BEAR ESSENTIALS The Newsletter of : -
IWA Warwickshire Branch Issue No. 41 – December 2014.
Grappling with today’s problems on the GU. Encouraged by the all-round success of our March ‘clean-up’ in Leamington; we undertook another ‘fishing expedition’ on the first Sunday in November - this time it was on the Warwick section of the Grand Union between Emscote and Wedgnock. As before, our Branch team was augmented by groups of local residents, Warwick University students, and a corps of Army Cadets who had travelled all the way from Stourport to join us. Yet again the total turnout exceeded 80 volunteers. In addition, practical support was provided by both WRG and IWA’s Manchester Branch colleagues – who both kindly loaned us their much appreciated grappling irons; and by CRT West Midland’s Volunteer Leader, Steve Lambert who supplied and drove the workboat which collected our ‘catch’. The haul included a safe, three motorcycles, innumerable bikes and of course dozens of those ubiquitous shopping-trolleys.
‘Casting the lines’ I find few tasks today that are more heartening than the collecting and collating of the ‘copy’ for ‘BE’, and this edition has been no exception.
‘Landing the catch’ Photos by Greta Russell and Richard Sanders. .
‘Loading the workboat’ Once again our action has been noted and greatly appreciated locally. We have already been approached via Leamington BID (Business Improvement District) to repeat this exercise in the Leamington area next year – with a group called ‘Old Town Open Spaces’. We therefore plan to do so on Sunday March 1st. Details will be found on Page 2.
Whether, as can be seen on this page, it is the working together in groups for a common cause; or as you can read on page 3 – working individually to help a fellow traveller in distress; there seems to be an ‘atmosphere’ around our inland waterways that contrasts so sharply with all the selfishness and cynicism that seems to prevail in the ‘outside world’. I am particularly heartened to see the number of young people that now contribute to our clean-ups. We ‘old ’uns’ should all be pleased to see this – after all they are the future. However, we now have an opportunity to do something in return, not just for our waterways but particularly for them. On page 4 you will read of an IWA initiative to raise funds for a new minibus for WRG. It will take place here ‘on our doorstep’ and it gives us all a chance to ‘put something back’ - something that will particularly benefit young people. So let’s go for it!
‘Clearing Emscote bridge – just’
Editor:
Ian Fletcher.