September’s SE Volunteering Blog

We are a nation of sport lovers.  Whether it’s the Rugby World Cup (I won’t elaborate), the Ashes, Formula 1, the new football season or the high of London 2012 that we are still riding, there is plenty to choose from.  I tried my hand at something new last month – the muddy obstacle course…  In the last 2 or 3 years, these races seem to be becoming more and more popular and I now see why.  You do not have to be particularly fit or fast and you enter as a team to help each other around the course.  At the start there is a cheesy group warm up, but it breaks the ice and gets you in the mood to embrace the challenge.  Here’s my favourite photo from the day (I’m in the green t-shirt):

Quite understandably, this is not most people’s cup of tea!  But whether you watch sport or take part, it is a fun social activity that can forge friendships and bring together communities.  Here at CRT, we are promoting sport and its benefits with Sports Participation Manager, Joe Sammon, who is encouraging more people to get out and enjoy the health rewards of the great outdoors.  I am very excited to announce to you the CRT ‘Two Arms on Two Legs’ half marathon and 10k run on Sunday 11th September 2016.  Starting in Aylesbury, runners will take the Aylesbury Arm to Marsworth, then turn right down the Wendover Arm, to finish in Wendover.  If you, or someone you know, would like to set themselves a challenge, why not tell them about this.  Aimed at first time runners, we will be providing help, tips and training plans.  I’ll provide more details in the coming months, so just pencil it in for now!

Let’s kick things off at Stoke Bruerne where a mass CAATS (Competency Assessment And Training Scheme) day was well attended by members of Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership, Buckingham Canal Society, Rickmansworth Waterways Trust, IWA Northampton branch and volunteer Lock Keepers!  Instigated by SBCP who required assessment in power tools and generator, the offer of an assessment for more volunteers in mowers, strimmers and hedge trimmers too, was well received.  Many thanks to Mike Dalzell from the GUN Customer Ops team for leading the day, I always learn something new!  The reason for SBCP wanting CAATS on power tools is so that they can install their new interpretation panels around the village.  These super panels look the part, made from oak and iron, courtesy of Bob the Blacksmith.  They are to be installed in October so I’ll update you next month.  In case you are unaware of Bob the Blacksmith, he is based by the entrance to Blisworth Tunnel and is usually open for visitors to his workshop.  Also open next door in the newly refurbished horse shelter is a stained glass studio and shop.

SBCP also held their regular task party which fell in the week prior to their Village at War festival, so the order of the day was to tidy and trim around the top lock area, where most of the action was to happen.  And what a weekend that was!  Cited as their best yet, Village at War was a fabulous affair with visitors dressed in authentic outfits, Spitfire fly-pasts and a wartime spirit buzz in the air.  For the full report, read here.  My highlight was meeting Sir Winston Churchill…

Paul Stafford from Willows Residents’ Association in Hemel Hempstead was off to a flying start as he passed his CAATS assessment in brushcutters this month to assist in his bramble bash and litter picking day.  A whopping 20 local residents turned out to help in the tidy and the area looks much better for it now. Thank you all!

Also being CAATS assessed this month was one of our newer groups, Blitz & Klean, the practical sister group of Bicester & Kidlington Ramblers. Mike, Stuart & Rob all passed on brushcutter use, then took the ball and ran down the towpath accompanied by fellow volunteer Margaret wielding the loppers.  This stretch of towpath is now lovely and clear for all to walk…

The early 1800’s were high achieving years for the canal builders who got off to a flying start, as we celebrate three significant anniversaries this year!  Back in May, we had the Northampton Arm’s bicentenary, and in the last 6 weeks we have seen Hillmorton’s double locks’ 175^th and the Aylesbury Arm’s 200^th.  The Old Mortonians of Hillmorton celebrated with a Duplicity festival to mark the making of the double locks, with historic boats a-plenty, music and refreshments.  Previously a bottle-neck on the Oxford Canal, a parallel lock was built at each of the three locks which also worked as mutual side ponds, thus saving water and allowing ultra-fast operation (1 min 20 secs).  In 1842, 20,859 boats (not a ballpark figure) were recorded passing through Hillmorton Locks!  I’m not sure quite that many pass through these days, but it tops the ‘busiest flight in the country’ list.  For more information on the history of Hillmorton Locks and the Duplicity event, see the websites of Old Mortonians and Hillmorton Lock Keepers.

Aylesbury Canal Society held an Open Day to celebrate the 200^th anniversary of the opening of the Arm and their recent move from Aylesbury Basin to Circus Fields.  With stalls, a BBQ, boat trips, fire brigade demos, Morris dancers, children’s games and a massive birthday cake, a fun day was had by all.  Did you know that the Aylesbury Arm was originally intended to continue to meet the Thames at Abingdon and be called the Western Junction?!

The festivities were also happening down south with another very successful Wendover Arm Trust open day at Drayton Beauchamp.  This biannual event is a great opportunity to showcase the hard work and dedication of the WAT volunteers who spend a full week every month restoring the Wendover Arm.  With the addition of refreshments, delicious cake and a top notch Grand Draw at a serene canal-side church, it is a lovely event.  They were then bowled over by the awarding of a purpose-built publicity box trailer from IWA Chiltern branch which will really help WAT with all the events that they attend.  Read the full story here.

Braunston Canal Society turned their attention this month to vegetation clearance.  It was a game of two halves as they eased in with a tidy and mow of the Stop House garden, then a big bash of the vegetation on the towpath bank between top lock and Braunston tunnel.  Armed with pruning saws and bow saws, the group made a very noticeable impact on opening up this section. Have a look for yourselves here.

Buckingham Canal Society are above par this month and have been excavating, as group leader Athina explains:

“The group continued the work started on Sunday and volunteers worked on discovering what remains of the first bridge on the Buckingham Arm and uncovering as much as possible of the stone work on the bridge without disturbing the farm crossing.

We were delighted to find that a lot of the stone work unearthed was in very good condition and it appears that most of the bridge is still there, only part of the arch seems to be missing.”

Exciting finds, well done BCS!

Banbury Canal Partnership have had mixed successes this month.  They started strongly by painting the fence they replaced at Aynho Weir in August.  The following week, the weather hit below the belt and the planned Banbury Lock painting became nigh on impossible!  The group did what they could to tidy around the lock, and BCP finalists Brian & Jenny borrowed some kit to come back on a drier day so the lock would be resplendent for Banbury Canal Day in October!

CRT’s Sports Participation Official, Joe Sammon held 2 events to encourage the general public to engage in outdoor activities.  Here is his report:

“Over 50 people attended the Give it a Go Canoeing & Paddle Boarding day at the Aylesbury Basin.  The paddle boarding appeared to be the star draw with a large number of paddlers choosing to have a go on the 9 newly acquired CRT paddle boards.  Thanks are owed in a big way to Chiltern Canoe Club with whom the Trust have established an excellent partnership; working on the Aylesbury and Wendover Arms as well as the Weston Turville Reservoir.

“The Banbury Canal & Park Activity Day followed on from the success of a similar event in Aylesbury in late May.  The aim of the event is to spark an interest in the type of activities that can be applied to the canal and towpaths on the network; in this instance we chose canoeing, running and cycling.  Our partners on the day were Cherwell Canoe Club, British Cycling and Banbury Harrier’s Athletics Club.  Thankfully the good weather came out and so did the residents of Banbury, it was a great day with people very pleased to see us and they jumped at the opportunity to try out the various water craft available and try out the cycling course set up by British Cycling.  A large number of people asked for membership details from the Cherwell Canoe Club coaches and staff and also took a number of canal information sheets from the CRT welcome station.  Thanks is owed to CRT Team Leader Steve Powell for assisting with the day.”

Wow that sounds like a lot of fun and great to have so many partnerships formed with local groups.  There’s no I in team!

Heavyweights Rickmansworth Waterways Trust picked the only dry day of the week for their task party.  Indeed the sun shone as local volunteers were joined by corporate volunteers from GE Capital and Arco.  RWT’s Mark Saxon (also a CRT Lead Volunteer) organised the day, complete with a 4:4:2 task tick off list and between the 20 volunteers, I think they were all done – repainting the footbridge ironwork, graffiti removal, painting the Braunston mile marker, litter picking to Stockers Lock, weeding the lock steps, painting non-slip on the lock gates…  A great day with lovely volunteers, fuelled by delicious cakes and deuce!  Weeding the lock steps did pull out quite a bit of mortar, so RWT & WRG volunteer John had a second wind the following week to re-point.  Very smart.

In its second month, Oxford Towpath Taskforce saw volunteer numbers increase as Customer Operations referee Diana Loureiro set them to painting Isis Lock.  Isis Lock is where the Oxford Canal leads onto the River Thames and so is a busy portal for many boaters.  It also sees huge numbers of pedestrians and cyclists who cross Isis Bridge, which sits over the lock, as a commuter route to and from the city centre.  The paintwork was looking rather worn with graffiti’d beams, but now it looks like a smart asset and a pleasant welcome for boaters coming from the River.  Keep up the good work OTT’ers!  They even made an appearance in the local paper.

Wyvern Shipping were very keen to paint Leighton Lock this month, so when the rain moved the goalposts, they immediately set a new date the following week for which the sun was shining!  I joined James Griffin and three of his staff for the annual paint of this busy lock.  Not only did they paint the lock, the side pond fence and the doors of the pump house also received a coat or two.  With the group also keeping the pump house garden in check, it looks pretty pristine here now.  Good work guys!

IWA Northampton were also out lock painting.  This time lock 13 was on the hit list.  I believe this is the last of their 17 locks to be painted in the 2 years since the group adopted the 4.5 mile Northampton Arm.  Slam dunk!

Blisworth Canal Partnership are on the ball, gearing up for the autumn task parties as Jan Andrews explains:

“We are cranking up for our work party season again. This Sunday morning a group of volunteers from Costa Coffee are joining us for a tidy-up of the Spinney and surrounding area, low key, hand tool stuff – litter picking, de-ivying, cutting back vegetation with loppers / secateurs.”

Great to hear Jan, thank you.  Getting more local groups and businesses involved in the tidying of an area not only spreads the good word, but also discourages anti-social behaviour.  With lots in the pipeline to come, I’ve no doubt that I will be writing more and more about this group in the coming months!

Have you seen CRT’s new website?  If not, have a quick peek now www.canalrivertrust.org.uk and see how the design has improved.  Also worthy of a look, is ‘Britain’s wonderful canals’ photo gallery in the Telegraph.

“FISH: an animal that grows the fastest

between the time it’s caught

and the time the fisherman

describes it to his friends.”

