when cruising in the West Midlands, their home was often referred to as a ‘Peaky Blinder’ boat after the television series: “We’ve got

‘By order of the Peaky Blinders’ written just below the swan’s neck on the bands of paint at the stern.”

However, the couple has now got a mooring on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, although Georgia admits that getting used to being stationary took a while and they had some initial reservations.

“We had our doubts and there were a few things we weren’t looking forward to such as being side by side with other boats, and not having as much freedom or seeing as much of the network. But my partner started working for a hire-boat company and, since our daughter turned six, she’s shown a strong preference for wanting to go to school and be with other children rather than moving around and being home schooled.”

Georgia adds that, although being moored now works well for the family, they enjoyed continuously cruising and she mentions the Birmingham Canal Navigations as a favourite route.

“We had fun exploring the whole canal from the Wast Hills tunnel end of

Birmingham through to Netherton tunnel and beyond. I’m from Hemel Hempstead originally but my partner is from Herefordshire, and we lived there for many years. Although the local canal is being restored, there isn’t an active canal system and nor is the river navigable. So, coming from such a rural county and one without active waterways meant we loved exploring the canal running through Birmingham and seeing how boaters and other people enjoy the waterways in such a large city.”

The couple’s choice to live on a narrowboat was influenced by Georgia’s father, who had moved onto the waterways in the early 2010s. “It had been a lifelong dream for him,” she says. “We visited my dad quite often and my daughter would spend many weekends and holidays with him on the boat. It was an important part of her early years and upbringing, and we saw a lot of potential in narrowboat life.”

However, when the time came for the couple to consider buying a home, and Georgia’s father suggested they consider buying a narrowboat, it was initially rejected as “a bit of a ridiculous idea”. As Georgia explains, at that stage, they were unaware of just how many people live on boats with families and children.

Then she adds: “Although we thought it was a bit crazy to begin with, I’ve always been adventurous. My dad instilled a sense of adventure in me from a very early age. We lived abroad during parts of my childhood, which inspired me to travel. And we’d always be out walking, hiking, exploring the woodlands or taking part in activities such as canoeing, climbing and skiing.”

Skylar in a lock.

Exploring Birmingham.

“So, as we’re always looking for new adventures and something to bring us out of our comfort zone, we soon came to the realisation that living on a narrowboat would in fact be a great adventure! We were also drawn to it because living on a boat can be quite environmentally friendly in comparison to living in a large house. This is something that I’m passionate about so the idea of living more sustainably really appealed to me.”

That passion for the environment is also one of the things that drew Georgia to IWA. She is keenly aware of the association’s involvement in sustainability, the future of the canals and greener boating. She adds that the restoration aspect of IWA’s work is also an important factor, and that was something she learned more about at the first IWA festival.

“Coming from Hereford before moving on the boat, that restoration aspect appealed to us because we realised that if the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal could be restored, we could travel on the waterways to see friends and family. Wouldn’t it be incredible if the canal could be restored in our lifetime? With all the good work IWA and WRG do in terms of canal restoration, I have hope that we will one day be able to explore newly restored waterways, providing adventures for years to come on an even bigger network.”

When Georgia saw the new IWA role advertised, she was drawn to the idea of working in such an environment and making use of her extensive marketing and communications background. She was previously employed by a web design and marketing agency in Hereford but

A Winter’s Morning

Frosty mornings huddled up…

There’s no more wood, we’re out of luck!

Grab the axe and wear a coat, it won’t take long to warm this boat. A blanket of snow beneath your feet, morning breath turns to steam. Chop the wood and gather sticks, very soon they will be lit. Now the fire’s warming up, take off your hat, scarf and gloves.

You start to make a cup of tea until it dawns on you: the tank’s empty. So off you trudge back through the snow wondering how your water got so low. The towpath basks in morning light, the canal it seems so still and quiet. The murky water full of life now lies motionless, trapped in ice. Gazing across the frosty surface, you think moving the boat probably isn’t worth it.

worked remotely from the narrowboat: “The job could be done completely remotely as long as I had an internet connection, which we somehow managed even as continuous cruisers. We just always made sure that we stopped in places where I had at least a couple of bars of signal to continue work.”

With that strong background in marketing and technical skills, Georgia felt she ticked the boxes for the IWA role, and the role also ticked the box for her. “Plus, I’m already a boater and we love the waterways so I thought, well, it’s the perfect role and I’d be foolish not to go for it. So, I sent in my CV and just crossed my fingers and hoped to hear back.”

