From Tuscany to the River Lee

Ross Stokes talks to Verena Leonardini about life on London’s waterways and her new role as IWA’s Events and Restoration Hub Co-ordinator

London’s waterways may be a far cry from the Italian coast but Verena Leonardini says her love affair with the capital’s rivers and canals started as soon as she arrived nine years ago from her native Tuscany.

“Rivers and canals have always been my absolute favourite places to escape the hustle and bustle of London city life,” she tells me on a phone call from her narrowboat moored at Stonebridge Lock in north London.

“As I come from a quiet port town, I was primed to enjoy being near water,” she says. “Later when I moved to Milan, I worked at a theatre next to Navigli – the two remaining canals that once encircled the city.

“It must have been in my painter father’s [blood] too, as my parents’ house is dotted with his paintings of boats of all sorts, and ports and waves and water reflections.”

Verena’s role as the IWA’s Events and Restoration Hub Co-ordinator reflects her passion for boating which has only intensified since she bought her own boat three years ago.

The 57ft Still Magic is now her permanent home, and she spends her time continuously cruising on the River Lee in and around London, with forays into the countryside when city moorings get too hectic.

Her new life is in stark contrast to her time in Italy where she studied and worked in the arts, mostly theatre, dance and music. After completing a BA in Cultural Heritage Studies, she went on to take an MA in Performing Arts and Multimedia Communications, and then an MA in Arts Policy and Management at Birkbeck University.

During her time as a student she worked part-time at a publishing house, translating and laying out graphic novels and comics, and later writing theatre reviews for an arts magazine. “This meant that I could go to the theatre twice a week and I had a chance to talk about my favourite artists and plays.”

Verena says her love of the arts is deeply connected to her later attraction to boat life in London.

“I started to fantasise about living afloat during my endless walks by the canals,” she recalls. “To be honest it was the very sight of those little coloured vessels, the smoke from the flues, the spectacular misty mornings that really became an obsession for me.”

After six years Verena began to research the concept of life on the water, talking to boaters and reading up on all things nautical. Six months later she decided to take the plunge and bought a Liverpool Boat, built in 1996. Despite having no experience, she was reassured by other boaters who told her that neither had they when they started.

Rather than being intimidated, Verena has embraced her new life. “One of the most exciting aspects is the idea of being part of a world of brave women who do not fear isolation, adverse conditions and manual work,” she says.

She now feels part of the local boating community and likes to return to familiar moorings where she knows her surroundings and will meet up with regular boaters to share experiences and local knowledge.

She concedes that the first two years aboard were difficult. “It was a steep learning curve, especially dealing with the anxiety of the unknown. Every time something gets broken you have to fix it. Luckily there are so many helpful people around to give you advice. There are also really useful Facebook groups and blogs. Gradually you build up your knowledge.”

A damaged gearbox not long after she bought the boat presented the most difficult period for Verena so far. She was unable to fill her water tanks and showering at gyms wasn’t an option due to lockdown. Libraries were also shut which meant she couldn’t charge her phone or laptop either.

Eventually she managed to source an engineer to sort the gearbox. More recent problems have included a broken water pump and a break-in.

“Not working during lockdown gave me plen of time to learn which has given me more confidence,” says Verena who laughs when I ask if she was a keen DIYer before owning a boat.

In her role with the IWA, Verena is responsible for a wide range of events om clean-up projects and WRG canal camps to the annual restoration conference, and organises online events such as webinars and meetings where IWA branches’ chairs and treasurers can get together to discuss issues.

As Restoration Hub Co-ordinator, she puts people in touch with IWA experts to advise about particular issues. “For example, if people want to do some restoration work on a section of a canal but don’t know who owns it. There are so many people with specific knowledge who are happy to help. This is a great tool which I don’t think many other organisations can provide.”

As a continuous cruiser who works full-time om her boat, Verena has found the IWA very supportive because they understand that living on a boat requires a flexible approach to working hours. Life on the water is demanding and takes up a lot of her time a ending to general maintenance, something she finds hard to explain to her iends on dry land.

So is there anything she misses about Italy? “Family obviously,” she says. “They are ge ing too old to visit and are used to large spaces so may find life on board di cult. I still hope iends and family will come at some point.”