I’m teasing!  Angling is a proper sport, and one that is rather a big deal on the canals.  Fishermen make up a large proportion of our users and bring in a substantial income from fishing rights, leases and licenses, not to mention the value of our fish stocks (£40m).  If you have listened to our Angling Manager John Ellis speak, you’ll no doubt have been impressed by his passion for angling and the good humour in which he makes it interesting whether you are an angler or not.  I don’t want to stick my oar in, but I recommend that you read John’s blog for an entertaining read.  The world of blogs does seem to be growing, and you can find many more from CRT staff here.  There is quite a selection and it will give you a fascinating insight into what my colleagues get up to…

And on that note I think it is time for me to throw in the towel.  They think it’s all over, it is now!

August’s South East Volunteering Blog

As I gaze out of the window, the blue sky and sunshine reminds me that it is still summer really.  The tops of the trees gently moving in the breeze…

I know what you’re thinking…  And no, I have not run out of topics for this blog!  But I heard an interesting programme on Radio 4 about why it is that we talk so much about the weather.  Are we really that obsessed with it?  It’s certainly our go-to topic when you can’t think of anything else to say.  Stephen Fry, who was presenting, was of the opinion that when we talk about the weather, we are really talking about ourselves, “our hopes, our fears, weddings, gardens, cricket…”.  Until the 1850’s we thought the weather was God’s line of communication and to predict it was unthinkable (Henry VIII even made it illegal under the Sorcery Act!)  Is it surprising then, that we still look for meaning and significance in the weather?  It can be a very personal issue, if the weather suits your big event, is it an omen, a blessing?  We are all looking for different things from the weather.  A hot, sunny day is great if you’re having a picnic, but not if you are running a marathon.  A rainy day is great for the garden, but not so for lock painting.  You can get all weathers in one day in the UK!  With such changeable weather, it’s not surprising we talk about it a lot.

With far more to talk about than the weather I’m sure, the contingent of Welcome Station volunteers has been expanded, with a number of new faces joining the team at Braunston in recent weeks.  Jenni Burton has been organising the rotas for the Welcome Station, and has also recently accepted the role of Lead Volunteer with CRT.  Lead Volunteers are volunteers who go over and above their standard role, and we are pleased also to welcome Geoff & Sue Woodward of Whilton & Buckby Locks Association.  They agreed to accept the responsibility of being Lead Volunteers in their locality.  This month, with numbers boosted by additional volunteers from Virgin Media, the group transformed the car park at Buckby top lock.  Planters were refreshed, fences were painted (just before it rained cats and dogs), herb garden created and the car park trimmed & scraped.  A more comfortable parking experience guaranteed!  Geoff & Sue say:

“We were thrilled with the amount of work the group did and the whole place looks smart and cared for now.  Several folk have commented on the improvements and we enjoyed working with the group.  Speaking to them at the end of the day, it seems they enjoyed it too and for some it was a very rare experience of the countryside, doing tasks they would certainly not do at home.  It was a pity the rain prevented some of the gardening work being carried out, but we can complete those tasks in due course.”

Virgin Media at Buckby top lock

Banbury Canal Partnership can’t be far from completing a lock paint on all the locks in their vicinity, with Pigeon’s Lock near Kirtlington the latest to be made resplendent!  The following week the group were out again, replacing a damaged stretch of fencing at the old weir at Aynho Bridge, as described by group leader Colin Garnham-Edge:

“Well, the rain kept off and we finished the new fence at Aynho Bridge- What a great day we had – Many thanks to Brian, Jenny and Michael.  We had the old fence down and removed with the aid of Ben from CRT who took the old concrete bases away for us and by noon we had 12 new holes dug for the replacement fence posts.  Job done at 2pm when we all went to the Great Western and had a welcome glass of beer!  The sausage and mash was great as well.”

Pigeon’s Lock

Come rain or shine, Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership had a successful task day with the tunnel portal area having a strim and tidy.  This section of canal is looking top notch ready for the village’s second festival – Village at War.  If you are free on Saturday 12^th or Sunday 13^th September, do go along for an action packed day of re-enactments, dressing up and a wartime spirit!

Buckingham Canal Society have been focusing their efforts on completing tasks in the Cosgrove area.  August’s task parties made hay while the sun shines with additional personnel from Santander and Vinci whose many hands made a big impact on the massive task of clearing the scrub from the dry canal to prepare for watering.  They even got some lovely new signs tweeted!

Have there always been this many TV programmes about the canal around?  Weather they are or weather they’re not, it seems to me like they are the ‘in thing’ at the moment.  Even a 2-hour show of nothing but real-time canal boating down the Kennet & Avon was a BBC4 hit with four-times their normal viewing figures!  The latest on TV is ‘Canals: The Making of a Nation‘ and is worth a mention not only for the lovely aerial shots of many flights in the South East, but also for the starring role of Soulbury volunteer Lock Keeper Gerry Griffiths, who graces the screen nearly as much as the presenter!

Blisworth Canal Festival, once again, went down a storm!  The village was heaving all weekend, with not only the canal attractions, but the local estate house open for viewing, private gardens open, ferret racing & war re-enactments in the field and sunny weather to boot!  They make it look a breeze!

Wendover Arm Trust have been out pipe capping this month!  For their report, and a lovely piece on the flourishing wildlife on the Arm, click here WAT August Update.

Croxley Green held another successful task day at the start of the month.  Despite a low turnout (it was a gloriously hot Saturday!) the volunteers and Parish Council Ranger Phil managed to install and paint a new bench by the lock and paint the top set of gates.  Even before the bench was installed, passers-by couldn’t wait to try it out!  A new favourite spot for the Gongoozlers (boat watchers), I think!

Let’s welcome a new group now.  Willows Residents Association from Nash Mills in Hemel Hempstead have taken action along their local stretch of canal with a day of trimming back the brambles along the canal side fence, removing ivy from the trees and litter picking along the route between Kingfisher Drive, alongside the canal to the White Bridge.  Thank you all!  We look forward to having you out again soon.

CRT held another successful Open Day, this time at Tringford Pumping Station, with the active participation of many local volunteers.  With a mini-bus from Startops to the pumping station, many visitors enjoyed a tour of the historical building learning about its past and present, and how it has kept the Grand Union watered for the last 198 years.  Sarah Brown, CRT’s Development and Engagement Manager says:

“Thank you for all the help you offered at this weekend’s event at Tring Reservoir Festival.  The event ran very smoothly thanks to your input.  Apart from a little rain on Sunday, we had a good turn out and the car park was full for the majority of the weekend.  In total, 120 people toured the pumping station over the weekend and many commented on how interesting the tour had been.”

The open day was supported by the Environment Agency, Wendover Arm Trust and Herts & Middx Wildlife Trust, and Tring Anglers who offered free fishing taster sessions:

The 200^th anniversary of the Northampton Arm was celebrated in style over the bank holiday weekend with a the 3-day Festival of Water organised by IWA.  What a splendid event!  I was there on Saturday and it was a pleasure to see so many friendly faces and people enjoying their day out.  A huge thank you to the CRT volunteer lock keepers, IWA volunteers and CRT Customer Ops staff Mike & Eliott, who assisted with the boat movements to and from the festival.  You were invaluable at managing the water levels and keeping everyone afloat!

Not content with ‘only’ organising a festival, IWA Northampton branch volunteers were also busy making the Northampton Arm and River Nene look as right as rain.  And that included fishing out this lot…!

Nine young people and three leaders from Aylesbury Youth Action Group took part in a fair-weather task day at Marsworth on August 4^th.  They successfully painted the top gates of Lock 39, a side-pond fence and also undertook some litter-picking.  Following lunch, they enjoyed a fishing session with Tring Anglers.  It was really super to see such an enthusiastic & friendly group of youngsters enjoying their day by the canal.  Thank you!

The Aylesbury Towpath Taskforce volunteers continue to assemble monthly, with the anti-social behaviour at Lock 16 their current focus.  By clearing the offside area, they hope to discourage it from being a ‘den’ to make the area safer and more enjoyable for all users of this very busy towpath.

An additional Towpath Taskforce initiative was launched in Oxford on August 22nd.  During the inaugural task party, local volunteers were joined by several parish councillors and graffiti was tackled on Walton Well Bridge.  The group, led by Customer Ops staff Diana Loureiro, managed to scrub off most of the paint and will continue next month.  Similar events are planned to take place every month.

Newest adoption group Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire have been getting stuck in with a task day clearing scrub at Fenny Compton on the Oxford Canal.  Without this, the area would quickly turn to woodland and many species of butterfly would be lost from the site.

With regret, our Business Support Manager, Hannah Roe is leaving us this week for pastures new.  If you have ever claimed expenses, logged volunteer hours, ordered tools, visited Milton Keynes office, booked a course through us, worked with the Partnership or notified us of an issue, then Hannah has helped you!  Good luck with your new job Hannah, you’ll be mist!

I leave you now with a heat wave and this helpful quote from Kin Hubbard:

“Don’t knock the weather, nine-tenths of the people couldn’t start a conversation if it didn’t change once in a while”

I have just recalled something else from that weather programme on Radio 4.  You should never start by writing about the weather.  Oops.  I’m off to the isobar.

July’s South East Volunteering Blog

Many people, myself included, take much pleasure from simple summer sights and sounds.  From fields of yellow to swifts screaming overhead, it is not difficult to spot something that will make you smile.  Last weekend, my husband and I witnessed a special happening in our pond… A freshly emerged dragonfly, our first one as the pond is but 1 year old, resting on an iris leaf.  I took a photo and have spent the last week showing it to everyone, and now I share it with you!  On the underside of the leaf, you can see the dragonfly’s exoskeleton.  This would’ve been it’s skin for the last year when it was a pond predator.  Quite a transformation.

I also happen to enjoy wild flower ID.  I am no expert at it, nor could I tell you any impressive Latin names.  I like the common names, and how they came about.  Lords and Ladies is a favourite of mine.  It was renamed by the Victorians as it’s previous name was somewhat descriptive of its phallic appearance and deemed far too rude!  Many flowers also have a name which will tell you what it was used for.  For example, butterbur with its extraordinarily large leaves was used to wrap butter, broom was used as a broom, scabious to treat scabies, stitchwort for stitches.  Some plants have many names, depending on where in the country you are.  For example cleavers, or is it goosegrass, or sticky willy, maybe grip grass, or robin-run-in-the-hedge, or catchweed, or bedstraw…

Whilst we are thinking about marvelous natural world, let’s give a big welcome to our newest Community Adoption Group, Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire.  This group have been managing the site at Fenny Compton on the Oxford Canal for its selection of butterflies for a number of years, and it’s great to have them taking the next step with us.  Some of the group were also CAATS assessed (Competency Assessment And Training Scheme) on mowers so that they can keep scrub encroachment at bay.  Whilst conducting the CAATS, CRT’s Volunteer Coordinator John Highmore and Ecologist Penny Foster spotted this beautiful (& well camouflaged) grass snake:

If you don’t know Fenny Compton, it is a very lush site which extends out from the canal.  It is sometimes referred to as Fenny Compton tunnel as it once was, through relatively shallow hills, later opened out and replaced by a cutting. There is also a brick kiln on site which made bricks for the canal until 1917.