In whatever spare time she has, Georgia likes to keep busy, which includes studying for a BSc in mathematics. “I study part-time and take a module or two per year,” she explains. “Of course, I have to fit it around my career and family, while living on the boat. Maths is a subject that I was always very good at in school but it’s also related to my work, especially in search engine optimisation (SEO), which is very datadriven. That kind of logical thinking comes in useful when you’re presented with lots of data and you have to think about how best to utilise it. It all ties in nicely.”

And in an opposite direction from the logic of mathematics, Georgia is also a keen poet. She has written more than 20 poems and was recently inspired to write a short book of poetry about the waterways. It’s now in the publishing stage and is expected to be available in 2023. “I really wanted to put a poetry book together,” she explains. “I had

a poem published when I was still in school so was inspired from an early age. I’ve enjoyed creating poems ever since, especially on themes such as the waterways. So, I thought it would be a wonderful idea to share them in a book.”

The couple also has a YouTube channel (m.youtube.com/c/TheLiveaboardFamily/), which they initially started to share their adventures with friends and family. Then they realised the channel also had the potential to inspire other younger boaters like themselves who might be thinking about moving onto boats or simply enjoying local waterways. Georgia is also a keen paddleboarder and enjoys seeing the waterways from a different perspective.

She adds, “It’s important to inspire children and get them more involved in the waterways in the hope that they will one day share the appreciation that we’ve got for them. And the best bit of working with IWA is not only being in a career that I love but also making an impact for the waterways that mean so much to me.”

We soon came to the realisation that living on a narrowboat would in fact be a great adventure!

Working in dry dock.

Sunset paddleboard.

Walk with IWA

Discover new ways to enjoy the waterways with our self-guided walks. Follow the step-by-step instructions in this guide or online using your smartphone, and find out about history and heritage features along the way. More walks are available at waterways.org.uk/walks. We are still adding to this area and would love to hear from anyone who has a waterway walk to contribute. Please get in touch with us at walks@waterways.org.uk.

Exploring the old Lancaster Canal in Whittle-le-Woods

Stroll along the old southern section of the Lancaster Canal (the Walton Summit branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal) which includes two tunnels, an aqueduct and basin at Whittle

The walk starts at the very picturesque flight of seven locks built in 1814/15 by the Lancaster Canal Company, which takes you down to the junction of the two canals at Johnsons Hillock bottom lock.

Boats can no longer go on the old canal to where it ends at Town Lane but the walk route takes us round along tracks and paths to trace the now-filled-in canal and the Lostock Aqueduct and embankment that took the canal over the River Lostock.

Two tunnels can then be viewed, which were built as one tunnel back in 1801/3, but then partly opened out in 1837 due to collapses.

We take a lunch stop at the site of the old Duke of York Canal Basin next to Moss Bridge on Chorley Old Road, which is one of the last surviving Grade IIlisted canal bridges on this section. Quite a good length of canal bed survives in a dry infilled state and, as our route leaves the old canal, a restored lime kiln is visited before crossing over the motorway. The last part of the walk connects back to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal through Lower Copthurst and back to the Top Lock.

From the Top Lock pub, cross the canal bridge and take the towpath steps to head down the flight of seven locks until you reach the junction with the old Lancaster Canal south section.

JUNCTION

CANAL BRIDGE

Cross the junction canal bridge and loop back under it to take the old towpath heading to Town Lane along the last in watered length of the old Lancaster Canal built around 1800.

JOHNSONS HILLOCK LOCKS

Johnsons Hillock locks.

Junction Bridge, Johnsons Hillock.

Where the canal now ends is the site of an old coal wharf. The footpath joins Town Lane and you take a right after crossing the road at what was Navigation Bridge. Take a footpath down a track 328ft (100m) along Town Lane, behind stone-built cottages.

Just before entering a farm, take a stile on the left into a field followed by another stile 65ft (20m) away alongside the field boundary that takes you along an embankment, with the old canal channel, which is now infilled, below you on the left. Follow the footpath down the valley side and through a motorway subway (torch recommended).

As you exit the subway, the aqueduct and embankment that took the Lancaster Canal over the River Lostock are now in front of you. Go through the tunnel footpath and, at its exit portal, take the footpath to the left to loop back on yourself and over the tunnel portal. The footpath climbs steadily through woodland and past cottages.

TOWN LANE

OLD CANAL CHANNEL

3 4

5 RIVER LOSTOCK

Old wharf, Town Lane.

Lostock Aqueduct.