Verena has got out of the habit of going to the theatre, but doesn’t miss it as much as she feared, discovering the a raction of nature. And she likes to read and keep fit – the la er a legacy to her days as a competitive boxer.

“Now my life has changed so radically, I can only think of how I can contribute to maintaining those beautiful spaces, so distant om the restlessness of the ci , yet always around the corner,” she says.

To learn more about the campaign and help to Protect Our Waterways, visit waterways.org.uk/protect

If you wish to get involved or o er your support for the campaign, email: protect@ waterways.org.uk

IWA launches major campaign to protect our waterways

The Protect Our Waterways campaign has been launched to ensure that all our inland waterways are adequately funded to deliver the benefits detailed in our Waterways for Today report.

IWA is deeply concerned about the threat posed by funding cuts with, for example, the financial situations of Canal & River Trust and Sco ish Canals being especially critical. Despite being recognised in the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan, the condition of the waterways continues to deteriorate while Government funding is decreasing.

Canals and rivers are valuable assets which can contribute to the country’s economic recovery, help to mitigate the impacts of climate change and enrich the lives of local communities, as highlighted in our report. Ongoing funding is therefore critical if we are to not only save the waterways for today, but for the future as well.

“I urge everyone who loves the waterways to support our campaign and ensure its long-term success. With your help, our canals and rivers stand a be er chance of securing the investment they need.”

IWA Chair Les Etheridge

waterways.org.uk/protect

History tells us that without boats travelling along them, waterways silt up and become dirty rubbish tips. Without proper maintenance, reservoirs, aqueducts and embankments deteriorate, resulting in communities being put at increasing risk of water damage from a failing infrastructure. The added threat of climate change will only worsen the situation as severe flooding and breaches become more common.

IWA is calling on national and local government to fund all waterways at a level that keeps them as major assets that can continue to contribute to the economy, our health and well-being, and coping with the climate crisis.

We will: u Raise awareness of the threat through national, local, and social media. u Petition to protect our waterways from risks as a result of funding cuts. u Ensure MPs and local politicians are fully aware of the benefits of the waterways and the threats to them. u Arrange high profile events and activities including waterways festivals and towpath stalls. u Be ready to work with Government to offer knowledge and expertise and solutions to improve and maintain our waterways, both now and in the future. u Collaborate with communities and organisations that share our passion for the waterways to widen support for the Protect Our Waterways campaign. u Continue to provide practical assistance in the maintenance and improvement of waterways.

The waterways of today would not exist without IWA which, over many years, has ensured that these valuable assets have been preserved and enhanced. Millions of hours of volunteer time and effort along with lottery funding have been invested in revitalising the waterway network. IWA will not let that network fall into disrepair again.

long-term campaign

The March launch was the start of what may be a long campaign. Funding for the waterways is not at the top of the Government agenda. It will take time to persuade national and local government, and to secure funding for all our waterways, so the campaign will need to be long-term and building over time. It will seek to raise awareness across the country of the benefits of waterways and the threats to them from inadequate funding, and maintain that awareness over the months and years ahead. So, events will be organised that cover the whole country. For example, we are considering a march along river paths and towpaths and events that build momentum, participation and awareness such as an online forum.

The campaign has been well received so far, having been publicised on our website, social media, special bulletins, and in the waterway press. Already it has inspired members to contribute; local councils have offered support, and we’ve heard from content creators keen to spread the word. Those attending the IWA/ CRT Restoration Conference heard how the campaign will help raise awareness of the need for funding for restoration societies.

We will be raising awareness at upcoming events too, including Canalway Cavalcade, with campaign details included in the visitor brochure. We will continue to promote the campaign in-person, online and in the wider press. Please show your support and share our social media posts, news articles and publications with other waterways enthusiasts.

How you can help

u Identify areas where there has been a long-term need for action to correct a fault, but nothing has happened and it just gets worse.

u Send photos to us which highlight the threats facing our canals by emailing them to protect@waterways.org.uk.

u Help to spread the word on social media by engaging with our content and sharing our posts.

u Donate to help IWA campaign to Protect Our Waterways. Visit waterways.org.uk/protect for more information.