Recently, Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire & CRT have created banks planted with kidney vetch here. This is an important food source for the fantastically named grizzled skipper butterfly, which is attracted to the plants’ delicate yellow flowers. The new habitat will provide perfect conditions for the grizzled skipper, helping to boost its numbers.

Bench of the month must go to IWA Chiltern branch! Have a look at this stunner:

 

Created in 3 days next to Lock 39 on the Marsworth flight, this bench is worth 5 minutes rest of anyone’s time!  It replaces a similar circular bench that had become decrepit.  So the group ‘grasped the nettle’ and designed, made and installed a superior version.  Well done all, it looks absolutely fantastic.  Have a look here for the before, during and after photos.

IWA Northampton had grand plans to paint a lock and conduct a litter pick from a canoe, then it rained all day!  Not ones to let the grass grow under their feet, they still made the best of the day and litter picked a long stretch of the Northampton Arm towpath, finding 15 bags of rubbish.  Luckily their other task party this month was dry and they managed to paint another two locks.  It’s no mean feat when you have 17 locks!  Well done all.

Also out and about, green-fingered Braunston Canal Society had a successful day gardening in the Stop House garden and tidying up the Island at the turn.

And Whilton & Buckby Locks Association…

“managed to gather a group of five together this morning, including a new gent, who described his experience as ‘a lovely way to spend the day’ (well part of it anyway) – and he wants to come again.   The four chaps got all the lock painted, plus the bollards and footbridge and I de-weeded the steps and area in front of the little hut.   The Webb family also got out to strim and tidy the Nature Reserve and tidy around Lock 8.”

Thank you BCS & WBLA, your areas are looking really well cared for now.

Tis the season to be weeding and painting…  Unless you are CRT’s Area Supervisor who was spotted in Rickmansworth with his ‘catch of the day’, getting his hands dirty at Batchworth Lock with a broken and sunk dinghy blocking the gates.  Thanks for the evidence Mark Saxon!

There have been two successful lock paints over on the Oxford Canal this month thanks to Banbury Canal Partnership. Heyford Common Lock and Slat Mill Lock near Cropredy are both are quite remote so the group got a good lot of walking done those days as well!  Both set in very picturesque locations, the locks have come up roses.

Also out on the Oxford Canal was the Bicester & Kidlington Rambling Association‘s sub-group, Blitz & Klean.  This group helps keep the paths upon which they ramble, clear of over grown vegetation.  Fortunately for us, that brings them onto the towpath where they too have been improving the Heyford Area.  The Oxford Canal is looking better and better thanks to these two regular groups!

On a windy Wednesday, Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership were as busy as a bee, smartening up the top lock area for the summer season.  They also weeded the ash box at lock 15 and planted it up, and cleared the woodland walk of encroaching brambles.

Buckingham Canal Society have blossomed with a busy month of three task parties between the watered Cosgrove Lock and the dry canal arm to the A5 (after which the land is not CRT’s).  With numbers heightened thanks to some willing Santander employees at the start of the month, Cosgrove Lock was painted to look resplendent for Cosgrove Festival (which was a huge success).  Their two other task parties took place by the A5, clearing the very overgrown bed of the canal, removing small saplings and tidying up the towpath.  This is important work for the upcoming re-watering of this section of the Buckingham Arm.  Numbers were again swelled by willing volunteers from Vinci Technology in Leighton Buzzard, who enjoyed their time with BCS so much last year, they came back for more!

Many of our volunteers are also keen boaters and whilst they cruise they keep their eyes peeled for the unusual…  Watford VLK’s Brenda and Dick managed to capture this superb photo of Britain’s rarest mammal on the Ashby Canal, the water vole:

Not content with just turning up at other groups’ festivals, the South East Waterway are also organising some of our own open days to exhibit our not-so-well-known wonders.  Starting off with Weston Turville Reservoir near Aylesbury which was constructed in 1797 to supply water to an arm of the Grand Union Canal – and over the years a good many wetland plants have grown up around the edges.  The open water is leased to local sailing & angling clubs, and Beds, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) manages the surrounding land, a marshy fen and extensive reeds beds.  Earlier in the year, re-cycled material was sourced to relay the circular walk around the site which was in a pretty poor state.  With the help of Aylesbury Sailing Club, BBOWT, local residents and some community payback, the path is now a pleasure to walk.  Our Open Day had CRT and BBOWT stands, with the sailing and angling clubs offering free taster sessions.  In just a few hours on a hot, sunny Saturday, this little-known site had over 100 visitors!

Our next Open Day is at Tringford Pumping Station on Saturday 29^th and Sunday 30^th August.  A great opportunity for everyone to learn about the history of the pumping station and its future plans.  The historical and working Tringford Pumping Station is being opened and visitors will be able to have tours.  A rare chance not to be missed.  There will be a regular shuttle bus going from Startops car park over to the pumping station.  There will also be Tring Anglers taster fishing sessions, and Friends of Tring Reservoirs will be taking wildlife walks.

Is water your thing?  We have something special for you if it is!  How about a free go at Paddleboarding?  Hosted by Chiltern Canoe Club at afore mentioned Weston Turville Reservoir on Friday 14^th August 5pm-7pm. Email Joe.Sammon@canalrivertrust.org.uk to book or click here for the Flyer.

Corporate task days are an important aspect of volunteering with CRT.  There are two routes to become a corporate volunteer group. There are one-offs, whereby the company donates a rate per head to come and help.  This generates important funds for CRT as well as covering the planning, materials and supervision costs.  Personally, I find these groups great fun to be out with. They always bring loads of enthusiasm and get stuck right in!  This month we had a company called CGI (who provide CRT’s computer software) out in Milton Keynes.  They painted 2 footbridges with cast iron railings which had recently been identified as a priority by our Engineer.  They now look fantastic and fresh as a daisy!

Other corporate groups fall into our new Corporate Adoption Scheme, whereby the company signs up for regular task days in an area, much like our Community Adoption Scheme.  ESRI in Aylesbury are one of CRT’s first, and their successful task days have featured in the last 3 blogs.  July saw them out on their 4^th day, and painting a spectacular FOUR sets of lock gates on the Aylesbury Arm!  These gates, all within a 1 mile stretch, have been replaced in the last 3 years, but never painted.  And now the whole area looks so much brighter and more inviting.  The group had plenty of thankful canal users as they painted.  An excellent day, thank you all.  Thanks also to Jamie and Sam from the local Customer Ops team who got stuck in to help supervise.

I think you’ll lilac this next quote.  It is so nice when members of the public take the time to write to us to let us know how great they think our volunteers are, and that they are inspiring others to join us.

“We have been on canal holidays for the past 15 years and have seen many changes. Our latest trip this year highlighted what a good job is being done since the formation of CRT.  We spoke to several volunteers who showed great enthusiasm which has made us think about what we can do to help as we are both retired.  We will have a think and contact you in due course, in the meanwhile Well Done to all”

Iris my case and will now make like a tree and leave.

June’s Volunteering Blog

Cats are curious animals.  Well, some of them are.  There’s the one that played the fiddle when the cow jumped over the moon.  The pussycat that went to sea with an owl in a beautiful pea-green boat.  Not forgetting Garfield, Puss in Boots and, for those of you savvy on YouTube, the Keyboard Cat.  My two at home however, are not so exciting… sleeping, eating and following me around the garden are the daily highlights.  Despite the anticipation of scratches on our brand new sofa, they are nice companions to have around.  The new leather corner sofa in our living room and its impending cat domination, got me thinking back to my university days when we did a module on domestic animals, including the history of cats.  It all started with Wildcats of course, but the first evidence of a domestic cat is from Cyprus around 7500 BC.  But the first illustration of a cat with a collar appears on an Egyptian tomb around 2500 BC.  By 1793 BC cats, or ‘miu’ are definitely domesticated, and the animals appear frequently in Egyptian art paintings and mummies.

“You are the Great Cat, the avenger of the gods, and the judge of words, and the president of the sovereign chiefs and the governor of the holy Circle; you are indeed the Great Cat.”

Probably originally domesticated to help keep grain stores free of mice, cats quickly became very highly regarded as representatives of the Gods, with a penalty of death should you kill one albeit accidently.

Despite being demonized during the Middle Ages (cue picture of Bond villain stroking cat), there are now about 8 million cats in the UK, half of which seem to live on my street.

So what’s new, Pussycat?  Let’s see what the South East Waterway’s volunteers and partner groups been up to in June…

Let’s start on a paw-sitive and go first to Oxford, where residents of The Waterways estate kindly gave up their weekend to scrub graffiti from Elizabeth Jennings Bridge.

“Fifteen volunteers over the weekend of 13/14 June 2015 – some energetic people came for the full session on both days. Plus Wayne and two helpers from CRT.  It was raining on Saturday but as we were mainly working under the bridge it didn’t matter.  Much harder work than people had anticipated.  It took all weekend to do the Elizabeth Jennings Road bridge – so we didn’t even make a start on the Frenchay Road bridge.”  Imogen Olsen

A very well done to you all.  Graffiti removal is hard work, especially when there are technical difficulties with the pressure washer!  But it is a definite improvement I think you’ll all agree.

A massive THANK YOU to our Volunteer Helmsmen who answered the cat call to help with a huge project to transport drama students from Stratford in London to Berkhamsted on narrow boats.  After 12 months of planning and just 42 hours of rehearsals over seven days, the Stratford 2 Stratford Theatre Company took their final bow to a standing ovation at a performance for their parents, friends, teachers and VIPs at Chobham Academy.  It’s been a fantastic experience for the students and the feedback they’ve received has been brilliant.  Have a look at the lovely double page spread in the Sunday Express and a live interview (forward to 26:10) with the students on BBC Radio Coventry & Warwickshire before their second performance.

Blisworth has been awarded with a Red Wheel Plaque in recognition of the site’s important place in the industrial history and heritage of the UK.  On 6^th June, a ceremony was arranged by local volunteers to mark the occasion, with local dignitaries in attendance.  The whole village got involved, read the full report here.

The monthly task parties run by Canal Societies and Partnerships are wielding the paint brushes at the mew-ment, with cool-cats Braunston painting locks 5 & 6 which completes the flight this year already; Banbury have painted Somerton Deep Lock and Elkington’s Lock; Buckingham painted Cosgrove Lock in advance of their Festival last weekend; and IWA Northampton have picked up where they left off last year on the Rothersthorpe flight.