Whittle Tunnel east.

WHITTLE TUNNEL

Before joining the road (Hill Top Lane), the track takes you over the canal tunnel, which was built between 1801 and 1803 as one tunnel and then opened out in its centre a er a collapse in 1837. Take a le when you join the road and 650 (200m) along, take a set of wooden steps down to the canal cu ing, which is partly restored.

MOSS BRIDGE

The cu ing takes you to Moss Bridge, but look back the other way to the tunnel portal of the west tunnel as clearance work makes it viewable om the towpath. A 200-year commemoration plaque on the bridge is worth a read before going under the bridge and into the landscaped area that was the Duke of York Basin up until 1968.

DUKE OF YORK BASIN

The basin has a seating area and recovered millstones that were once quarried in the area. Take the footpath at the far side of the basin area, northwards at the back of houses that once served as coal yards. On joining Chorley Old Road, cross and turn le before walking down to the Dog Inn pub.

DOG INN PUB TO LIME KILN

Take the path down the le side of the pub, up steps and across the old canal bed onto a tarmac footpath, turning le and following this path for 492 (150m). Continue for another 65 (20m) a er crossing an estate road, through a metal gate, and take the first footpath right that leads you straight away to a restored stone-built lime kiln.

PLANNING YOUR WALK

LOCATION: Wheelton, Lancashire

DISTANCE: 4 miles (6km)

EASE: Moderate – torch recommended for subway and tunnel

SURFACE: Mainly towpaths, paths/tracks. Can be muddy in parts

ACCESSIBILITY: Some steps and slopes to negotiate

PARKING: Car park opposite the Top Lock pub (PR6 8LS) or nearby street parking on Kenyon Lane if car park is full

LIME KILN AND BIRCHIN LANE

From the lime kiln, continue on the footpath through woodland for 820 (250m) to join Birchin Lane and turn le to go uphill and le again to cross the motorway on a high bridge.

BIRCHIN LANE TO LOWER COPTHURST

Once you have crossed on the motorway bridge, take the first right, which is the continuation of Birchin Lane, heading downhill on this country lane to Lower Copthurst and then a short, steep climb back up to the Top Lock and the start point.

Moss Bridge.

Lime kiln.

SILVER PROPELLER CHALLENGE

North Eastern Waters

Sue O’Hare explores four Silver Propeller Challenge locations on North Eastern rivers and canals

The North Eastern waterways have a very di erent character om the Midland canals and there is much here to be discovered. Four Silver Propeller Challenge locations, two on canals and two on river navigations, provide further incentive. All are on connected inland waterways, albeit one requiring passage of the Humber Estuary. The two canal locations can be visited by trip-boat. The locations illustrate diverse themes of ancient history, medieval tradition, trade and industry, nature and restoration.

Harlem Hill Lock, River Ancholme

The River Ancholme is a tributary of the River Humber in North Lincolnshire. It rises south of Bishopbridge, flows northwards through Brigg and the fenland area of the Ancholme Level, and joins the Humber at South Ferriby. There is evidence that the Ancholme was used by se lers for various purposes om as early as 500,000 BC. Archaeological excavations found the Brigg ‘Ra ’, a late Bronze Age flat-bo omed ferry built by ‘sewing’ planks together with willow or poplar rope. Work to improve land drainage and navigation was carried out om the 13th century, culminating in John Rennie’s New River Ancholme Drainage Scheme of 1825. This enlarged the navigation and included Rennie’s only suspension bridge, the Grade II* listed Horkstow Bridge, a mile upstream of Ferriby Sluice.

The Ancholme was navigable to Bishopbridge and was an important route for Humber keels and sloops carrying cargo between rural communities and industrial towns. In the 19th century a passenger packet boat ran between Brigg and South Ferriby, connecting with a steamer to Hull. Some 21 miles are navigable, but the Environment Agency closed Harlem (or Harlam) Hill Lock in 2012, cu ing o the top 2 miles to Bishopbridge. IWA campaigns to reopen it. Brigg is the only town on the route, in a loop formed by the old and new channels of the river. It is remembered in the Lincolnshire folk song ‘Brigg Fair’ used as the basis of choral and orchestral arrangements by composers Percy Grainger and Frederick Delius.

Between Brigg and Harlem Hill Lock, the derelict Caistor Canal joins the river. It was intended as a navigable feeder, rising through six broad locks to the market town of Caistor 8 miles to the east. It was never completed and appears to have become disused in the 1850s but is maintained by the Environment Agency as a main drainage channel.

