IWA Annual Review 2014/15

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

The Inland Waterways Association’s

Annual Review 2014/2015

Keeping our waterways alive

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B IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Different Image

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

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One of the most pleasing things about The Inland Waterways Association is the great range of activity that is focused on the waterways year after year.

those waterways under the control of the Environment Agency where ongoing cuts to the DEFRA budget are having a significant and worrying impact.

As this work continues through 2015 it’s all too easy to overlook the Association’s achievements so I’d like to welcome you to this Review covering the last 12 months.

Other achievements in the last year included the re-routing of the proposed HS2 rail line around Fradley Junction and finally persuading the Canal & River Trust to take action to ensure the fair use of moorings around the system.

A quite recent success reflects our ongoing ability to gain political support for the waterways. Our campaign in the run-up to the General Election resulted in almost 300 candidates signing up to our Manifesto for the Waterways and I am grateful to the IWA branches and individual members that have worked so hard to engage with local candidates across the country. Over forty of these candidates have been elected as MPs and we will continue to nurture their support over the coming months to ensure they are aware of and understand the value of our canals and rivers. We also hope MPs will sign up to the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways and join our campaign to ensure that the waterways are properly funded. This is important to

Of course, so much else has happened. For example, there were over 250 IWA branch work parties last year, a number of popular festivals were organised around the country and hundreds of planning applications that could affect the waterways were scrutinised and responded to by our branch planning officers. Then there is the progress on restoration – another of IWA’s core strengths – where around a third of subscription income is spent supporting Waterway Recovery Group’s hands-on restoration work around the system. This represents incredible value for money for the high quality engineering work, of which we can all be immensely proud.

Our continued success depends on gaining more support from all people who enjoy the waterways, so we’re taking steps to improve how we publicise what we do and why we do it. Our new Marketing Committee takes the lead on this and I hope you will notice IWA’s heightened profile as we seek to improve the way we promote the Association.

Finally, everything our members do for IWA, however small, is important so I’d like to thank them for their support and ask them to continue their good work and to encourage others to join the leading waterways membership charity.

Les Etheridge IWA National Chairman

Contents 1

Welcome

22-23

Essex Waterways

2-7

National & Local Campaigns

24

Fundraising

8-9

Improving the Waterways

25

Financial Summary

10-11

Leading Waterway Restoration

12-15

Practical & Meaningful Restoration

28

Keeping in Touch

16-19

Events & Festivals

29

Member Benefits

20-21

Inspiring Future Generations (WOW)

30

Being an IWA Member

26-27

Getting the Message Across

Cover image: Heybridge Sea Lock, Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation in Essex. Photo by Tim Lewis

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2 IWA Annual Review 2014/2015 Protect our heritage Build a relationship with constituency waterways groups Work with IWA in Parliament Support the transfer of EA Navigations

National Campaigns IWA has continued to build on its reputation for strong campaigning by directing time and resources to some important projects across the year.

During 2014 and into this year, the Association has achieved success on a wide set of issues affecting the waterways.

This has come from our ability to deploy our members’ considerable experience, technical expertise and network of contacts and has meant that our campaign activity is listened to more and more.

Much of our work has been successful in the background but some of the more high profile projects in the last year have been: - Re-positioning of the HS2 route to save the Trent & Mersey Canal at Fradley - Seeking to secure better funding for the Environment Agency’s navigations by keeping the transfer of responsibility from EA to Canal & River Trust on the Government’s agenda - Working to influence all navigation authorities so that difficult mooring issues can be addressed - Promoting our Manifesto for the Waterways in the run-up to the 2015 General Election and achieving hundreds of pledges of support from parliamentary candidates.

Support affordable new off-line moorings

IWA Manifesto A successful lobbying campaign involving many areas of the Association attracted nearly 300 parliamentary candidates to pledge support for the waterways by signing up to our special manifesto. The IWA Manifesto was developed specifically for the 2015 General Election and incorporates a five-point partnership pledge.

We are asking MPs to:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Protect our heritage Build a relationship with constituency waterways groups Work with IWA in Parliament Support the transfer of EA navigations Support affordable new off-line moorings

Of those candidates that supported the campaign, over 40 are now MPs, so not only will IWA maintain significant influence at parliamentary level but we will now work actively with the new MPs to ensure our waterways heritage is further protected and enhanced.

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Safeguarding EA Navigations In July 2014 IWA was asked to give evidence to the All Party Parliamentary Waterways Group inquiry into the progress of CRT. We were able to highlight some of the issues surrounding our key campaigns, particularly the transfer of EA navigations, and we were pleased to see our views featured prominently in the Group’s final report.