Athina Beckett, Buckingham Canal Society reports:

“The volunteers continued the work of installing a pipe duct to continue the process of re-watering the Buckingham Canal.  Volunteers also continued the work of clearing some of the re-growth at the A5 end of the canal started by a group of volunteers from Santander.  A big thanks to Wayne for his help, we had a larger group than expected but all went well.  The volunteers working alongside Wayne managed to paint Cosgrove Lock – great news as our annual festival takes place over the weekend of 11th-12th July, and 4 of them carried out a litter pick along the towpath and in Lock Lane.  The rest of the group worked with me trimming overhanging branches and tidying up the towpath again to make the canal look more attractive for our festival”

Great going Buckingham Canal Society!  Sounds like the works are coming along well.

Geoff Wood reports on IWA Northampton‘s month:

“Now the weather has improved we will re-start the painting of the Rothersthorpe lock flight.  I think we got down to about lock 10 last year.  We are also going to continue with the vegetation clearance at Lock 17.  We have arranged for CRT to supply a petrol mower and the Branch will use its 2 strimmers. There will be raking and other vegetation clearance to do including the cleaning of the block paving.  If we get sufficient numbers we can clear the vegetation on the by-pass weir at lock 16.”

Lock 17, where the Northampton Arm meet the River Nene, is looking claw-some these days!  Have a look at the photos from the last task party there.

IWA Northampton are also in the final stages of planning for the Festival of Water on August bank holiday.  They are looking to borrow Volunteer Lock Keepers to help with the passage of boats through the Rothersthorpe flight.  If you would like to help, please let me know.

In Stoke Bruerne, the Canal Partnership have been far from pro-cats-tinating, with a general tidy up of the main central areas of the village, including the Museum Green, car park and Top Lock area as well as keeping in check any ‘straying’ vegetation along the towpath and the woodland walk.

Also spotted out in Stoke Bruerne this month were Dutch Push Boats that had come across from the Netherlands on a lorry and were craned in at Limehouse. They are travelling up to Birmingham and then, back via the Oxford to London.  Great spot, VLK Steve Mapson!

Our VLK’s (Volunteer Lock Keepers) have also been saving water this month by purr-suading boaters to share locks, as Soulbury VLK Craig Bakin reports:

“As water levels were quite low Monday, Tony & I asked some boats to wait Monday afternoon i.e. locks in favour and doubling up.  Boats seemed ok about the slight delay and we managed to save quite a bit of water, which will hopefully help with the low levels”

The Hillmorton VLK’s have sent in the super report about what’s been happening on the North Oxford.  Read it here (Hillmorton report).  To whet your appetite, it contains orchids…

Down near Tring Reservoirs, Ron Wem, one of Dunstable & District Boat Club’s longest standing members, has now completed the refurbishment of mileposts 52 and 53.  The club installed these back in 1993!  A great little project, thank you Ron, they look meow-nificent.

You can find these mile posts to Braunston along most of the Grand Union Canal, and at Braunston Historic Boat Rally, Marsworth VLK Ian Wilson found the source…

Whilst there, Ian also found Timothy West and Prunella Scales, who are well known canal lovers.

Also feeling paw-leased with his findings, is Rickmansworth Waterways Trust and Lead Volunteer Mark Saxon, who proudly proclaims:

“The one piece we missed last year BUT I got it this year!  We are Himalayan Balsam free!”

Well done Mark, great to have a success story in the eradication of this invasive plant species.

ESRI, our corporate volunteers in Aylesbury, have been back out for their third task day down the Aylesbury Arm.  This month they completed the backfilling of soft bank protection, repaired another section of bank with sand/cement bags, and painted High Bridge footbridge & Lock 16.  Great work all – it looks so much better down there now, purr-fect even.  Volunteer Lena Wolf says:

“I really enjoyed last Thursday. And always have a smile on my face walking along that bit of the canal now seeing the changes both groups made.”

Always busy and making progress, is Wendover Arm Trust who have produced a photo timeline of their progress on restoring the Wendover Arm to date.  Well worth a look at this here (WAT UPDATE).

And finally, a massive THANK YOU to Wayne Moore, who, having completed a very successful 5.5 months secondment into the Volunteer Leader role, has retuned to the GUS Construction team.  I know those of you that met Wayne will recognize what a good job he did and join me in wishing him all the best.

Also, John Highmore completed his four-month secondment in the role of National Volunteering Communications Manager and returns to the South East Waterway as Volunteer Development Coordinator.  Welcome back John!  And Miriam Tedder (me) has also completed her secondment and returns to Volunteer Leader position, and on 6^th June married Craig to become Mrs. Miriam Linforth.

Thank you to all you for your continued hard work and dedication to improving the Grand Union and Oxford canals.  It’s great to see so much happening each month and that we continue to engage new communities.

I can hear my cats mewing for their dinner now, and if they leave the sofa alone, I’ll treat them to a turn around the garden too…

Volunteering Blog, May 2015

It’s amazing how adaptable to change we all are…  How quickly the ‘old ways’ become outdated.  Remember when Opal Fruits became Starburst?  OUTRAGEOUS!  Or when the Neighbours theme tune got added saxophone?  HIDEOUS!  Even seasonal changes don’t faze us for long.  Other changes are more subtle, like fashion or music.  Obviously a more topical change is that from British Waterways to Canal & River Trust.  Three years and uncountable changes later, and I think very few people would hit the rewind button.

Unchanging however, is this blog, which continues to celebrate the wonderful things that the volunteers are up to in the South East Waterway.  Let’s start with previously un-blogged volunteers and a lovely little one-off project at Wilstone reservoir to replace a decrepit bench and fit a new one.  Designed and built by Friends of Tring Reservoirs, the benches were installed with the help of CRT’s Volunteer Leader Wayne Moore, and volunteer Lock Keeper Iain Brown.  These smart new benches will now please the bottoms of many a visitor!

Also new to us this month and out of Oxfordshire, comes a rambling group (Bicester and Kidlington) with a number of volunteers also helping to keep Oxfordshire’s footpaths tidy from vegetation.  On a few of their walks along the canal they had noticed brambles obstructing the towpath and offered their services to tidy and clear as necessary.  The group of 7, armed with hand tools, had a very successful day in the Kidlington area.  No doubt many walkers will be enjoying the clearer towpath.

“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”

…so says Andy Warhol.  And if you’ll entertain me getting a little philosophical, volunteers recognize this and are the ones to get out there and make changes!

Inspired to improve Croxley Green, twelve volunteers spent the weekend helping to repair Common Moor Bridge on the Grand Union Canal.  This is the first re-pointing done by volunteers in the South East waterway and the result is superb!  The bridge isn’t quite as new yet, but it is in better condition and much less of an eye sore!  Many thanks to Parish Rangers Phil and Ollie, and Lead Volunteer Graham Newman for their help in running the task days.

Inspiring us to take this concept even further, is Blisworth Canal Partnership, who have been nominated for one of the UK Government’s ‘Big Society’ Awards!  Good luck Blisworth!  When they are not preparing for their festival (8-9 August), the group have been holding bat evenings with village groups & the Scouts and also painting the lock beam benches opposite the Mill & outside the Hut in readiness for Blisworth’s Red Wheel presentation.

Changing a brand name can be risky.  Did you know Google was originally called BackRub? Hmm, yes that’s what I was thinking too!  Definitely a wise move there.  The SciFi Channel was less successful.  After changing their brand to Syfy, they learnt this was also an urban term for something rather unpleasant.  Whoops.

Back for their second task day, ESRI (formally Environmental Systems Research Institute and CRT’s GIS mapping software provider) helped repair an eroding bank in Aylesbury, using soft bank protection.  Looking stylish in waders, the group bashed in stakes, and slid in 40 metres of coir rolls (sausages of organic material) to form the new edge.  They then back-filled with top soil.  Like last month’s group, they got stuck in and managed to complete much more than we thought they would.  Helped by ice creams, naturally.  Also helping Volunteer Leader Wayne, was CRT Construction’s Neil Adams, Lead Volunteer Philip Strangeway, and CRT GIS team’s Richard Gowling and Luis Velasquez.

Braunston Canal Society are on a roll!  Using new volunteers recruited from the successful fire path clearance in the winter, this group got 2 locks painted in one day with a whopping 14 volunteers in attendance!  Locks 5 & 6 are now resplendent and the bank to the tunnel cleared (again) of nettles.  Great result!

Whilton & Buckby Locks Assoc. have been producing results too, with 9 hard-working souls who spent 20 hours spreading 4 builders’ bags of aggregate (kindly moved to site by a local landowner).   Thanks to Long Buckby Parish Council too for their generous grant to enable this work to be completed.  The following week, four volunteers painted the Bottom Lock, making the approach to the Buckby flight look smart again.  In between times their strimmers have been out and about, and the final tree slips from the Woodland Trust have been planted.  A terribly productive month – well done Geoff, Sue and gang!

Most of us are fans of a change that occurs when we have a little tipple!  Alcohol directly affects brain chemistry by changing levels of neurotransmitters — the chemical messengers that transmit the signals throughout the body that control thought processes, behaviour and emotion.

Now I would hate to suggest that any group in particular was partial to a little alcohol induced brain chemistry, so this might be a good time to mention the start of the festival season (because there is always a beer tent!), with 2 of the biggest happening in May – Crick Boat show and Rickmansworth festival.  Well done Rickmansworth Waterways Trust who have the organisation of this huge event seemingly sewn up!   At Crick, CRT had a strong attendance of volunteer Lock Keepers helping us to promote the Trust in our big marquee – many thanks to you all for being fantastic ambassadors.

But it wasn’t only the volunteer Lock Keepers at Crick Boat Show that were helping.  The ladies and gents at the Foxton and Watford staircase flights had their work cut out with all the boat traffic, and by all accounts they lock-keeped their socks off!!  Well done all and many thanks!

Foxton Lock Keepers are changing… with a new website!  Following the success of the Hillmorton Lock Keepers’ website, Foxton have also created a site from which you can find all the local and up-to-date information, as well as some superb photos of the site by Lock Keeper Richard Boyles.  I urge you to take a look here.  And for those of you who have not visited Foxton (S. Leicestershire) before, you really should!  As well as being an absolutely stunning site, the Museum there has  just been refurbished, changed its name to The Boilerhouse and is now a state-of-the-art attraction.

Also this month, our volunteer Lock Keepers have been learning more about the canals.  Many thanks to CRT’s Ecologists Penny and Stuart for their informative talk about Tring Reservoirs.  The VLK’s in GU South are now experts in why the site is a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and the difference between the songs of Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers!  Thanks also to Fabian Hiscock from Rickmansworth Waterways Trust for coming to Milton Keynes and presenting an interesting talk on the heritage of our canals.  VLK’s were also treated to a talk by one of CRT’s Hydrologists, Emma Bullen, who gave a fascinating insight into what her team does to plan for draught, flooding and all those summer lockages!  Also congratulations to the VLK’s of Class 2015 for completing their H&S training.