Navigation is a summer pursuit, since the river levels are reduced om November to April for flood protection reasons. The Environment Agency’s TrentWitham-Ancholme surface water transfer scheme assists when the natural flow is insu cient.

To quali for the Silver Propeller Challenge, larger boats can reach Harlem Hill Lock and wind near the River Rase Weir, while small portable cra can reach Bishopbridge. A public slipway is available at Brandy Wharf Leisure Park below the lock.

Further information can be found at visitanglianwaterways.org/ and gov.uk/guidance/ river-ancholme-bridge-heights-locks-and-facilities.

Exploring the far-flung reaches of the network is now even more rewarding

Craft from the Humber Keel & Sloop Preservation Society at an open day at South Ferriby tide lock.

DAVE CARNELL

DAVE CARNELL

Deck and western arch of Horkstow Bridge.

Melbourne Basin or Bielby, Pocklington Canal

The Pocklington Canal crosses a rural area of East Yorkshire, just west of the Yorkshire Wolds. It never quite reached the market town of Pocklington and the terminus was a mile to the south-west, at Canal Head by the York-Hull turnpike road (today’s A1079). From Canal Head, the canal runs 9½ miles through nine broad locks to Cottingwith Junction where it joins the River Derwent. The Derwent in turn joins the tidal River Ouse through Barmby Barrage 11½ miles downstream. Upstream on the Derwent lies Elvington (or Sutton) Lock, which has been the subject of considerable IWA campaigning but remains closed, meaning that only portable craft can navigate the remaining 6 miles to Stamford Bridge.

The canal is a good example of the decline and revival of inland waterways. It was relatively late in opening in 1818 but proved a useful route for agricultural produce to the rapidly growing towns in the West Riding of Yorkshire and coal, lime, fertilisers, building materials and industrial products in the other direction. After only 30 years, it was in railway ownership. It suffered declining maintenance, and the last traffic was in the early 1930s. The canal was never formally abandoned, but it was threatened by a proposal in 1959 to use it as a dump for sludge from a water treatment works. The Pocklington Canal Amenity Society (PCAS) was formed in 1969. Since then, restoration has proceeded with support from British Waterways and the Canal & River Trust as well as local and national government. IWA has provided practical support through WRG as well as financial support through the legacy of former Honorary Engineer Tony Harrison.

The canal has been restored from the Derwent to Bielby, including the first four locks and the arms at Melbourne and Bielby. The final 2½ miles are still under restoration. There are several interesting features. The engineer George Leather Jr. designed particularly elegant brick bridges with four semi-circular buttresses, now Grade II listed. The locks are sized for Yorkshire keels, are notably deep and feature large wheels to operate the gate paddles. During the railway ownership, some of the balance beams were made from lengths of railway line bolted together.

The canal is particularly known for wildlife: three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) include almost the whole length, and it is home to otters as well as barn owls, dragonflies, kingfishers, water voles and many plant species. The entire canal was awarded Green Flag status in 2018. Either Melbourne Basin or the junction at Bielby counts for the Silver Propeller Challenge. PCAS runs boat trips from Melbourne Basin. More information can be found at pocklingtoncanalsociety.org/.

Ripon Basin, Ripon Canal

The city of Ripon in North Yorkshire is one of the smallest in England but full of interest. It is a medieval city with winding lanes and an impressive cathedral containing a 7th-century crypt and the tomb of St Wilfrid, who founded a Benedictine monastery here in 672. The annual Wilfrid Procession, dating from 1108, commemorates him. Another ancient tradition, thought to be one of the longest continuous ones in the world, is the ‘Setting the Watch’ ceremony. This has taken place at 9pm every day since 886, when Alfred the Great granted a charter to Ripon in the form of a horn. The only changes have been an earlier time during World War II and moving online during the Covid pandemic. A ‘Wakeman’ would blow the horn to let the people know that the ‘watch’ for overnight Viking raids was ‘set’. In 1604 the Wakeman was replaced with a ‘Hornblower’, who blows at all four corners of the obelisk in the market square and then in front of the Mayor.

A 16th/17th-century plan to make Ripon into a University of the North to rival Oxford and Cambridge did not come to fruition. Instead, Ripon became known for the manufacture of spurs and for horse racing. The first recorded meeting was held in 1664 and Britain’s first race for female riders took place in 1723.