This is hugely important because transferring these waterways from EA will open up new funding streams for the navigations and help prevent their finances suffering from future Government cuts.

IWA is also in negotiations with EA to address the closed status of several navigation structures in the Anglian region. One example is on the River Welland where EA has failed to maintain

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Fulney Lock in a navigable condition.

As a result a long-planned campaign cruise to Spalding, organised by IWA Lincolnshire Branch this year, was cancelled.

There are also other parts of the EA network currently unavailable for use and IWA wants to see them all restored to working order as soon as possible and to ensure that there is adequate funding to keep them operational.

Saving a Yorkshire Navigation Following determined negotiations, IWA is making progress to save part of the River Derwent in Yorkshire from becoming isolated. Elvington Lock (also known as Sutton Lock) was closed by EA in February 2014, cutting off part of the system from the national network and stranding a number of boats upstream.

The closure of Elvington Lock on the River Derwent in Yorkshire has left boats stranded upstream.

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Re-routing High Speed Two Rail (HS2) IWA formally submitted its petition to the House of Commons regarding the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill in a bid to minimise the impact HS2 would have on various canals. IWA’s position is to protect their access, their tranquility, their commercial interests and enjoyment by the public.

Three years of work proved successful in 2014 when the Government announced its adoption of IWA and CRT’s joint alternative proposals to realign the route of HS2 to avoid much of the popular and historic Fradley Junction to Woodend area of the Trent & Mersey Canal. Additionally, the new route negates the need for a large worksite alongside the Coventry Canal between Streethay and Huddlesford meaning that disruption and environmental impact will be avoided there.

More work on HS2 continues with IWA maintaining its successful joint approach with CRT in detailed discussions with HS2 Ltd, this time seeking changes to HS2 in the Lichfield Canal and Trent & Mersey Canal areas. Working alongside relevant waterways groups, IWA also intends to follow up any announcements from the Government concerning the Phase 2 route from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds, which could significantly impact on navigations and restorations.

Protecting Our Heritage In January 2015, IWA provided a concerned response to the CRT consultation on the proposal to install railings along the offside parapet of the Marple Aqueduct on the Peak Forest Canal. In a bid to protect the Grade I listed structure and avoid setting a precedent for other similar aqueducts

on the canal network, IWA argued that railings may encourage trespass into an area that would otherwise be considered out of bounds. Our response proposed that safety concerns could be better dealt with by improved signage such as that in use at Chirk Aqueduct.

Mooring Issues IWA believes that for everyone to enjoy our inland waterways, it is important that they are fairly and properly managed.

This applies particularly to mooring issues and IWA has continued to lobby navigation authorities on the provision and enforcement of a balanced range of moorings, from residential to short term.

There is a pressing need to tackle this, particularly where there is a high number of boaters in popular areas and there is pressure to overcome local shortages.

As part of our focus on fair mooring IWA has also been involved in discussions with CRT over its mooring sales proposals, in order to secure the best deal for boaters and the waterways and this work continues.

Winding Holes Following an agreement that there is a lack of winding holes in the right places, a joint project to review winding holes was conducted by IWA and the Historic Narrow Boat Club, resulting in a greater understanding of the network and of the geographical spread of the problem.

This project has provided the first set of factual information to enable both organisations to lobby navigation authorities about the issue.

As part of the campaign, IWA has developed a recommended specification for winding holes and details are now available on our website to assist in future projects.

Winding holes, otherwise known as ‘swinging areas’ on rivers and commercial navigations, are purpose built widenings in a waterway. They allow boats to turn in order to change direction of travel along the waterway.

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Invasive Species Every year the non-native plant, Himalayan Balsam, causes damage along the waterways. Left unchecked, it damages waterway ecosystems and causes erosion of banks, creating navigation problems for boats and increases the need to dredge.

IWA volunteers tackled this in 2014/15 by delivering a week of awareness activity, producing education resources and engaging social media. We then followed that up with practical work parties and promotions to encourage the public to root out the plant, either by reporting examples or joining a work party.

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Bridgwater Docks in Somerset.

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Local Campaigning River Parrett, Bridgwater At a local level, IWA West Country Branch continues to run the Bridgwater Tidal Barrier Campaign to make the best use of the proposed tidal barrier, expected to be built on the River Parrett in Somerset.

IWA keenly supports the construction of a tidal barrier and has suggested that construction should facilitate seagoing craft travelling further inland through the impounding of water upstream during the boating season.

This will enable safe navigation on the River Parrett beyond Bridgwater and the reopening of the link into the Docks.