Whoa!  John Highmore is back with a report from CRT’s first sports day!

“Really pleased to be able to help out at a free Multi-Sports Activity Day in Oakfield Park, which adjoins the Aylesbury Arm canal. The event was organized and run by the Canal & River Trust’s Sports Participation Manager, Joe Sammon and it featured kayaking, angling, cycling, ‘Dr Bike’ (cycle maintenance), a fun run and lots more for people to enjoy. Many thanks to all the volunteers and CRT staff who ran sessions, provided refreshments or assisted as marshals. The families who visited all had a wonderful time. Particular respect goes to the two young lads who turned up at 9.30am and stayed until 4.30pm, tried absolutely every activity, and then asked, “Will you be doing this again next week?!”

Living waterways transform places and enrich lives, my friends!”

And it’s back to me to tell you about more volunteering…

“If you can’t change your mind, why have one?”

Staying with the canoeing, Leighton Canoe Club had their annual canoe litter pick.  It was a huge success this year with a staggering 35 volunteers! They collected 25 bags of rubbish plus quite a lot of additional stuff that wouldn’t go in the bags.  Well done guys!

Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership have been busy as their Family Festival is almost upon us – 13-14 June.  So they turned their focus of activities again to the central areas of the village.  Several tasks, including hedge trimming, washing down of the metal fencing around the Dry Lock and painting the lock beams, lock edging stones and adjacent fences were completed with the assistance of Lead Volunteer Graham Newman.

It’s been a while since Banbury Canal Partnership have repaired a fence but they’re at it again!  They have fitted and painted a new access fence and also gotten the lock painted too.  Great work!

IWA Northampton celebrated the 200^th anniversary of the Northampton Arm with a super BBQ at Gayton Junction with many IWA members in attendance, plus new South East Waterway Manager Vicky Martin and CEO Richard Parry.  Richard unveiled a beautiful mosaic which had been made by children at Gayton School.  But they don’t just eat burgers and drink wine!  The IWA Northampton group have also been out twice this month, concentrating their efforts on Lock 17 which is where the Arm meets the River Nene.

“The spring warmth and rain has set the vegetation alive at Lock 17, so we now need to attack it if we have any chance of it looking good for the Festival of Water in August.”

Speaking of the Festival of Water, pop the dates in your diary – Saturday 29th – Monday 31st August.

No change here – Marks & Spencer staff emerged from their shops for the third year to help pick up litter along local stretches of canal as part of their Forever Fish campaign.  With 5 locations in the South East this year (Banbury, Bulbourne (pictured), Kings Langley, Leighton Buzzard & Hemel Hempsted), they collected a whopping 160 bags of rubbish!

Also unchanging, are the super Aylesbury Arm Towpath Taskforcers.  The core volunteers of this group have been litter picking for 10 years!  Out every 2nd Saturday, what incredible and dedicated volunteers these are indeed!  Thank you!

Since the Health & Safety at Work Act of 1974, the way we work has changed an enormous amount.  To coin CRT’s motto

“To work safe is a Responsibility; To go home safe is a Right”

And to that end, CRT has produced a light-hearted video to highlight not only the importance that CRT has to keep volunteers safe, but also that they have responsibility to keep themselves safe too.  Have a watch here.

Another incredibly productive month, I think you’ll agree.  A huge, sincere thanks to all the volunteers, Lead Volunteers, Lock Keepers, Group Leaders and CRT staff for making it happen.  Please treat yourselves to some guilt-free neurotransmitter changing!

I’ll admit I used the services of BackRub… I mean Google… to help with the quotes today.  And I wanted a profound one to finish on.  There are many inspirational ones to choose from, but I think the best is this:

“Change is good”

And why not challenge ourselves to change for the better.  You are all reading this because you are on the mailing list entitled ‘awesome people’.

And just to finish off this blog of celebrating change, I should mention that before our next blog installment, my name will be changing as I am getting married!  Change is good, and exciting!

April’s Volunteering Pledge

I came across a fascinating article this month that suggests it is possible to determine which political party you will vote for, depending on your food shop.  How terribly interesting, I thought.  Do you fancy a go?

1. Pick your most likely to buy food from this list
   1. Brussels spouts
   2. Mango
   3. Loose leaf tea
   4. Avocado
   5. Welsh cheese
2. Read all of the blog
3. Find which party you voted for at the end

By now we all know the result of the General Election, in fact I am watching the full BBC coverage as I type.  I shall reserve comment, but will make vague reference to political terms throughout the blog to get my (and your?) fix of poor puns for the month…!

 

April has not failed to deliver on its volunteering manifesto (we begin already), with many outings by the regular groups, and also some new parties coming out to improve their local stretch.

First out in April were the WBLA’s (Whilton & Buckby Locks Assoc.) who made use of the Easter weekend…

“Alan and Brian have been working on the Nature Reserve, planting snowdrops and bluebells, plus general tidying.  Geoff and I have been refreshing the tubs at Top Lock, plus removing all the weeds which were spoiling the garden above the road tunnel entrance, plus a bit of planting, tidying and sweeping the tunnel.”

Thanks Sue, the flight is looking bright!

With the Festival of Water less than 4 months away now, IWA Northampton are busy as ever on their Battlebus up and down the Arm.  Their first task party saw them spruce up the sanitary station at Gayton Junction, and take on a new activity at CRT’s request.  We asked the group if they could help us by carrying out some routine maintenance on the by-weirs that run around each of the 17 locks.  And a sterling job they did on them too, have a look here.  Thank You!  Group Leader, Geoff Wood says

“We will continue with a small group who will carry out some vegetation clearance on the lock by-wash weirs. We need to complete lock 4 but have to very careful that we don’t disturb any wildlife and a full inspection must be made first. If in doubt do not carry out the work and we will continue with it later in the year.”

Great to see a very practical approach to these tasks being undertaken.  You might also remember that the group was restoring the 4 mile posts along the Arm.  3 down, 1 to go…

To a new party now – Hightown Praetorian & Churches Housing Association, who asked very nicely if they could come along for a morning’s volunteering to help improve the canal through Hemel Hempstead.  We said ‘yes’ of course… and what a superb job they did too.  Volunteer Leader, Wayne reports:

“A very good day at Apsley Locks today, with 22 HPCHA employees involved in various activities.  Three sets of lock gates painted, including the new pair that were still bare.  Flower beds weeded & replanted with bedding plants.  And even squeezed in a litter pick, not bad for three hours graft!  They went away very happy with their mornings work, another good day!”

 

The Stoke Bruerne candidates were out too this month, but headed to the very south end of their patch as the Easter holidays meant the top lock & museum area were too busy!  Party Leader, Rob Westlake, lead the team to the bottom of the flight to tidy up and litter pick the track and car park.  It looks much better now – great job!

Also in Stoke Bruerne, was an unusual sight, as the funeral of Doris Osbourne began with a journey on the canal.  Here are the story and photos.

April is the annual litter pick in Leighton Buzzard, with a difference… Thanks to Leighton Buzzard Canoe Club for once again, undertaking this event on the water!

In the next constituency north, IWA Milton Keynes held their bi-annual Canal Clean-up from Fenny Stratford to Wolverton.  With a super turnout of voters including CRT PM Richard Parry, a convoy of boats, a hopper, a pan and a dredger, the 2-day, 11-mile clean up picked up an awful lot of rubbish (not one of the puns).  Read the full account here.  A huge thanks to Philip & Athina for organising the logistics of this coalition event!

Let’s travel now, over to Oxford.  Interest in the Oxford Canal is growing, possibly due to TV programs such as Great Canal Journeys with Timothy West & Prunella Scales.  Fortunately we also have growing numbers of local residents that want to come out and help us remove the graffiti that blights the canal as it enters the city.  April saw 2 groups out, one at Isis Lock, and a new group organized by Cllr. Liz Wade (a real one) tackling heritage Aristotle Bridge.  Never an easy job, but one that makes a big difference.  Many thanks to everyone who took the time to come and scrub!

Also busy on the Oxford Canal are Banbury Canal Partnership, back with gusto after their winter break.  First up was painting Allens’ Lock near Upper Heyford, and how can you refuse an offer like this:

“As it is such a nice day, thought we may paint a lock!”

The following week, it must’ve been a nice day again, as the group tackled Varney’s Lock near Cropredy.  Apparently it was rated 2/10 by some friendly boaters, now it’s 10/10!

Also taking advantage of the good painting weather was the Fenny Stratford group who managed to paint all the lock furniture – lock, fence, swing bridge, bollards, bike barrier AND water their new hedgerow whips!

Blisworth Canal Partnership have been busy this month, showing Scouts the tunnel and the bats that live in it!  Armed with new bat detectors, they can watch and listen to the bats as they depart in the evenings.  Group Leader Alan Andrews says

“Had a great session with local Scouts in the Spinney and the Hut this evening.  Jan gave them a talk about Bats.  As it was a warm evening loads of bats came out of the Tunnel at dusk.  Our new digital Bat detectors worked really well and we identified two different species tonight, one being Common Pipistrelle and the other being Noctule.  Then finished with the leaders cooking hot dogs for us all.”

Sounds like a fun evening!

With no opposition, Braunston Canal Society have been at it again!  Back at the fire path over the tunnel, another high turnout of BCS volunteers and local residents saw them finish off the clearance of this path.  Years of neglect had the 5-metre wide path reduced to a single track, and now look at it!  Top job everyone!

Later in the month, the group re-convened in their safe seat for a spot of lock painting outside the Admiral Nelson.  The group are looking for more volunteers to help with the maintenance of the flight.  If you think you can help, please contact Graham.

Down to the Wendover Arm now, where months of hard work came to fruition as the latest section of canal was re-watered.  I highly recommend you click here [WAT update] to read and see the photos of this exciting event.

Let me introduce another new group next.  Based in Aylesbury, ESRI is a company that supplies Canal & River Trust with their GIS system.  GIS is a mapping tool that allows us to map data and carry out analysis.  We hold data on our land ownership, assets and services, water voles, hedgerows and much more.

Task #1 in April was to fill the huge potholes in Broughton car park, take back the encroaching vegetation and paint the railings and fences.  Not only did they get all this done, they also got the lock painted!  What a successful day!  Many thanks to ESRI, Lead Volunteer Philip, plus Louise and Nick from CRT’s GIS team for coming to help.  Can’t wait to have you out again!

