News from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire

A N&D branch social and the AGM was held on 6th October at The Clock Warehouse, Shardlow, followed by a presentation on the Stamford Canal by Ken Otter of the Stamford Canal Society.

At the AGM, chaired by myself as proxy chairman, Robert Aspey was elected to the committee. The total branch membership is 392 of which only 7 attended despite all members receiving hard copy invitations and reminders sent to over 200 members by email. With only one committee member the branch is not quorate and will be unable to function as a branch for the foreseeable future.

I will advise the IWA Trustee Board of the situation with a view to restructuring the branch to somehow provide local IWA activities for members. Please could any N&D members contact me as regional chairman before the end of December 2021 if you would be willing to join the committee, or if you have any further suggestions as to how the N&D Branch should function.

The following IWA “hands-on” volunteering opportunities were identified:

Shardlow Heritage Port Bid (See page 10 ) Trent Visitor Moorings group (See page 11 ) Trent Navigation Safety Group (See page 6 ) Annual Shardlow Inland Port Festival (as above). Waterway “clean-ups”, Lock Winds.

So there are plenty!

The excellent presentation by Ken Otter gave members and visitors an opportunity to ask questions, particularly regarding the waterway heritage of the Stamford and Ken’s claim that it is the oldest canal in UK!

Ken’s excellent interactive website can be viewed at http://stamfordcanal.info/

A Stamford Canal article was also published in Aegre 158 of November 2020.

DP