Dee Lock, Chester Building on the successful 2014 Campaign Festival, IWA Chester & Merseyside Branch continues to advance the campaign to re-open the lock leading onto the River Dee. In conjunction with CRT and EA the River Lock will have the bottom gates removed and the cill lowered which will enable boats wishing to enter the Dee Branch to gain access at any state of the tide once they are able to clear the cill. With the gates removed, the tidal gauge, which is in the process of being manufactured, will be placed in the gate recess to be easily read by both incoming and outgoing boats. The project has received contributions from IWA Chiltern Branch, the Historic Narrow Boat Club and the former Chester Councillor, the late David Robinson, all of which have helped to create this Festival legacy.

Campaign Cruise Cancelled A campaign cruise planned since November 2014 and organised by IWA Lincolnshire Branch from Boston to Spalding on the River Welland, had to be cancelled in May due to failure by EA to maintain Fulney Lock in a navigable condition. The cruise was intended to support the Fens Waterway Link project but EA effectively closed the navigation in April 2015 on failing to clear siltation behind the lock gates making them impossible to open. IWA wants to see all EA structures such as this restored to working order as soon as possible.

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Improving the Waterways Activity from IWA volunteers continues to increase with significantly more local work parties organised across the network in 2014 than in previous years.

Volunteers from branches spent around 15,000 hours clearing the canals, painting, towpath work and much more.

IWA Canal Cleanups were well attended events where debris was grappled from waterways and litter cleared from towpaths. In London, there was even a chance for volunteers to descend onto the de-watered bed of the Regent’s Canal.

The scale and variety of work parties produced impressive results. IWA branches at Chester & Merseyside, Northampton,West Country, North Staffordshire & South Cheshire, Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire and Manchester all held monthly work parties to improve stretches of their local canals. Specific canals benefited, such as the Bridgwater & Taunton,Trent & Mersey, Grand Union, Erewash, GU Leicester Section, Sheffield & Tinsley, Regent’s, Nottingham and Worcester & Birmingham canals. The canals of Manchester and Birmingham enjoyed large-scale Cleanups with between 50 and 100 volunteers.

Several branches have now formally adopted stretches of canals with Milton Keynes, West Country and Northamptonshire branches receiving formal adoption certificates from CRT.

Increase in number of waterway work parties since 2011

Much of IWA branch effort is spent planning and preparing for activities, followed by the practical work that goes into attending waterway events like Banbury Canal Day and Caldon 40, and improving local facilities. Some branches have also taken part in longer-term ventures, such as IWA Lichfield Branch’s successful re-laying of theTrent & Mersey Canal towpath from Brindley Bank Aqueduct to the Rugeley Bypass Bridge.

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Award Winning Often IWA’s activity goes unheralded, but occasionally there’s public recognition to reward volunteers’ hard work. IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch’s work to improve the area along the Macclesfield Canal in Congleton as part of preparations for the Britain in Bloom competition was recognised when the town received a gold medal. IWA Northampton Branch was presented with the 2014 Volunteer Organisation Recognition Award by CRT South East, for achievements at its regular work parties on the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal.

“

We have a unique heritage which we must hand over in good order to the next

generation. If enough people

volunteer, they can and do make a difference.

- David King, IWA Milton Keynes Branch

Himalayan Balsam Bash

There was a huge turnout for the 2014 Himalayan Balsam Pulling project, which finished in August. IWA had 169 volunteers join IWA Branches on 20 work parties to tackle the invasive species across ten waterways, giving over 900 hours of their time to removing the plant.

Cleared: 81/2 acres Tallest Plant: 10 ft

”

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Where is the canal bed by David Youngs.

This is the winning photo in the jointly organised CRT / IWA Lost Wonders of our Waterways World competition. David’s winning entry captures Horse Park Bridge on the line of the Lancaster Canal.

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

IWA Leading Waterway Restoration Over the past year, IWA has both driven and supported restoration projects across the country, providing resources, funding advice, grants, workshops and encouragement to volunteer groups.

Restoration was the focus of IWA’s 2014 raffle, which raised over £13,000 to directly benefit waterways charities and societies across England and Wales.

In addition to the raffle, IWA awarded grants to restoration groups including £15,000 to the Chesterfield Canal Trust; £2,000 towards a joint CRT and Birmingham Canal Navigation Society feasibility study for Bradley Locks; £3,000 to Driffield Navigation Trust; and £2,250 towards Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust signage.

IWA branches have also made donations to local restoration groups, including £1,000 from IWA Chiltern Branch to WRG towards a replacement excavator, as well as £750 to the Chesterfield Canal Trust, £500 to the Wendover Arm Trust and another £500 to WRG’s general activity. In addition to this the Branch is providing a secure box trailer for the Wendover Arm Trust at a cost of £2,000.