Crossing the M25 now to Rickmansworth, where a successful task party took place, despite being in deficit when a corporate group cancelled the day before!  Mark Saxon from Rickmansworth Waterways Trust says

“12 volunteers attended and about 70 hours of volunteers’ time getting the lock looking great and ready for the Rickmansworth Festival in May.”

Great to see the local volunteers rallying to get the job done – well done!  Have a look at this super video by volunteer Les Mead, showing the progress of the day.

An update by Buckingham Canal Society’s Athina Beckett now:

“Buckingham Canal Society were lucky in obtaining a grant from WREN to re-water a 400-metre section of the canal at Bourton Meadow near Buckingham.  Contractors lined and re-watered this section of the canal but unfortunately a problem occurred.  Since March this year the contractors have been back to replace it and the canal is now back in water again and much appreciated by the local ducks!

Our volunteers have been back on site re-planting over 2,000 aquatic plug plants.  Any extra help here on Sunday 10th or Thursday 21st May, would be much appreciated”

Aylesbury Towpath Taskforce were out litter picking the Arm – it’s looking so good there with all these wonderful volunteers doing their bit!  They undertake a range of tasks every 2nd Saturday 10.30am – just turn up at the rear of Tesco!

Lock Keeper updates:

• Volunteer Lock Keepers are showing how good they are yet again, with John Carvell at Watford, Brian Morgan at Braunston and Maurice Farndon at Hillmorton, all inspiring boaters to write to or call us.  Great start to the season!
• Also leading the way are the teams at Soulbury and Marsworth who were awarded certificates for being nominated for Esme Dowling Lock Keeper of the Year 2014.   Wow!!!
• Ever wondered how lock gates are made and replaced?  Marsworth VLK Ian Wilson found this fascinating article in Countryside magazine [Lock Gates]
• VLK Task Manager Ben Bray has been sneaking volunteers off the locks to help with maintenance and painting.  Braunston VLK Brian Morgan was very pleased with his handiwork at this now-gleaming lock
• Also taking photos, is Napton’s Richard Wren, who wanted to prove he was back for the start of the season with this lovely aerial!

• Soulbury VLK, Craig Bakin is happy to be back on the lock-side, and is earning his keep too…

“It was really busy at locks Friday.  Luckily Kevin O came to help at 4 pm, when there was a small breach by one of the hire boats.  They didn’t put paddles down at bottom lock, and then put top paddles up too… This is how to drain the pound!!  Kevin saw and I quickly manage to close the paddles before they drained the system!  It was nice to see it so busy this early in the season, even though Easter is earlier this year.”

Thanks Craig & Kevin!

• Hillmorton VLK’s have taken matters into their own hands where the local information board is concerned!  No longer showing old signs, Kevin & Taryn Marriott have designed and installed their own poster with up-to-date and useful information.  This now nicely compliments the Hillmorton website!

 

And finally… let’s get physical!  CRT’s new Sports Participation Manager, Joe Sammon has big plans to make the canals more accessible and fun.

On Sunday 31st May, we are hosting our first Activity Day in Aylesbury.  Why not come along with your family?  We’re also looking for some volunteers to help.

• Venue: Oakfield Road Park, Aylesbury map
• Cost: FREE
• Date: Sunday 31^st May 2015 (10am – 4pm)
•  Free Multi-Activity Day including:
  • 2 km Family Fun Run between 12 noon – 1pm (under 8’s must run with an adult)
  • Taster canoeing (ages 10yrs and over)
  • Cycling skills coaching sessions (Bikes provided will be for 8yrs+ although no age restriction if bringing own bike and helmet)
  • Taster Fishing (any age although under 12yrs must be accompanied by an adult)
  • FREE ‘Dr Bike’ Bike mechanic* – bring your bike along for minor repairs: gears, brakes and general adjustments.. (*excludes cost of any replacement parts)
  • Canal & River Trust Information Point

Joe also has 2 great volunteering roles, perfect for getting experience in sport & event management.  If you know anyone who might be interested, please forward them these links

• Sport Development volunteer – Aylesbury/Tring
• Sport Development volunteer – Banbury/Northampton

 

 

If you have read all the blog (if you scrolled straight down, stop cheating!) here is how you cast your vote:

• Brussels spouts – UKIP
• Mango – Green
• Loose leaf tea – Labour
• Avocado – Conservative
• Welsh cheese – Liberal Democrat

For the full scientific report, click here.

So that’s it for this term.  I wish you all a fair & democratic May…

March 2015 – a Lock Keeper Special

Welcome to March’s blog – an update on the volunteering going-ons in the South East Waterway.  This month is a Lock Keeper special, as we welcome back 90 of our experienced lock keepers, some of whom are starting their 4th season with us.

Here at CRT, we are very proud of our volunteer lock keepers.  They give up their time to help boaters and other canal users a great experience on our waterways.  And they are very good at it too, as this happy customer wrote in…

“This isn’t a complaint but a very grateful compliment to the volunteers at Foxton Locks.  Alan Brook was fantastic with us ‘newbies’ to narrow boating.  He was helpful, informative and friendly.  He made a very daunting experience into a doddle for us.  He was also manning Watford Gap locks when we got there – he even saw us through the locks in torrential rain on a very cold February day.  I’d be so grateful if you could send him our thanks from two very grateful Welsh travellers.  He made our week!”

Well done, Alan!

So why do lock keepers keep?  Recently, Chris Record, a volunteer Lock Keeper at Marsworth, wrote this super article for a magazine and kindly let us borrow it.  Read it here.

This year we have seen more interest in the role than ever before, allowing an additional 30 sites nationally to have lock keepers on duty.

In the South East waterway, we have kept to 9 sites, but we are welcoming 49 new lock keepers to the team!  This should see each site with a pair of lock keepers on nearly every day – what a great service that will be!

Speaking of good service, a special thank you needs to go out to our stalwart winter Lock Keepers at Foxton and Watford staircase flights.  They have manned these flights every day throughout the winter months to provide assistance to boaters.  Previously the locks would have been locked and the boater would have needed to call a Waterway Operative from their day job to come and let them through.  Now the boaters can go straight through and the staff member can continue their work.  It’s a chilly task, but it makes a big difference.

 If you have not heard about the Hillmorton Locks website yet, please have a look here. This site has been created by Kevin, one of the lock keepers and is a really great tool to learn more and provide local information.  The statistics page is particularly interesting and shows how many people the lock keepers interact with.  Nationally, it is estimated that lock keepers talk to 7000 people a week!

In addition to lock keeping, we are giving our ‘lockies’ the opportunity to get more involved in what else goes on so that they can see how the water levels are controlled and what our Waterway Operatives get up to on a day-to-day basis.  This is great way to understand how the canals are kept managed and navigable.

Napton Lock Keeper Richard enjoyed his day with Neil, a Waterway Operative on the Oxford Canal:

“I had a very interesting time and gained a much better understanding of the day to day operations on the canals and of the water management in the Napton area.  We had 2 good days and I hope Neil did not feel too bombarded with all the questions I threw at him!  He showed me a lot in a short time and we still managed to get some work done.”

Over at Foxton Locks, the experienced and new lock keepers came together to help CRT Team Leader Mark Whitfield with a new project to save the old orchard from brambles. Mark reported:

“All went well, we cleared a third of the length and created an access from the arm. We have two large piles of vegetation which I am hoping to get chipped.  I am looking to organise more sessions in the autumn as there was such enthusiasm for this from the volunteers.”

Well done! This is a great start to reinvigorating the orchard and its special Apple trees.

A big thank you to Mark, Neil and all the other CRT staff that get involved with making the Lock Keeper experience bigger and better every year.

Going strong throughout the winter months too, was our team of Welcome Station volunteers in the Stop House at Braunston.  They are open almost every day of the week now which is really helpful for all the people that want to learn more about the canals or the local area.  Keen volunteer Rowena, recorded the visitor numbers for 2014 which totalled 2249!  Another great service, Thank You!

Also braving the winter months are our volunteer Mooring Rangers who provide valuable details on where moorings are available and how long boaters can stay.

Despite Stoke Bruerne Museum not being fully open for the peak season yet, the museum volunteers have been busy preparing the displays and shop.  Also busy are the Explorer volunteers with school children already flocking to Stoke Bruerne to learn about canals and how the locks work.

Now imagine if every canal pub painted a lock and made a wildlife garden…  Showing the others how it’s done, is Berkhamsted’s free house The Rising Sun, with community-minded landlord Nigel and CRT’s Boating Coordinator/Rising Sun regular Debbi, at the helm.

“It’s amazing how much 5 determined people can achieve in a few hours!  We tidied the fence on the offside of the lock and litter picked and uncovered the bee garden and replanted it with foxgloves and more.  Interpretation plinth is being scrubbed sometime this week to complete the job.  Nigel fed us all free beer for our efforts!  That’s got to be one of the best things about a pub led adoption scheme!!!”

Thanks for the report Debbi, that sounds like a lot of fun!

A little further north, the Friends of Dudswell Lock were out keeping warm with a small bonfire to dispose of some brash left by tree works.  This stretch is looking very well-kept indeed.  Thanks!

Every second Saturday of the month, Aylesbury locals come along to help keep this stretch tidy with the assistance of CRT’s Gary Timberlake.  This month, the weather was not the best, but despite this, there were 2 new volunteers, and a thorough litter pick ensued.  Aylesbury locals and TT regulars Andy & Catherine had an additional task day too this month, when they decided that the brash from a fallen tree at lock 16 should be put to better use and built a superb dead hedge!  On the other side of Lock 16, the daffodils that the group planted in October are coming up well now.  What a difference from the anti-social hot-spot this lock was a year ago.  Great effort, team!

Nearby, whatever the weather, the Wendover Arm Trust volunteers are out re-lining the canal.  A little piece of history is happening next month as they re-water their latest section of canal.  Good luck!

Braunston Canal Society held a special task party this month after receiving a call for help from a local boater who wanted to see the fire path over Braunston tunnel cleared.  It had narrowed to a fraction of its original width.  With 23 volunteers heeding to the call, the results were impressive.  Graham reports:

 “We estimate that over a quarter of a mile of overgrown pathway was cleared by the group and special mention should be made of Cameron, Lauren and Amy our 3 youngest volunteers.  Young Cameron did not stop shovelling all day and put some of the older members to shame with his enthusiasm and stamina.

A considerable amount of litter was also collected and bagged.

Some of the group concentrated on cutting back brambles and overgrown trees so that the pathway could be restored to its natural width and is now wide enough for a fire engine to drive down should the need occur.

 A number of local residents have also expressed an interest in helping to clear the remaining area and our group will work towards organising a further work party soon.”

 Great results Graham!  Have a look for yourself here.

Also this month, the group got out for a spot of lock painting led by BCS Chairman Nick Strivens.

