Towpath Talk - February 2020 - Preview

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T TOWPATH TO

The UK’s Number ONE read for all waterways users

88 PAGES

Issue 172, February 2020

TALK

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The daily ‘canute’

COMMUNITY AWARD FOR BOB

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CLIMATE CHANGE CAMPAIGNER

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WORD ON THE WATER

This is what ‘rush hour’ looks like for London commuter Craig Gunn. He has ditched the crowded Tube for a kayak and paddles three miles along the Grand Union Canal to Paddington Basin to get to work. Full story page 23. PHOTO SUPPLIED

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The next link on the restoration route

JONES THE BOAT RETIRES

By Janet Richardson

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BOAT REVIEW: the hideout

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FOR BREAKING NEWS & BOATS FOR SALE visit our website

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

BOATS FOR SALE Starts on

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CHESTERFIELD Canal Trust has unveiled its plans for the restoration of two of the ‘last nine miles’ at the western end of the canal. More than 270 people visited the Hollingwood Hub headquarters on January 10 and 11 to view and comment on the proposals.

A planning application will be submitted in February or early March to restore the canal from Eckington Road Bridge to the Chesterfield Borough boundary near Renishaw. This will cover the whole of the canal’s path within the borough which has not yet been restored, a distance of nearly two miles. Among the Friday morning visitors were local MPs, Lee Rowley (North

Token support boosts trust

LICHFIELD and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust will receive a cheque for £560 after taking part in Waitrose’s Community Matters scheme. During December, shoppers at Waitrose & Partners’ Lichfield store were invited to place tokens in one of three boxes representing local good causes. The charities were awarded a proportion of £1000, decided on the number of tokens placed in each box, and LHCRT proved to be the most popular. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that LHCRT made a profit of £8604.67 from last year’s Huddlesford Heritage Gathering. The Gathering is a biennial event organised jointly by the trust and Lichfield Cruising Club.

East Derbyshire) and Toby Perkins (Chesterfield). The boundary between their two constituencies comes through the middle of the Hollingwood Hub site. “Both of them are incredible supporters of the Chesterfield Canal,” said the trust’s publicity officer Rod Auton. He explained HS2 is expected to bring the next bill to Parliament at some time during the summer and that it was

Crew needed for new boat

CRUSADER Community Boating will start its season in April with a new purpose-built boat. This is due to increased demand and it will be in addition to its fully accessible widebeam based at Blisworth Marina. Crusader is a Northampton charity running free trips for people with physical or mental disability, disadvantaged people and the elderly from care homes. It is now recruiting extra volunteers to crew its two boats. No experience necessary. If you want to find out more, the next recruitment open day is on Thursday, February 6 at Blisworth Marina (NN7 3FG). To book contact Dave Garratt, boat manager, 07729 183232 boat-manager@crusadercommunityboating.org.uk

important to have the canal restoration plans on the map. Despite several meetings, the trust has not yet been able to finalise an agreement with HS2 about its bridge across the canal. Other complications include five different landowners, several buried sewers and water pipes and significant land subsidence in the Doe Lea Valley. • Continued on page 2

£750,000 hedge fund

CANAL & River Trust is carrying out a £750,000 project to tackle overhanging trees and hedges this winter. The works will focus on preserving navigation and ensuring sightlines are kept clear, rather than cutting back every metre of overgrowth. The CRT actively manages vegetation all year round, but large-scale activities are best suited to winter when the waterways are quieter and disturbance to wildlife is minimised. While most of the national programme of work is carried out by specialist contractors, the trust is working alongside volunteers to deliver the work and “every extra pair of hands” is welcomed.


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