IWA London Region has pledged a total of £4,500 to the Carpenter’s Road Lock

Restoration Project. This will be funded by £2,000 from IWA Lee & Stort Branch, £1,000 from the Region and the residual £1,500 from Chelmsford, Chiltern, Middlesex, North & East London and South London branches.

To enhance IWA’s determination to promote restoration, our website resources have been further developed, with the launch of a Restoration Portal to enable restoration groups to access advice and templates for feasibility reports and documents from other projects.

IWA continued to collaborate with CRT to produce a range of resources to encourage and support restoration projects across the country. Outputs have included a Water Adds Value video that covers the benefits of restoration, a series of training seminars and workshops, a photography competition, and guides for engineering, planning and interpretation displays. In May 2015 another Restoration Workshop provided over 60 representatives from waterway groups with more advice to assist in the development of their projects.

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12 IWA Annual Review 2014/2015 Recently restored Griffin Mill Lock on the Cotswold Canals

Practical & Meaningful Restoration

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IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group is the practical, hands on part of IWA. WRG volunteers spend over 40,000 hours each year restoring canals, planning Canal Camps, attending festivals, publishing WRG’s Navvies magazine, as well as teaching junior navvies how to bricklay and drive diggers.

rest of the Cotswold Canals. The work follows an IWA fundraising appeal launched in 2010. WRG volunteers contributed a combined 300 days over three weeks to repair the stop plank grooves and install stop planks, isolating the lock from the Thames to allow for a full survey to be undertaken.

Canal restoration projects were delivered over 26 week-long Canal Camps and more than 30 weekend digs on 21 restoration sites from the Driffield Navigation in the North East to the Somersetshire Coal Canal in the South West.

WRG volunteers have so far invested over 2,000 hours supporting the Grantham Canal. Grantham Canal Society and CRT have been awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant to restore locks 14 and 15. IWA’s WRG has actively supported the bid and project behind the scenes, with planning and engineering advice, as well as getting stuck in with Canal Camps, weekend digs and plant training.

During the summer progress was made towards restoring the lock at Inglesham, which links the River Thames with the

It is fair to say that without WRG, our project would struggle! To us, WRG has two main strengths – the ability to do a lot of work in a short time and the ability to do

specialised tasks.

Coupled with a

‘can do’ attitude and a high degree of

professionalism, this makes them invaluable. One weekend of WRG work enables our own volunteers to carry on for a few more weeks.

We regard WRG as part of

‘Team Cotswold’ – our grateful thanks and long may it continue!

David Marshall, Stroud District Council, Canal Project Manager – Cotswold Canals

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Making it Happen Amber Jenkins, WRG Assistant Volunteer Coordinator Amber Jenkins has recently joined the team to help coordinate WRG activity. Find out what she’s got to say...

How long have you been with IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group? I first started with WRG last May and it’s been a full on year!

What do you do? Lots of different things! I do everything from camp bookings and processing driver authorisation tickets to health and safety on site and leading or cooking on Canal Camps.

What’s your favourite part of the job? I really enjoy getting out on site, and working alongside our volunteers. I have learnt so much from them over the past year not only about the importance of restoring canals but also practical skills such as bricklaying and driving plant machinery.

What’s been the biggest challenge? I think the biggest challenge I’ve faced so far was cooking for 20 hungry volunteers for the first time on the Lancaster Canal Camp last year. It ended up being a lot of fun. Who doesn’t like a challenge with a great bunch of volunteers?

Have you got anything exciting lined up? There is so much happening this summer. We’ve got 25 Canal Camps planned from July through to September all over

England and Wales. We’re also getting out and about at events teaching children how to bricklay and running excavator taster sessions for bigger kids. We’ve already been to Rickmansworth Waterways Festival, Lancaster Trailboat Festival and will be heading to Stratford River Festival and the Northampton Festival of Water. WRG is also helping to raise £120,000 for four new transit vans to support restoration so we have some exciting fundraising events coming up this year too.

Amber’s Skills Checklist: -

Canal Camp leader Canal Camp cook WRG van driver Articulated dumper driver Small excavator operator Chainsaw operator Brushcutter operator

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Building Bridges Supporting IWA’s vision of keeping our waterways alive, WRG has also developed a range of resources to provide backing for volunteer groups.

The recently launched Building Bridges Project is a joint initiative by WRG and CRT, which aims to enable volunteers to carry out minor, and some more major, repairs to canal bridges. The project gives local communities the chance to come together and look after specific structures on a section of canal or waterway.