Trees are beginning to bud, as Whilton & Buckby Locks Assoc can attest:

“Just heard from Alan that he has spent another hour tidying around Lock 8 and that the new trees WBLA bought and put in are in bud (that’s a relief, because we bought them!).  I wish we had someone resident at every lock to put in the time and effort that Alan and family do!   I bet you do too!!”

Yes indeed Sue!  Let’s get all blog readers to admire your nature reserve at lock 8 whenever they pass through!

Every second Wednesday of the month is Stoke Bruerne task day day! Group leader Rob Westlake reports:

“Louise at the Museum has asked if some of us could help with ‘The Back Yard’ Project – which aims to enhance the area behind the Museum and around the Learning Centre.  So we assisted with a new raised bed and bird feeding area which now looks great.

Steve, Kathryn and I completed trimming back the laurel hedge alongside the Museum Green.  That should start sprouting soon.

We also cut access points in the hedge between the museum green and woodland walk, ready for future access to the field.”

Thanks Rob and the team, it really does look good around the museum now.

At the other end of the tunnel, Blisworth Canal Partnership have a variety of visitors…  They had Beavers from the 49th Northampton Scout group who visited the tunnel hut and then had their packed lunches in the spinney.  But also spotted in the spinney – a Rookery with nine nests and growing daily, tree creepers and woodpeckers and lots of deer hoof prints in the wet soil too!  What a wildlife hotspot it’s becoming!

Northampton IWA were out in force again this month.  Their litter picking mission continued as they race to get as much as possible before the vegetation hides it all!  They too, managed to find fair weather and start some painting.  Geoff reports:

 “What a wonderful day, the weather was great with 14 of us.  We painted the top gate, paddles and other bits of lock 2, the garage on the towpath side of lock 1 and a lot of litter picking which went down to lock 13.”

Sounds like the Arm will be spotless for the Festival of Water on August bank holiday weekend!  Here are some photos.

The fairer weather has also encouraged IWA MK and local residents back to Fenny Stratford.  Rodney reports:

“In the space of 5 hours, we planted 50 whips which completes all hedge gaps up to Bridge 96; staked, collared and watered.  We also replaced a few of last year’s plantings that had failed and re-staked firmly a number of last year’s whips.

We weeded and removed dead growth; planted donated new summer plants and bulbs in the pump house garden; cleaned the swing bridge of moss, algae and general dirt.

Finally, we rubbed down and all repainted the white balance beam ends.”

Wow, what a productive day!

As well as their regular tasks days which are currently at Bourton Meadow (not CRT land), Buckingham Canal Society also had an extra task day when they spied an access issue, as Athina reports:

“It was reported to me that at the far end of the Buckingham Canal close to A5 the area was looking very overgrown with brambles and after taking a look we decided to run an extra work party for the BCS just to clear some of these brambles.”

Really good to see so many groups going above and beyond.  Thank you all.

And finally…

If you are missing John Highmore, have a look at CRT’s latest campaign which focusses on feeding ducks a healthy diet.  This not only helps waterfowl, but helps keep the water healthier too.  As national Volunteer Communications Manager, John wanted to get involved in this campaign as well as show his little girl the right foods for ducks.  Isn’t she a cutie!

See the full article here: The Telegraph

So there we have it, a very busy month in the South East waterway.  Wherever you walk, boat or cycle this month, please be sure to show you appreciation for all the hard-working volunteers who are making the canals a better and more pleasant place to be.

February 2015

You might think that writing a blog is a piece of cake.  Let me tell you that with crumbs squished down the side of letters J, K and L, and jam on the space bar, it is not.

I have had a lot of cake this week.  First, my friend invited me over for a slice of chocolate cake that she had made to teach her son about fractions.  Then, I visited a patisserie to choose a wedding cake from a pile of photographs that stood at about 12″ high.  Following this, the baker gave me a whole cake to take home gratis.  Maybe I was taking the biscuit, but I didn’t share much of that one.

Wayne and I have now completed our first month in our new roles.  Wayne has been up and down the canal meeting lots of our volunteers and helping at many of the task days reported below.  Those of you that have met him, I’m sure will join me in saying what a great job he’s doing so far.  Keep it up Wayne!!

So now I shall rise to the occasion and celebrate the successes of our volunteers in the icing month of February…

Let us begin with Athina Beckett and Buckingham Canal Society, where the proof is in the pudding (ok, bench)…

“The Buckingham Canal Society have been very fortunate to receive a Local Area Forum grant which has enabled us to purchase wood to be turned into bench seats to replace the ones at our Hyde Lane Nature Reserve site which have rotted away.  With the help of a company called Driver Hire who joined us for a ‘Community Day’ on Thursday 29th January, five new bench seats have been installed.

Local Area Forum grant benches

“Work has also started at our Bourton Meadow site where contractors have been replacing the lining that had previously been installed with a completely new one.  Work here should finish around the end of March when this section of canal can be re-watered again.  After that, the society has the task of planting 4,000 aquatic plants, so any extra help here would be appreciated.”

They look terrific and no donut they’ll be well used.  If you would like to help with their up-coming planting project, click here for all the details.

 

Moving spongily down the Grand Union to Wendover now, where at the Wendover Arm Trust council meeting on 21^st January, Chris Sargeant was elected Chairman & Clive Wilson was elected Treasurer.  Congratulations, Chris & Clive!

The group have also had a jelly tot up of the monetry value of their volunteers over the past 19 years and they have passed the £1m mark!!!  John Reynolds says “this is quite a milestone in our restoration and pays tribute to the dedication of our valiant band of restoration volunteers.”  It certainly does – you only get out what you pudding.

I urge you to have a read of their February newsletter, this group is on the rise.

The Wendover Arm swiss rolling its way through the countryside

 

Here at CRT we have 100s & 1000s of ideas to enforce our ‘Living Waterways, Transform Places, Enrich Lives’ vision and this month our Marketing department have come up with a great one.

New signage guidelines have been published, aimed at making our towpaths friendly and welcoming places.  They use humour and a warm tone to help people enjoy their visit as well as raising awareness of the Trust and the work that we do.

Trials of the new signage are under way in the centre of Birmingham, on parts of the Macclesfield Canal and at our very own Leighton Lock.  These are going to go like hot cakes!

Leighton Lock

Other examples of the new signs

 

Ever short of enthusiasm?  Nip down to a Blisworth Canal Partnership task day!  If you follow the group on Facebook (as I do) you’ll see that they are often down on the cut (canal speak for, well, the canal) or bird watching in the spinney they’ve created.  Just have a read of group leader Alan’s summary of their latest task day:

“Another good morning’s work in the Spinney and towpath, but we were forced to stop at 12:30 to have chilli and jacket spuds followed by Beryl’s home-made coffee cake.”

Don’t be fooled into thinking they’re idle, far from it, just have a look at this action shot!

Clearing the spinney

 

IWA Northampton are gluten for punishment with no less than FOUR task parties in February! This was due to a very special additional project to re-instate a historic mile marker.  Little did they know that the mile markers were put in with a view to not coming out again…

After day 1 of digging, the group found themselves facing a long post with a 12” diameter plate at the bottom, concreted in with broken bricks.  This was not going to be a job for hand tools only!  After making the site safe, they planned a return the following week, this time armed with Wayne’s electric jack hammer… Muffin could stop them now and this worked a treat.  The post popped out and they were able to post-crete it back in at a respectable height.  Wayne says “Thank you guys for letting me be involved, it really was something, seeing the delight on everyone’s face, when that post finally gave in.  I look forward to seeing it painted and finished.”

Before & after

Have a look at more photos of Day 1 and Day 2.

The group also had two planned litter picks for the month. Years and years of rubbish have obviously been waiting to be collected, which is a trifle off.

On the first, Wayne commented “What a FANTASTIC effort by all involved today, you must be very pleased with the amount of rubbish and litter collected, I lost count at 47 bin bags, not to mention wheel barrows, fencing panels, Oh and a toilet! A good days work indeed and a FAB turn out by the IWA Northampton branch.”

The second litter pick was led by Mick Butler “Rubbish includes approx. 40 black bags, half a dozen trolleys and various other items”.  Extraordinary!

 

A group of volunteers we haven’t mentioned much of is our Mooring Rangers.  Here’s Boating Liaison Manager, Matthew Symonds to tell us more:

“There’s more to Mooring Rangers than you might think… Since August 2013 the Trust has been recruiting volunteer mooring rangers to help monitor and record the number of boats moored at some of our most popular ‘honey pot’ sites in the south east.  Some locations can be very busy so it’s important to monitor them and discourage overstaying so that these visitor moorings are available to use by as many boaters as possible.  There are now more than 30 mooring rangers taking sightings at Foxton Locks, Stoke Bruerne, Thrupp, Oxford, Banbury, Braunston, Berkhamsted and Banbury.

“The main job of the rangers is to record the boats moored on visitor moorings at these locations and enter this information into a special website.  The Trust can then monitor to make sure boats are not overstaying the free mooring period.  If boats do overstay, then Trust can issue a daily £25 extended stay charge.  However, the feedback from both the volunteers and many boaters is that the rangers are a really useful source of local information and are asked a wide range of questions from both boaters and other towpath users.  Where is a there a good pub or café?  Is there a shop or chemist nearby?  How far to the next water point?  Our mooring rangers have also helped report a boat that has been broken into, rescued some keys left behind by a boater and helped rescue a boat that had come loose from its mooring pins.

“Some of the mooring rangers also do other volunteer roles with the Trust such as Lock Keeping, so if you’re already volunteering with the Trust but would be interested in being a volunteer mooring ranger as well, get in touch with me at matthew.symonds@canalrivertrust.org.uk”

 

The proof is in the pudding when Braunston Canal Society sets to.  With 2 very successful task parties this month, the village website reports:

“The offside bank opposite The Stop House had become overgrown again since the Society’s last clearance 2 years ago.  The effect on this was to block the vision of boaters coming out of the marina and heading towards the Braunston Turn.  New Chairman, Nick Strivens congratulated all the members who turned out on a cold morning for the work that had been done.  The work party was also able to strim the grass on the island at the Turn which will allow the daffodils to be more visible in the spring.

“Chairman Nick also thanked the Union Canal Carrying Company (UCCC) which is based at bottom lock on the Braunston flight for the use of their workboat ROGER.  Without UCCC’s asssistance it would not have been possible to achieve these works.

“Thanks also to Avril from floating cafe, Gongoozlers who supplied us with hot drinks.”

Working on the off-side

“Later in the month, ten members set about clearing the bank that leads from Top Lock to the Tunnel.  Some of the group also cleared the offside of the lock and uncovered the life buoy and lock sign that had been engulfed by laurel hedging!  A huge amount of undergrowth was cleared from the embankment and local landowner Nick Strivens agreed to the team depositing this in his field for burning at a later stage.  Nick is also Chair of the Canal Society and along with his wife Alison provided hot drinks throughout the day.

“It was particularly pleasing to see 10 year old Cameron and his Mum Gillian from Rugby. Young Cameron outshone some of the older members with his speed and energy and he seemed to thoroughly enjoy his time with the group.”

Great work Braunston, making the canal safer for all its users.

Found: life buoy!

 

You might think that the education programme is dormant over winter, but oh no! Education Volunteer Coordinator, Elaine has this report:

“Our hardy Explorers education volunteers at Stoke Bruerne have supported 227 school children visiting Stoke Bruerne museum in February which is fantastic for such a cold month! We are pretty booked up now for March and April with school groups, so if anybody enjoys working with children and would like to join the team please contact me at Elaine.stanley@canalrivertrust.org.uk or on 07733 124565”

Elaine with the Explorer volunteers

 

February saw the 2015 Lock Keeper applications draw to a close.  It’s been our biggest year ever!  Nationally there were 715 applications with the South East having 67.  During March we will be hosting 8 ‘Meet & Greet’ sessions for them, with a view to them buddying up with our experienced (& fantastic) volunteer Lock Keepers to learn the ropes.

Amongst other things, we will be showing them the new Safe Lock Operations video.  If you’ve not seen it yet, do grab a teacake and give it a view, it’s been receiving rave reviews:

“Yes I have watched the lock keeping video and very good it is too. Well produced and full of useful reminders. Highly recommended – 5 stars!”

“Very enlightening. I particularly liked the aggressive person towards the end, very convincing!”

“I have watched the new training video, very good (well done the actors!).”

Thanks to London’s Volunteer Coordinator, Debbie for forwarding those.

 

Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership are raisin their game this month with their new tool store.  As well as stocking that up with hand tools and paint for the coming months, they also found time to continue to prune the (seemingly never-ending) laurel hedge on the museum green and litter pick the whole flight.  That is going to look great in a couple of months time with fresh new growth.

 

Over to Sue & Geoff now to d’éclair the goings-on in Whilton & Buckby:

“Last Saturday and Sunday several of our gents, along with the new hedge cutter and a selection of hand tools, made a great job of hedge trimming and general towpath tidying between the Top Lock and New Bridge cottages, and also a section near Lock 8.   It is looking very neat again.

“Also the Memorial Garden at Lock 12 is awash with clumps of huge snowdrops and it looks great.

“Since then, Alan and son have been putting in more work at the nature reserve.   Adam is a groundsman at a big house, so he has been casting his eyes over the trees and he and his Dad have cleaned out any unnecessary/rotting branches.   They hope they can now leave the trees to grow without too much more work being needed.  It is great to have some expertise to call on when needed.”

Well done WBLA!  The Whilton & Buckby flight is really looking super at the moment.

 

Currantly headed up by Jenni Burton, the Braunston Welcome Station volunteers are going strong through the winter months.  With the Stop House reception being manned most days, there is a place where anyone passing through can learn more about the canals and have a friendly face to talk to.

The South East waterway is looking to replicate the success of Braunston welcome station at Foxton and Stoke Bruerne.  If you’d like to help, or know someone who would, please have a look at the adverts here:

Braunston Greeter Volunteer  Foxton Greeter Volunteer  Stoke Bruerne Greeter Volunteer

 

Last but not yeast,  it’s been a quiet year so far for the volunteers at Fenny Stratford.  But after the long hard job of clearing bramble from the Tesco track, they deserve it!  Now that it is a pleasant and safe path for all to use, group leader Rodney Evans is keeping an eagle eye out for what may spring up in the open verges… Rodney has also been watching over the whips that were planted in the hedge gaps and making sure the contractors tend to the now-manageable hedgerow!

 
And here I must stop waffling, for I am being taken into custardy for all these ridiculous buns.  Apparently they are the lowest form of wheat.  I feel like I’m walking on thin icing here and it’s not fairy nice.

A happy March to you all…

 

January 2015 – SE Waterway Volunteering Blog

This month’s blog theme is Midsomer Murders so if you want to know whodunnit… read on.

It’s no mystery what the South East Waterway’s volunteers have been up to in the last month.  Come with me to scrutinise the evidence…

The first suspects in 2015 were IWA Northampton.  I always enjoy my days out with this group, and 6th January was no exception.  Lock 17 (where the Northampton Arm meets the River Nene) was the focus again.  Two years ago, this junction was overgrown, tired and unloved, with a dense wooded area used for unsociable activities.  Now it is tidy with its lock painted, and the wooded area thinned out and litter picked.  There seems to be layer after layer of litter rising to the surface!  It will be interesting to see what grows in here now the light can get in.

Despite a couple of heavy downpours, the volunteers lit a small fire to burn some of the thinned vegetation, strimmed back a patch of encroaching bramble, and made great headway in scraping the block paving of grass near the new flats.

Check out these before & after pictures of the block paving (courtesy of Paul Simpson)….

 

Blisworth Canal Partnership have been keeping their adopted areas out of trouble this month.  With a new year tidy up and regular walks along their beautiful stretch of canal and adjacent spinney, they can keep tabs on any suspicious changes.

 

After 2¹/₂ years of investigating the South East Waterway, I really should know the 200 miles of it rather well.  So it was with great delight that I have now discovered the canal as it passes through Rugby.  Thanks to the local knowledge of Lead Volunteer Graham Newman, John and I are now enlightened!  What a beautiful stretch of canal – from iron bridges similar in style to that at Braunston Turn and exquisite brick bridges, to numerous aqueducts and the colourfully-lit Newbold Tunnel.  We also noted many areas where a group of volunteers would make a big difference… watch this space…!

 

Whilst they’ve not been on CRT land this month, Buckingham Canal Society have not been idle.  With 2 successful task parties, and with the added assistance of culprits from a local company, they have installed 4 new benches in the nature reserve on the Ouse Valley Way.  Great job, they’ll be a welcome rest for many.

 

On the 2nd Saturday of the month, the committed group of Aylesbury Arm Towpath Taskforce regulars turned out in force, despite it being a very wet morning.  The task plotted was litter picking…  The festive season had seen no reduction in the amount of rubbish that seems to find its way down to the canal here.  Many bags were collected, as well as the group helping to dismantle & remove 2 abandoned tents!  Task Leader Gary Timberlake, had the penance of safely disposing of several discarded needles too.  Most CRT staff and Lead Volunteers are trained to dispose of needles safely, so if you find one, please leave it in situ and report it.

 

Detective G. Newman was on the case at the Stoke Bruerne task day, reporting:

“We had a great day at Stoke Bruerne today – had a good tidy up around and behind the museum.  We also managed a bit of work on the woodland walk.

“Whilst working we were able to find the culprit who chopped the Laurels down – he was frogmarched to the Stocks to receive due punishment – didn’t get his name but have attached a photo for you.”

Mr Blagrove MBE doesn’t look very repentant to me!

 

Congratulations to 3 volunteers of Whilton & Buckby Locks Association (everyone’s favourite acronym – the WiBLA’s!) as they passed their CAATS (Competency Assessment And Training Scheme) in the use of strimmers and hedge cutters.

Here is Geoff Woodward’s amusing statement of events:

“’Maid Miriam’ recently met up with three of WBLA’s ‘Merry Men’ at the Nature Reserve to test their skills with the new hedge trimmer, which the Association has purchased from its own funds.  Forget green tights and pointy hats, our Merry Men turned up suitably ‘suited and booted’ etc., and they each convinced Miriam that they could be safely let loose on the Buckby flight, when the need arises.

“One of these gents was also assessed for using a strimmer and again passed with flying colours.   Some hours prior to his assessment, he had become a Grandad for the first time and was rushing away to meet the new prospective volunteer.   Working on the basis that knowledge can be absorbed at an early age, Grandad was aiming to use the strimmer instruction book for bedtime reading!   Yawn!!”

And here are the Merry Men:

 

2015 is a special year for Wendover Arm Trust as they celebrate their 25th anniversary – what a super achievement!  They have re-lined the canal from Drayton Beauchamp all the way back to Bridge 4a, and have one of the two new pedestrian bridges already in place.  Why not help them celebrate by attending one of their fascinating Open Days – 7th June & 9th September.  Or, if you have some time to give, join them on a task day as they prepare to re-water another section soon!

 

I think everyone was pleasantly surprised at the success of the Stoppage Open Days at the peaceful village of Braunston over the last weekend in January.

Here’s CRT’s Campaigns Manager Claire Risino’s testimony:

“A good weekend had by all – the sun shone, the cold chilled and photos were snapped of people having a great time in Braunston!

“So, a quick overview – 875 visitors over the weekend (405 on Saturday and 470 on Sunday), lots of dogs, £400 in donations, 15 friends signed up.  The crayfish was a great attraction as always and the tours of the lock were excellent tours!”

Neil Owen (South East Waterway Manager) would like to say “Many thanks to everyone that attended and please pass on my thanks to your teams and volunteer groups alike for all your support, as they say, we couldn’t have done it without you!”

For a selection of photos from the Sunday, please browse Kathryn Dodington’s photos here.

 

What’s that coming over the hill (out of the canal?)?  They may look suspicious, but it’s just IWA Northampton, out for a second stint this month.  This time with a staggering amount of trolleys fished out of the canal!  Great Grappling, Guys!

Did you know that CRT has linked up with Trolleywise to help return, recycle and reuse abandoned trolleys? Visit the Trolleywise website to download the app to report stray trolleys near you.

 

The last Sunday of every month is the turn of the Hawkesbury Towpath Taskforce gang who now have their Welcome Station open for business and help man it during their monthly task parties.  They also went over the canal to take a look at the car park behind the pump house.  An area in which a hedge is to be planted had not been strimmed, so they set about clearing this area in preparation.  A small team making a big difference – well done guys!

 

Can you help us solve the one about the Volunteer Lock Keepers?  You may have seen interviews on TV or heard them on the radio about this year’s campaign to recruit some more.

If not, here are the particulars… We are looking for more Volunteer Lock Keepers for the 9 sites in the South East Waterway. These are Napton, Hillmorton, Buckby, Braunston, Foxton, Watford, Stoke Bruerne, Soulbury 3 Locks and Marsworth. If you, or someone you know, are interested, applications are being taken until 28^th February HERE.

 

Another suspect this month, is new Volunteer Leader, Wayne Moore.  Wayne has taken over from me (Miriam) and will be leading the practical task days as part of his 4-month secondment.  With 14 years of experience of working on the canals, it’s beyond reasonable doubt that he will be an asset to the Volunteering Team.  If he is released from the dungeons that is…

“So who is the culprit?” I hear you all cry.  Well, I shall be charging you all with intent to improve the canal for the benefit of many.

Until next month, stay safe.