restoration HUB:
2021 Updates
Restoring Confidence Project draws to an end In 2019 IWA was awarded £30,000 from the National Lottery’s Resilient Heritage Fund to run our Restoring Confidence Project. The grant has enabled us to improve our support for the restoration sector over the past 18 months. Project activities included upskilling key volunteers and staff, offering heritage training to volunteers, and providing guidance and training to groups on strategic issues such as diversity, the environment and governance. The Covid-19 pandemic impacted our ability to deliver the planned programme of events and activities but also presented us with opportunities. Restrictions on activities in 2020 gave us the time reflect and review our current working models and explore what could be achieved through digital channels. As a result, we have been able to create more accessible formats for many of our events, which have attracted a wider range of participants.
Some key outputs include: n 860 attendees at our new Restoration Hub webinars, workshops and other training events. There was a wide range of sessions covering topics on governance, fundraising, biodiversity net gains and how to run outdoor restoration events during Covid-19 restrictions. n 194 queries were received by our Restoration Hub Hotline. These included things like requests to undertake preliminary Environmental Surveys and helping develop volunteer training programmes, to technical advice on rebuilding bridges and locks. n Strategic thinking on Environmental Issues. We formed the Biodiversity Net Gains Working Group for Waterway Restoration to ensure the sector seizes any opportunities as this legislation comes in. n Creation of IWA’s new digital Restoration Hub. A dedicated space on IWA’s new website full of resources for waterway restoration groups is due to launch November. We have also created Restoration Hub TV on IWA’s YouTube channel – 15 webinars and guidance videos have received over 2,600 views. n 105 volunteers gained new skills. Restoration volunteers have developed a wide range of skills by attending courses – we now have more first aiders, mental health first aiders, slingers and chainsaw operators. The project has also led to a better understanding of the future challenges the waterways sector is facing. One area that has been a recurring theme is the need to improve diversity and inclusion in the sector and making sure we are relevant and engaging to young audiences. There is a huge opportunity for the sector to engage with young people and build stronger, more sustainable organisations so we will look to develop this aspect of engagement going forward. The work of the Biodiversity Net Gains working groups has encouraged the sector to visualise construction-focused heritage projects as eco highways. The 2021 Restoration Conference, The Big Green Conversation, continued this greener sector outlook. IWA’s restoration sector support is funded through memberships, donations and grants. IWA would like to thank the National Lottery Fund for supporting this project.
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Ecological Survey Training on the Sleaford Navigation.
A volunteer undertaking first aid training during Covid-19.
Winter 2021 19/10/2021 11:36