Canal Camp Stats: 2,900 83

evening meals were prepared by our Canal Camp cooks to feed 420 hungry volunteers in 2014.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award students completed their Gold Residential on a WRG Canal Camp in 2014.

An Award Winning year for WRG and its Volunteers!

Last year WRG received a commendation at CRT’s Living Waterways Awards ceremony. The commendation was awarded for a joint Building Bridges Project between CRT and IWA’s WRG, which itself was nominated for the Community and Volunteering Award.

In November last year WRG volunteer, George Rogers (pictured above), received the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award for his dedication to WRG and canal restoration. The award recognised outstanding volunteers who are

making a change in their community and inspiring others.

Prime Minister, David Cameron said “Through his work, George is helping to safeguard the heritage and culture of Britain’s canals for future generations, which is of great importance. He truly deserves this Points of Light Award.”

In March 2015 WRG volunteer, John Hawkins (pictured above), was awarded the CRT Heroes of the Waterways Award. This new award recognises the long service of volunteers who have worked to support the canals and rivers. Over the past 35 years John has been a dedicated waterways volunteer at both a local and national level.

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Waterway Recovery Group Canal Camp on the Chesterfield Canal below Staveley Basin.

Mike Palmer MBE On 11th June 2015, it was announced that IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group chairman, Mike Palmer, has been awarded an MBE for voluntary service to the restoration of British waterways.

Mike Palmer, a WRG volunteer for nearly 40 years and chairman for the past 19 years, is one of the leading figures in voluntary restoration work on the UK’s inland waterways. Through dedication and commitment he has championed best practice in volunteer canal restoration in regards to health and safety, restoration skills and techniques, and plant operation.

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16 IWA Annual Review 2014/2015 IWA’s annual Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice in London.

Events & Festivals Events and rallies are a great way for people to enjoy the waterways and they continue to attract more and more visitors. They are also important for promoting both the work of IWA and the use of waterways. Waterside events are opportunities to share key campaign messages and often offer a range of activities that attract a variety of visitors.

This enables IWA to reach a wider audience, raising the public’s awareness of campaigns and what the waterways have to offer. Events are also a great opportunity to recruit new members and volunteers to support IWA’s work and are the ideal setting to educate both young and older visitors about IWA, and waterways past and present.

2014/15 Highlights In June 2014, thousands of people and over 120 craft assembled in the basin at Tower Wharf in Chester for IWA’s National Campaign Festival. The event was organised to promote and support IWA Chester and Merseyside Branch’s campaign to repair and re-open the River Lock leading onto the River Dee.

Saul Junction hosted an IWA pageant in August, which attracted thousands of visitors and encouraged boaters to explore the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal.

IWA’s 2015 Canalway Cavalcade was once again held over the first May Bank Holiday weekend. Every year this event proves to be a major attraction. Over 130 boats and thousands of people gathered to enjoy the festival at Little Venice in London. Organised entirely

by IWA volunteers, the event was as popular as ever.

IWA’s National Trailboat Festival was held on the Lancaster Canal in the last weekend of May 2015. 27 boats attended the festival, which was hosted

by Lancaster Canal Trust.

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

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Parade of historic lifeboats at Saul Waterways Pageant.

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Festival on the River Avon at Stratford.

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015 Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the re-opening of the Caldon Canal.

IWA Members Having Fun Branch Events

Anniversaries

Celebrating local interest, many IWA branches organised events such as boat gatherings. In July, IWA Lee & Stort held its annual Ware Festival and IWA West Riding Branch had a boat gathering at Thwaite Mills.

IWA took part in celebrations at the Stratford River Festival in July, that marked the 40th anniversary of the reopening of the River Avon from Evesham to Stratford and the 50th anniversary of the re-opening of the Southern Stratford Canal. The centenary of the birth of one of IWA’s founders, Robert Aickman was also celebrated at the Festival following a gathering on 27th June 2014 at Aickman Lock by IWA Warwickshire Branch and Avon Navigation Trust.

In September, IWA Shrewsbury & North Wales Branch and Friends of the Montgomery Canal delivered the bi-annual Maesbury Festival, which celebrated the completion of another stretch of restoration on the Montgomery Canal.

Finally, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the re-opening of the Caldon Canal, IWA North Staffordshire & South Cheshire Branch helped organise a weekend of events (pictured above) that also incorporated IWA’s 2014 AGM.

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Inspiring Future Generations This year, IWA’s Wild Over Waterways programme has created new educational material aimed at capturing the imagination of children and sparking their interest in the waterways.