In this light, the canal connecting Ripon to the River Ure seems relatively recent, even though it was one of the earliest and opened in 1773. The plans were drawn up by John Smeaton and the canal is 2.3 miles long with three locks. From the junction at Oxclose Lock, the River Ure runs for a further 8 miles and two locks south-east to Swale Nab, where it becomes the Yorkshire Ouse, leading through York to Goole and the Humber Estuary.

The canal enabled the local 58ft keels to reach Ripon and was moderately successful but was effectively disused by 1892. Attempts to abandon the canal were initially resisted locally but eventually, despite objections by IWA, the upper two locks were demolished in 1956. Subsequently, IWA persuaded North Yorkshire County Council to include full restoration in its plans. The Ripon Canal Society was formed in 1983 and the restoration was completed in 1996. Until the Ribble Link connecting the Lancaster Canal to the main network was opened, Ripon Basin was the most northerly point of the connected waterways network. The whole length of the canal has Green Flag status.

Boat trips are available from Ripon Basin ripon-scenic-cruises.co.uk/.

More information can be found at canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/ canal-and-river-network/ripon-canal.

Canal Head, Pocklington Canal.

above: The broadcaster and vlogger Robbie Cumming at Cottingwith Lock in June 2022, showing the distinctive Pocklington Canal paddle gear. below: Restoration work on Coates Lock in 2020, Pocklington Canal.

Ripon Basin on the Ripon Canal. John

Wormald's cut, River Foss

Wormald’s Cut is a short arm off the River Foss in York, near the confluence with the River Ouse. The Foss rises in the Howardian Hills and winds south through the Vale of York. Remains of Roman wharves and warehouses have been found on its banks. William the Conqueror had it dammed to create a moat around York Castle and a lake known as the King’s Pool. Sedimentation and waste from the growing city eventually almost stopped the flow and the river became a public health hazard.

Navigation activity continued nonetheless and in 1777 the first recorded launch of an iron boat took place. In 1791, the Foss Navigation Company was formed with the aims of making the river properly navigable and solving its flooding problems. Both William Jessop and John Rennie were involved in construction. The navigation was opened as far as Strensall in 1797 and extended to Sheriff Hutton by 1804, with six locks over 13 miles. Water supply was always problematic despite the building of Oulston Reservoir and a back pumping system, and extensive dredging was needed to combat the persistent sedimentation.

The navigation was never a financial success but did generate traffic. Barges carried lime, coal and bones for the bonemeal works at Stillington upstream, and agricultural products into York. Traffic declined after the railways arrived and the problems of smell returned. In 1853 York Corporation had to buy out the Foss Navigation Company, and shortly afterwards all except the lowest section of the navigation was abandoned.

Traffic on the lower reaches persisted well into the 20th century and Wormald’s Cut was a centre of activity. Until the 1980s cocoa beans were brought to Rowntree’s Wharf, built in 1860 as a flour mill and bought by Rowntree’s in 1937. On the other bank, barges brought 200 tons of newsprint per week from Goole for the Yorkshire Evening Press until 1997.

Only the bottom lock, Castle Mills Lock, and the first 1½ miles up to Monk Bridge are navigable. The City of York Council initially operated the lock for a charge but, thanks to a formal agreement, it is now operated by volunteers from IWA and the River Foss Society as a bookable free service to boaters. The Foss makes an interesting day trip, giving a different view of York.

More information can be found at riverfosssociety.co.uk/.

To book passage through Castle Mills Lock, see waterways.org.uk/ waterways/discover-the-waterways/river-foss#lock.

A boat passing through the IWA volunteer-operated Castle Mills Lock on the River Foss in 2021.

Unloading newsprint from a barge to the Yorkshire Evening Press printing works in Wormald’s Cut, River Foss, circa 1980s.

The barge Lambda passing Rowntree’s Wharf on the River Foss and the entrance to Wormald’s Cut around 1977, carrying 178 tons of sand and gravel to Walker’s Builders Yard.

Braunston marina over the years

The modern Braunston Marina is in stark contrast with its earlier years, when the current marina basin was still a field.

The current marina was photographed in midsummer from the canal through the arch of its famous Horseley Iron Works cast iron bridge. That image is on the front cover of the 2023 IWA calendar, and then again as the feature for August, 2023.

In comparison, back in 1988 and shortly after Tim Coghlan acquired the business, he took a photograph looking out towards the marina entrance. That photograph was in IWA’s 1988 calendar.

Of the current marina, Tim says, “It has taken years of toil to bring it to its present pictorial state.”

BAz RIChARdson

“It has taken years of toil to bring it to its present pictorial state.”

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