In addition to the range of downloadable resources on IWA’s website, fun activity packs, that teach children about canals and their history, have been available at events, on boat trips, and from canal societies and other groups across England and Wales. The range of material has been expanded with information about buildings and structures recently added to the pack.

Fifteen WOW event activity mini-kits are in use by IWA branches around the country as well as kits for bigger events.

A wooden canal bridge kit has proved popular as a new activity for children (and grown-ups!) as well as a working boat pop-out kit.

“

The Wild Over Waterways team is constantly devising new ways to engage children and this year, a concept involving the floating ability of Plasticine vessels is under development, so keep an eye out for it at future events!

Most IWA branches now have their own kits and other waterway

organisations are also borrowing the resources to use at their events and gatherings, realising the benefits that can come from engaging with the children and sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with the next generation.

Gillian Bolt, Youth Development Co-ordinator

”

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

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Children’s Wild Over Waterways activities take place at events across the country.

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Essex Waterways Ltd. is a subsidiary of IWA, which was formed to take over the management of the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation in 2005, to save it from closure.

Essex Waterways Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation It is now ten years since IWA assumed responsibility for the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation, and the waterway continues to go from strength to strength under the management of IWA’s Essex Waterways Ltd. There has been greater public use along the Navigation, especially where towpaths have been improved and at the popular attractions at Paper Mill Lock and Heybridge Basin.

Plant and Equipment Over the past year, plant and tools have been upgraded so that the Navigation benefits from more reliable and efficient equipment. Acquisitions include a new Avant multi-purpose mower/hedge cutter/excavator/stump-grinder, a weed cutting boat, a weed lifting boat (thanks to an Essex County Council Community Initiatives Fund grant of £20,000) and the upgrade of the dredger barge has commenced. IWA Chelmsford Branch also funded a trailer to transport the new plant to locations along the navigation.

Improvements The boaters’ car park at Paper Mill Lock has been resurfaced with new access.

New toilets on the north bank at Paper Mill and Sandford are now open, and a new sewage plant at Paper Mill Lock has been installed.

All of the lock gate platform boards along the navigation have been replaced with oak boards with an anti-slip system.

Repairs Some of the general maintenance carried out along the navigation include brickwork repairs to the Boothy (Moorings Manager’s Office) at Paper Mill and re-roofing hips and replacing leadwork to Heybridge Basin Lock House.

Volunteer Contributions Vegetation has been cut back all along the navigation thanks to various volunteer groups. Towpath clearance and surfacing took place between Barnes Lock and Sandford Lock. Willow trees in this section have also been cropped and re-planted. Vegetation was cut back from Maldon Bypass Bridge to Black Bridge and Hoe Mill Store was upgraded. Lock gates along the navigation have also been painted.

Two new information boards funded

by IWA Chelmsford Branch and local residents were installed at Heybridge Basin.

Overall, this work was made possible thanks to the enthusiasm of volunteers from WRG, IWA Chelmsford Branch, Sandford Boating Club and residential caretakers with some support from Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council.

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Grant Everiss, Heybridge Basin Lockkeeper

What’s your favourite part of the job? The sense of satisfaction from getting to the end of locking when it has all gone smoothly.

Grant Everiss is the recently appointed lockkeeper at Heybridge Basin. Find out what he’s got to say...

When did you join Essex Waterways? In May 2015 I moved into the lock cottage with my partner Lisa who has also thrown herself into the new way of life. The two labradors love it too.

the resident caretakers and playing chess with boats in the basin.

What do you do? On the surface it looks like you’re just employed to operate the sea lock but there’s a lot more to it. The role also involves dealing with customers, making sure the place looks smart; looking after

What is your background? I’ve been in and around boats my entire life. I spent the past 15 years working on Thames sailing barges. Prior to that I was in the motor trade for 20 years.

Big Image

Brickwork repairs to the Boothy at Paper Mill

Avant being used at Hoe Mill work party

Have you had to do anything you didn’t expect? I’ve realised how important it is to be part of the wider Heybridge community. Everybody knows the lockkeeper so it’s a very public role and I’ve found that I’m expected to attend village activities and be the local face of Essex Waterways.

Have you got anything exciting lined up? I’m particularly looking forward to Heybridge Regatta weekend in July, which I’ll probably be fairly involved with.

Information boards installed at Heybridge Basin

BOREHAM LANGFORD

ULTING

LITTLE BADDOW

Sea Lock

Vegetation clearance at Elms Farm near Maldon Wharf repairs at Springfield Basin

WA TE R

LA CK

MALDON

ER B

Navigation Lock

RIV

CHELMSFORD

HEYBRIDGE BASIN

The world’s most advanced lifeboat visiting Heybridge

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Fundraising to raise money for other waterway restoration groups.

As the leading waterways membership charity we are always grateful to our members for their subscriptions and donations. We also rely on activities that raise funds for waterways causes.

In total, almost £47,000 was raised in 2014 through things like successful grant applications, including a grant for £20,000 for Essex Waterways’ weed lifter and two grants of £500 towards the BCN cleanup.

IWA staff took part in the Acheman Challenge sponsored event, raising over half the cost of the new 2.7 tonne WRG excavator, which has now been purchased.

It’s worth noting that this is just one example of where Head Office staff gave their own time to support IWA activities. Whether it’s joining a Balsam Bash, volunteering at events and shows or getting stuck in on WRG projects, many of our staff regularly help beyond their day jobs.

IWA’s first Waterway Restoration Raffle raised over £13,000 for 53 restoration societies. Building on this success, the Raffle will be relaunched in August 2015

This year we have launched a major two-year fundraising project to raise £120,000 to replace WRG’s ageing fleet of four vans, vital to support their restoration activity. So far, more than £60,000 has been raised through a combination of donations and fundraising activities, including a Walk for WRG sponsored event in Warwickshire in 2015, which raised over £2,800.

IWAShop.com Another valuable part of fundraising comes through IWA’s shop, selling books, maps and guides as well as Christmas cards and IWA’s calendar. Next year’s calendar features winning photos from this year’s annual photography competition.

Visit: iwashop.com

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

2014 Financial Summary £42,000

£29,000

£21,000

2014 Income: Total £780,000

£43,000

Membership Income Donations and Legacies Income for Waterway Recovery Group Activities Fundraising Trading Surplus Investment Income Sundry Public Meetings and Other Activities

£56,000 £61,000

£155,000

£373,000

£14,000 £4,000 £22,000 £2,000 £84,000

2014 Expenditure: Total £854,000 Campaign and Restoration Membership and Branch Support Cost of Waterway Recovery Group Activities Governance Publications Public Meetings and Other Activities Loss on Investments Investment Management Expenses

£118,000

£148,000

£462,000

A full set of the Association’s accounts can be found at www.waterways.org.uk/annualreport Please note: These figures exclude the activities of Essex Waterways Ltd.

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26 IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Getting IWA’s Message Across It’s easy to overlook the fact that IWA is a charity and achieves nearly all of its success through the efforts of its supporters. There has been a recognition that IWA needs to improve how it publicises its activities and it is now a priority at trustee level.

IWA established a new Marketing Committee in 2014, which is committed to doing this by better explaining what IWA stands for, how distinctive it is among other waterways organisations and what the Association is striving to achieve for the future.

In the short term that means two major strands. Firstly, introducing consistency for the IWA (and WRG) brands so that members and prospective members see one version of IWA, making us clearer to existing members. Secondly, optimising our investment in marketing campaigns aimed at recruiting new members.

“

So we’re starting to set our marketing approach into the context of IWA’s vision of “Keeping our waterways alive!”

We want to improve how we get credit for our efforts. Letting people know what we stand for and why we have the credentials to make the waterways better – plus of course, why we can do this better than anyone else. This will need us to employ the best marketing techniques.

And then, as we do this, we need to attract prospective new members and ask them to join us!

The inland waterways are a national treasure and a wonderfully diverse place. IWA has a great track record for revitalising the waterways, but there’s no sense of that job having been completed. The Association has a vital and continuing role to make waterways even better for future generations and we will do this by attracting more people who want to see the waterways thrive.

I have a dear friend who wrote Bluff your way in Marketing in the million-selling series and

“taking something simple and obvious and packaging it to go” – and I believe that’s the basis of what we need to do for IWA,

he says it’s

effectively making the Association attractive

to the outside world.

- Paul Birkett, Marketing Committee Chairman

”

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Paul Birkett, Marketing Committee Chairman Paul Birkett is the Chairman of IWA’s Marketing Committee.

Find out what he’s got to say...

When and how did you first become interested in volunteering with IWA? I’ve been a fan of the waterways for years and became a member of IWA when I was lucky enough to get my own boat in 2008. I am a career marketer so after I retired and heard that IWA had set up a marketing committee I wondered if I could help.

You’re currently Chairman of the Marketing Committee, what does this role involve?

Primarily the big issues are working with trustees and other committees to develop the strategic direction for the Association.

We’re working to shape the IWA brand to emphasise its distinctive place in the waterways arena and to increase awareness of IWA achievements.

Has your past career helped you in your volunteering?

My professional experience is useful but a desire to see the waterways get better is important too. I could have just been a friend of CRT but being part of IWA as a member, and wanting to contribute time and skills to its future, is actually quite exciting because I believe it will make a bigger difference to the waterways.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with IWA? I’ve been delighted to meet and work with some very nice people. Not only do they know a lot more than me about the waterways but they’ve helped me expand my knowledge and to see why IWA’s success is crucial to making the waterways better.

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28 IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Keeping in Touch Website IWA has continued to invest in its website and in the last year has added to the rich content available to anyone interested in the waterways. News and event listings are added every day and all 33 branches have pages dedicated to local activities and meetings. Most recently a Restoration Portal for waterway trusts and societies to access reports and studies not publicly available was launched within the Restoration area.

A fully accessible downloadable desktop calendar can be used as a picturesque background for PCs and tablets.

Waterways enthusiasts can contribute by uploading photos to IWA’s Flickr group with one image chosen as the following month’s calendar design.

Over the past year visitors to the website have been particularly attracted to the route planning pages and the individual waterways detail sections.

The River Great Ouse has topped the popularity list with the River Nene a close second. The photo galleries in the waterways sections contain some striking pictures.

Details of each of IWA’s campaigns are included on the site. There is now a list of MPs who have signed up to IWA’s Manifesto pledging their support to the Five Point Partnership as well as detailed information for all of the campaigns mentioned in this Annual Review. Both the shop and membership areas have benefited from enhancements to the payment process, which will make purchases of items such as calendars and Christmas cards much easier.

Explore the website at www.waterways.org.uk

Social Media IWA’s presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ have been developed as good ways to keep up to date with what’s happening across the Association and to help spread the word.

To start a conversation with us on social media either search for “The Inland Waterways Association” or for Twitter follow @IWA_UK

IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

Member Benefits Members can receive useful tangible benefits from being a member by accessing discounts and benefits from an increasing range of suppliers. As a charity we’re always delighted when partners add valuable benefits for our members. Here’s a selection:

Enjoy the Waterways Through Hire Boats and Leisure ABC Boat Hire - 15% discount on holidays Airedale Cruising - 10% discount off skippered day cruises CanalCruising.co.uk - 10% discount on holidays Canal Boat Magazine - 12 issues for £15 Frangipani SUP Ltd - 10% discount Wyvern Shipping Co. Ltd - 10% discount on published prices The Three Locks Pub - 10% discount on food

Better Value on Boats and Equipment Boatshed Grand Union - 10% discount on brokerage Channel Glaze - 10% discount on double glazing Cotswold Outdoor - 10% discount IceGripper - 20% discount Marine Mega Store Ltd - 15% discount Willowbridge Marina - 10% discount on chandlery purchases and services in the yard

Services Europcar - Special hire rates to IWA members Forge Studio - 10% discount I Love Meet and Greet Ltd - 15% discount River Canal Rescue - up to 15% discount

For details about how to claim these member benefits please visit: waterways.org.uk/offers

Please note: All discounts and offers are made entirely at the supplier’s discretion.

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30 IWA Annual Review 2014/2015

What it Means to be an IWA Member

-

Help keep our waterways alive Protect our heritage Provide backing for IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group S ponsor traditional skills and work-based experience for young volunteers Support the improvement of your local waterways Support over 10,000 days of volunteering each year Help pass on knowledge of the waterways to new generations S upport IWA’s involvement at festivals, shows and events, giving fun days out on the waterways to thousands of people Help IWA defend the waterways from unwelcome development Add your weight when IWA speaks up for all those who enjoy the country’s canals and rivers

We Need More Members We appreciate the continued help and support of our members and thank them for their part in our quest for waterways improvements.

Our members enable IWA to do more for the waterways year-afteryear, but there’s much more to do and new members are always welcome.

IWA membership is exclusively for those who like the waterways and want them to be enjoyed by everybody for many years to come. New members can find many ways to support, from simply contributing with subscriptions, to getting involved with volunteering.

If you’re not already a member, please join us today!

The more members we have, the more we can do to make our waterways better for everyone to enjoy.

Visit www.waterways.org.uk/join or phone 01494 783453 IWA would like to thank the following photographers for their contributions: Waterway Images, Angela Acott, John Bannister, Gillian Bolt, Philip Braude, Roy Chandler, Bob Coles, Jane Elwell, Chris Hill, Amber Jenkins, Tim Lewis, Gren Messham, Lynda Payton, John Pomfret, Hannah Ranken, Paul Roberts, Greta Russell, Alison Smedley, Jeanne Smith, Roger Squires, Brenda Ward and David Youngs.

The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. Company registration number 612245. Charity registration number 212342. Registered office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA