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Issue 23 www.waterways.org.uk/lichfield
Spring 2018
Lichfield Lines
A Good Time at the Branch Christmas Meal (see Page 5)
The newsletter of
IWA Lichfield Branch The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this magazine but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as policy, or as an official pronouncement, unless specifically identified as such. The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 612245. Registered as a charity no. 212342 Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA Tel: 01494 783453 Web: www.waterways.org.uk
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Branch Chairman’s Report - January 2018 This issue of Lichfield Lines should be out a bit earlier than usual as we brought it forward due to the editor’s holiday plans. Pete certainly deserves a holiday after all his multi-tasking to help keep the Branch functioning over the past year. I was able to pay tribute to Pete and to all our committee and other helpers in the Chairman’s report to the AGM in March, and you can read that along with the Treasurer’s report and formal minutes elsewhere in this issue. I’ll not repeat what I said there, other than to remind you that we really could do with a couple more members on the committee to help us keep your Branch fully functional. In particular, we would welcome somebody to take the minutes at our monthly meetings, and perhaps somebody who could take on the Treasurer role longer term. After the AGM, and some exceptional refreshments, we were privileged to have our National Chairman Ivor Caplan address us about the priorities and future direction of IWA. It certainly got people thinking, with a lively and wide ranging discussion following. Thanks to recent media exposure the waterways have perhaps never been more widely known or appreciated, but if you have new ideas about how we can better promote IWA’s key aims of speaking, protecting, restoring and inspiring, then your help will be appreciated. Shortly after this goes to print, we will be having a regional Volunteer Day Workshop to swop experiences and ideas, so the recent rebranding indicates a real intention to adapt what we do to changing circumstances and to keep IWA relevant and active for the future. Since the last newsletter, we have enjoyed our annual Branch Lunch, postponed from December to early February due to the first onslaught of what has been an exceptionally snowy winter. Luckily the weather was kinder second time round, and the Bull & Spectacles at Blithbury proved to be a good choice with excellent food and service. You can read about our last quarter’s outdoor activities later in this issue, but I should mention the speakers at our recent public meetings. I missed January’s meeting due to a persistent cough (and thanks to Helen for standing in at short notice) but I gather Derek Davis had some interesting historic pictures of the lost sections of the Cannock Extension Canal. February was a fascinating talk by John Parry about early plans for a canal to Lichfield, the Alrewas river section and ironworks branch at Wychnor, and Dr Darwin’s strange ideas for a network of ultra-narrow canals. This original research deserves to be better known so we are hoping John can condense it into a future article for Lichfield Lines. The introduction of new General Data Protection Regulations means IWA needs your permission about the ways we make contact to keep you informed about our activities. I hope you all completed and returned the simple form sent out nationally with the last issue of Waterways magazine, but if not then you can record your post,
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phone, email or text preferences on the website (www.waterways.org.uk/yes) or by calling Head Office (01494 783453). Please do make the best of your membership by choosing how you want to be kept informed. The efforts made by our members to support IWA and the waterways in general are always appreciated and it is sad when we lose some of those volunteers. Many of you will remember Peter Lee as a great supporter of IWA and the Trent & Mersey Canal Society, and a lovely chap, who had retired to a nursing home in Doncaster and passed away there in February. Then in March we learned that Mavis Moore, wife of David and mother of Judith Palmer, had died after a very short illness. Mavis was a long-time supporter and volunteer for IWA and for Lichfield & Hatherton CRT and will be greatly missed by her many friends. Finally, the Chasewater Reservoir saga continues and we remain concerned about how long it is taking to agree a long term solution to repair or replace the valves. However, CRT are hopeful of agreeing a resumed water feed to the canal this summer, although at a fixed rate each month to minimise use of the valves, and the winter rains have been refilling Edgbaston Reservoir so we hope the BCN should remain fully navigable this year. Phil Sharpe Forthcoming Events Wednesday 18th April 2018 – “Restoration of the Montgomery Canal”. An illustrated talk by Rich Hamp, Chairman of Shropshire Union Canal Society on recent restoration progress. 7.15 for 7.30 pm at Martin Heath Hall, Christchurch Lane (off Walsall Road), Lichfield, WS13 8AY. If you can print off and display a Poster for this event in your area, please download a copy from the Branch web site. Thursday 10th May 2018 – Walk at Nuneaton:The Weddington Way and Mount Jud. This is an easy 5 mile walk on level ground with no stiles. It takes in a canal, disused railway line, quarries and transport sites on the edge of Nuneaton. We follow
Mount Jud
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public footpaths or the towpath throughout. Starting in the pretty estate village of Caldecote we head eastwards across fields to join the Weddington Way. This path has been laid on top of the disused Ashby & Nuneaton Joint Railway and we follow it towards Nuneaton, safely passing first under, then over, some major railway lines. Skirting industry to the west of that town, we join the Coventry Canal at Tuttle Hill and follows its contours past the quarry of Mount Jud, Boon's Wharf and a solitary telegraph pole to Springwood Haven, where we leave the canal to return to Caldecote. Meet at 10:15 am for a 10:30 start in Caldecote Lane, Caldecote, CV10 0TN. Park in the village. There is adequate parking at the side of the road, or on the verge, in this quiet cul-de-sac. We will assemble at the private road leading to the church and the hall. We will be eating afterwards in The Royal Redgate Country Pub, Watling Street, CV10 0RY which is at the junction of the A5 and A444 roads, so we will drive the half mile to the pub after our walk. Contact Clive Walker on 07866 201873 or clive.walker@waterways.org.uk If you can print off and display a Poster for this event in your area, please download a copy from the Branch web site. Wednesday 18th July 2018 – Evening Walk at Snarestone. A circular walk from Snarestone towards Shackerstone along the Ashby Canal and the Ivanhoe Way. Meet at 6pm for a 6.15 start at The Globe Inn, Main Street, Snarestone, DE12 7DB. Optional meal at the Globe afterwards. Contact Clive Walker on 07866 201873 or clive.walker@waterways.org.uk Sunday 5th August 2018 – ‘Lock Wind’ at Barton Turn Lock. A fundraising and social event on the Trent & Mersey Canal, from 10 am to 4 pm. Help from experienced lock users needed to assist boaters through this very busy lock, talk to them about IWA and hopefully receive lots of donations. We also need help with sales and volunteers to bake us some home-made cakes, which last year sold like - hot cakes ! We will have a small gazebo beside the lock with refreshments available, and a barbecue at 4 pm outside the pub for those taking part. If you can assist on site, even if only for a couple of hours, or with baking, please contact Helen Whitehouse at helen.whitehouse@waterways.org.uk or on 01543 491161.
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Recent Activities Sunday 4th February 2018—Christmas Meal The much delayed Branch Christmas meal was held on Sunday 4th February at the Bull and Spectacles, Blithbury near Rugeley. A great turnout of 41 people with only 2 not being able to make it from the original date plus some additions. The meal was excellent and very efficiently served by the staff. Everybody had a great time and the groups were still chatting when unfortunately we had to leave to make way for the next group. Overall it was agreed that this was a good choice of venue and may well be used again. Thursday 8th March 2018—Walk—RAF Lichfield and the Trent & Mersey Canal Undeterred by a brief snowstorm, 24 walkers assembled outside The Swan Inn at Fradley Junction. We crossed the Trent & Mersey canal at Shade House Lock to enter the perimeter of RAF Lichfield, also known as Fradley Aerodrome. Skirting a field bordered by birch trees we paused briefly at a dilapidated hut; with its steel door halfhanging off its hinges it was possible to peek inside to see what looked like accommodation bunks,. At least we thought that was the case, until one of our group noticed earth banks around 3 sides of the building in the undergrowth nearby which looked suspiciously like blast protection around an ammunition dump. Phil Sharpe pointed out that this part of the aerodrome has been designated for housing, with HS2 due to pass within earshot. Hopefully they have checked first for any left-over ordnance! Walking along an old taxiway, and within sight of two large aircraft hangars, we soon arrived at the dead-straight Gorse Lane. We had intended to follow the footpath shown on the OS map that crosses the main runways, but sadly this has been closed for construction of new housing. Instead we turned left along Gorse Lane to join the Coventry Canal at bridge 91. Two pillboxes guarded the end of the main runway. Constructed in 1939, the airfield once accommodated 3,500 aircrew and according to
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the Pearson's Canal Companion a headless figure in a flying jacket reputedly haunts the perimeter. It was probably too cold for him to come out that day, but fatal accidents were all too common at RAF Fradley, as we were shortly to learn. We left the Coventry Canal at bridge 90 and walked across to Fradley Church. The churchyard contains a number of Commonwealth War Graves. Unusually there is a German grave amongst them and John Parry recounted how the airman lost his life after baling out of a stricken Heinkel III at too low a height. The walk leader told the poignant story behind a line of graves dated 13 and 14 September 1942. A Wellington bomber suffered engine failure and returned to base with its bombs intact, it crashlanded at Fradley on 13 September killing the Australian crew of 5. Four hours later, at 03:20 on 14 September, the 500 lb bombs on board the aircraft exploded killing the crew of 4 fighting the blaze, one of whom was just 17 years old. Leaving the churchyard we crossed a field to pick up a quiet country lane that returned us to the Coventry Canal at bridge 90. After a brief photo stop we arrived back at The Swan Inn for refreshment. Wednesday 21st March 2018—Branch Meeting and AGM Our Branch AGM was held before our normal March social meeting. The formalities were swiftly completed with reports from Phil Sharpe the Branch Chairman and Pete Gurney the Acting Treasurer. Four new members of the committee were elected unopposed with Pat Barton and John Stockland returning after brief absences and Derek Bearsdmore and Neil Barnett being welcomed as new members. This brings the committee up to a much more healthy 7 members although we could still do with a Minutes Secretary. The formalities over Phil Sharpe gave the meeting a pictorial summary of the year with pictures from our meetings, walks and work parties. Ivor Caplan
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Following the tea break which included some excellent refreshments, our new National Chairman Ivor Caplan gave a presentation about the recent rebranding and refocusing of the Association. This provoked some lively discussion which lasted until the meeting closed. Tuesday 27th March 2018—Work Party at Leathermill Lane A magnificent 18 volunteers turned out for our much postponed workparty at Leathermill Lane in Rugeley. Thankfully the weather was better than the forecast and we only had light showers throughout the morning. We collected masses of litter the black bags filled two big gravel bags to the top. At Leathermill Lane Canal Bridge we pulled out 3 supermarket trolleys, a strimmer, a scooter and jogging machine. At Station Road bridge we pulled out two pushbikes and a flattened supermarket trolley. A dump of about 30 drinks cans were cleaned up between the bridgessomebody must have had a good party! We also took down the canalside notice boards at Leathermill Lane bridge and they have been taken to Fradley for refurbishment.
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A couple of things we found to be annoying - somebody protesting about increased charges for wide beams has been along posting notices on everything canalside they can find. I don’t feel it appropriate to comment on the message but the notices had to be taken down and then whatever they were stuck to needed cleaning. Another firm has been along sticking heavy duty advertising stickers on CRT property - obviously not realising that they will be charged by CRT. We were joined by two local PSCOs who worked alongside our volunteers collecting litter. It is always good to see the PCSOs taking a positive role and having a visible presence on the canals. Barry from CRT provided his usual friendly supervision and support. We also repaired the steps by Leathermill Lane Bridge but these will need more work later in the year. Tesco did us proud again, with free car parking, access to their staff canteen and a subsidised lunch. All in all, a brilliant effort all round - and it was really nice to see some of the bulbs we planted last year still coming through and the saplings throwing out new shoots. Report and Photos by Margaret Beardsmore, Volunteer Coordinator, IWA Lichfield Branch. Offside Veg Clearance December 2017 to March 2018 The problems with the extensive amount of overgrown offside vegetation along our canals is an issue which is close to the heart of the boating fraternity amongst our members. Understandably the Canal and River Trust have a limited amount of resources in terms of manpower and equipment, and during the winter period most of these are deployed to deal with essential maintenance and repairs such as locks, bridges, dredging, culverts etc. So this year the CRT on a trial basis in three areas, had the idea of using volunteers to carry out this work, and our esteemed Volunteer Coordinator Margaret Beardsmore was keen for our branch (excuse the pun) of the IWA to get involved. A group of our members were put through some basic training, namely a one day course for using the wood chipper machine plus a 2 hour 'environmental awareness' course. There was the option to train for using a pole chain saw too, which a few opted for. The canal and River Trust provided all the equipment as well as our Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).
So one day in December, armed with an assortment of saws, pruners, clippers, etc we set sail from Great Haywood Junction with the objective of reaching the southern outskirts of Rugeley by the end of March, which was the latest time we could work before the wildlife began their nest building. Each work party consisted of one CRT member of staff and varied between three and six volunteers. Our IWA work party was doing Fridays and the CRT volunteers
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Pictures From the Offside Veg Work Parties
The Green Machine Wood Chipper Photo Derek Beardsmore
The Gang hard at work Photo Derek Beadsmore
After a hard days work
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(mainly volunteer lock keepers) Tuesdays. The workboat had a large working area, and a cabin which contained a kettle, microwave, a loo, a washbasin, and even somewhere to sit down inside for taking rest breaks. Strapped to the front of the workboat was the short hopper boat containing the wood chipper. The work was arduous at times and painstakingly slow, but very rewarding, and it soon became apparent that we might struggle to reach Rugeley within the timescale we had, not helped by the fact that we didn't begin the work until half way through winter. So we made the decision to concentrate on the really bad parts and particularly where they posed a problem for navigation such as the narrow sections, approaches to bridges, bends, and opposite moorings. Hopefully we can address the other parts next winter when we intend to commence the operation a couple of months earlier, and those additional two months should make such a difference.
By and large the weather was kind to us, although the so called 'Beast from the East prevented any work being done on that occasion. Despite those issues we did manage to achieve our objective and actually a little beyond Rugeley. The feedback from CRT about this experiment has been positive so hopefully in future it will be extended to cover other areas of the country too. Perhaps if more volunteers can be found they might be able to spare a member of staff to enable three days work a week instead of two and thus be able to achieve a more thorough job and possibly a greater distance. If anyone reading this is interested in joining in next time, I thoroughly recommend it. It was hard work at times but not too much for a group of 'sixty something's', and the aches and pains at the end of the day merely added to our feelings of fulfilment. We all thoroughly enjoyed it and especially the banter and camaraderie. So much so that we intend to get involved again in October when next winter's work begins. Hopefully some of you other members will join in too. News from the Restoration Groups Ashby Canal Association On Friday 13th April Ashby Canal Association (ACA) announced that they have been awarded a grant of £10,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The grant will be used to uncover the industrial archaeology and social history of Ashby Canal’s Ilott Wharf which was well known to working boatmen and the local mining community. It was finally closed in 1965 when the canal was once more foreshortened due to mining subsidence.
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Restoration of the Ashby Canal towards Measham and Moira is progressing and it is important the Ilott Wharf’s heritage is investigated before any other works take place there. The Ilott, as it has always been referred to locally, was the point Ilott Wharf on where coal from the Ashby Canal nearby collieries was loaded for destinations, mainly to the south, including Coventry, Oxford and London. In its final years and in living memory, coal came by rail from nearby collieries to the wharf where it was shovelled down a chute into waiting boats. However history shows that in the pre-railway era there were horse drawn plateways connecting the collieries to the wharf. Over some 200 years it has doubtless changed with the times but it is believed that it has never undergone any major upheaval or earthworks and has not been built on. In later years the Wharf was the terminus of the Ashby Canal and a place where boating families might enjoy brief periods of community life and maybe venture on foot as far as Measham to perhaps order a personalised Measham Teapot. ACA will be working with experts from the Archaeology and History Department of Leicester University who will use state of the art scanning equipment to identify what historical information can
New Bridge 62
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be found in and under the site of the Wharf from its heyday and record recollections of local people who knew the area well. The connected Ashby Canal presently terminates at a winding hole just north of Bridge 62. The route from here to Ilott Wharf, some 700m is on the original line and its restoration is now in sight. It involves crossing the Gilwiskaw Brook where the masonry aqueduct was demolished when closure took place. This stream is now a Special Area of Conservation as designated by Natural England and funding is in place for construction of a new steel trough style aqueduct, given that mining subsidence at this point as about 9.5 metres. Beyond Ilott Wharf to Measham the original route is lost due to development, however the new route is firmly established and is the subject of a Transport and Works Act Order. Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust BIG LIFT BEATS THE BIG FREEZE Lichfield Canal volunteers overcame the worst the elements could throw at them to move over 230 tonnes of concrete tunnel into position at Darnford Moors. The eleven sections of culvert, each weighing 21.3 tonnes, had to be transported from their storage site at Hazel Lane Colliery, Great Wyrley, because of a proposed development. One of the many challenges Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust faces is a crossing under Darnford Lane, so this was an ideal opportunity to put the culvert sections in place, ready for the time when a tunnel will be installed. Many weeks of preparation of the Darnford Moors site, digging out the canal bed to the correct depth and constructing a platform for a huge crane, and clearing the Great Wyrley site for the big lift, meant that all was in place for the move on Friday March 2, despite the atrocious conditions produced by ‘the Beast from the East’. Unfortunately, the 350 tonne crane heading for Darnford Moors broke down on the M1 and the expected 6am start of the twohour operation to prepare it was delayed until its arrival at 2pm. Meanwhile, six low -loaders, each carrying a culvert
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section with LICHFIELD CANAL stencilled in bright yellow paint on the end, were held at Norton Canes service station on the M6 Toll Road, until the crane was set up. They arrived at Darnford Moors at 4pm when Trust volunteers were prepared to work into the night under lights to complete the move, despite the snow and freezing conditions. But then Storm Emma brought very high winds which made it unsafe to continue. The next day’s improved conditions meant the first six sections were lifted into place by 9am, with the lowloaders making return journeys to Great Wyrley for the five remaining. Finally, the last section was swung into place at 1pm, to the evident relief of Trust volunteers. Peter Buck, LHCRT engineering director and mastermind of the move, paid tribute to the many people involved in the eventually successful operation. “The moving of these precast tunnel sections has been another of the challenges the Trust has been set and together our fabulous hardworking volunteers once again have risen to the challenge,” he said. “I’d also like to express my gratitude to the drivers of Leicester Heavy Haulage, ABA Cranes, Walter Tipper, Tommy Coakley of Darnford Moors Golf Club for his cooperation and immense patience, Staffordshire County Council Highways Department who were out at 5.30am gritting Darnford Lane to allow the operation to go ahead, and the Misra brothers at Hazel Lane Colliery.” Planning Matters This report covers the more notable of over 50 planning matters dealt with between mid-January and the end of March 2018, all of which are summarised in the monthly notes on the website Planning page. On the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal a Stage 2a consultation for the West Midlands Rail Freight Interchange between Gailey and Four Ashes included an
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extension to the proposed Calf Heath Community Park which may provide space for better screening. I have again met the developers along with Freddie Cooke of Staffs & Worcs Canal Society to discuss Gailey Roundhouse on the Staffs & Worcs Canal improved protection for the canal. The application is expected to be submitted shortly. Alongside the Trent & Mersey Canal at Tuppenhurst Lane, Handsacre we felt that a proposed garden development of a large 4 bedroomed house would be too close to the canal and visually intrusive in the T&M Canal Conservation Area. Also at Handsacre, the previously refused housing application opposite The Crown Inn has again been refused on Appeal, with the Inspector citing impact on the Canal Conservation Area and supporting our contention that the canal should be the northern boundary of the village. On the edge of Burton-on-Trent the first 200 of a planned 2,500 houses at Lawns Farm will be set back from the canal, but we are concerned about the indicated height of the commercial development proposed alongside the canal and have asked for further details. On the Coventry Canal the Fradley area continues to be a target for developers, with an application now submitted for the Pig Farm site and adjacent fields along Hay End Lane. Although not allocated in the Local Plan, a mixed use development of housing and 3 storey care home blocks is proposed. Following our earlier objections, a 10m wide landscaped buffer zone along the canal frontage is now included. Just opposite, on the former Fradley Airfield site which is allocated for housing, a canalside balancing pond is now proposed but there should be a landscaping strategy to ensure sufficient screening for the canal. Also at Fradley, in the older housing area at Jordan Croft, the proposed extension and
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rebuild of an existing bungalow with metal roof panels and wall cladding would look more like a factory, so we have objected, which we rarely need to do for house extensions. At Amington our objection to a rear garden development being too close to the canal has resulted in revised plans with the house set further back from the canal. At Polesworth a proposal for housing up the hillside above the canal at Pooley Lane has been refused, and refused again on Appeal, but an identical application has again been submitted. Some developers just won’t give up ! Also at Polesworth our concerns about a housing site on Grendon Road have resulted in fewer houses, set back and facing the canal and limited to 2 storeys, as we requested, so other developers do actually listen. On the southern edge of Nuneaton a proposed extension to a caravan park would remove existing trees and should include retention or replanting along the Griff Brook to screen the site from the canal. Adjoining the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal at Fazeley the impressive but long disused buildings of Tolson Mill are again proposed for conversion into apartments. There will be little change to their historic appearance along the canal and we have supported this application. On the Ashby Canal in Hinckley a field at the end of Trinity Marina is proposed for housing with 2 storey canalside apartment blocks, plus a new facilities building with an office and shop by the marina. However, a canalside swale would destroy existing trees and restrict the space for replanting. By the Wyrley & Essington Canal at Goscote Lane a derelict industrial site is now proposed as housing with a linear parkland along the canal frontage which we were pleased to support in principle.
Tolson Mill on the Birmingham & Fazeley On the Lichfield Canal restoration Canal route the developers of Deanslade Park continue to be obstructive, and IWA has assisted Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust in countering the misinformation their agents and solicitors have
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produced about meeting the requirements of the Development Plan. Their intention has been to make no provision for the canal and to build a car park across the protected canal line between the Birmingham Road roundabout and the railway tunnel, which the Trust are currently planning to construct. This is clearly unacceptable and we have urged the Council to uphold its own plan and refuse the applications unless and until they are substantially altered. On a happier note, the extension of Cranebrook Quarry alongside the Summerhill restoration site near the aqueduct has been approved, with provision for a future marina in the resulting hole, although it will take 15 years to excavate. Finally, the HS2 High Speed Rail Bill for the Phase 2A Fradley to Crewe section was given a second reading on 30 January triggering a petitioning period. I have written and submitted IWA’s Petition to the Commons Select Committee concerning noise mitigation at canal interfaces in general and at Fradley Junction and Great Haywood in particular. The hearings are to take place between 16 April and 20 July. For more information about our Petition see: www.waterways.org.uk/lichfield/ news/2018_news where there is also a link to the full text. Meanwhile in March, some changes were made to Phase 2A with the publication of an Additional Provision, Environmental Statement and Supplementary Environmental Statement. These include changes to a viaduct near Stone, and numerous minor changes to construction compounds, haul roads, public roads and services diversions, along with minor corrections and additional information. The only thing of note is a sewer diversion at Hoo Mill Lane taking 6 months which may affect access to the canal. Phil Sharpe, Planning Officer IWA LICHFIELD BRANCH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – 21st MARCH 2018 at 19.30. At Martin Heath Hall, Christchurch Lane (off Walsall Road), Lichfield, WS13 8AY Present: Phil Sharpe (Chairman), Pete Gurney (Acting Treasurer), Pat Barton, John Stockland, Neil Barnett, Helen Whitehouse (Region Chairman) + 23 other members of the branch.
1.
Apologies for absence: Margaret & Derek Beardsmore, Harry & Beryl Arnold, Bob & Jan Cooke, David Moore, Marilyn Wedgwood, Clive Walker.
2. Approval of the minutes of the 2017 AGM and any matters arising from these minutes: Proposed: Phil Sharpe The minutes were approved unopposed. There were no matters arising from the
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minutes. 3. Report from the Branch Chairman: Please see the report attached. Eric Wood said that he thought that the Branch Magazine Lichfield Lines was excellent. 4. Financial report from the Treasurer: Please see the report attached. The Branch were asked to approve the Treasurer’s report and did so unopposed. There were no questions arising. Eric Wood expressed his thanks that expenses for meetings and committee meetings were very low. 5.
Elections to the committee:
a)
Members completing 3 years in post and eligible for re-election: Pete Gurney was standing for re-election. Proposed: Phil Sharpe Seconded: Barbara Hodgson Pete Gurney was re-elected to the committee unopposed.
b)
Members co-opted since the previous AGM: Pat Barton Derek Beardsmore John Stockland Neil Barnett All 4 were proposed together by Phil Sharpe and seconded by Adrian Wedgwood and were elected unopposed.
c)
Any other candidates: None.
6.
Any resolutions requested by members of the Branch (provided the Branch Chairman was notified in writing of the item at least six weeks prior to the AGM):
No resolutions had been received. 7. AOB: There was no other business.
The meeting was closed at 19.55 BRANCH CHAIRMAN’S REPORT It is 7 years now since I last presented a Chairman’s report, as our Branch has been capably led by Mike Moorse, Helen Whitehouse and then Denise Bending over that time. But with Denise moving house down to Cambridgeshire in June last year, I
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found myself again in the hot seat from 1st July. Denise, and husband Mike, were not the only retirements last year, with our long standing treasurer Barbara Hodgson and Pat Barton also retiring at the AGM, leaving our committee temporarily depleted down to only 4 members. Happily, Pat quickly offered to come back as Speakers Secretary, and Derek Beardsmore joined us to take over Mike Bending’s role as Navigation Officer. This still, however, left us undermanned, with Pete Gurney multi-tasking as Acting Treasurer in addition to his previous jobs as Newsletter Editor, Publicity and Membership. I also have had to combine being Chairman with Acting Secretary, Planning Officer and Website Editor. This has been far from ideal, as you can imagine, but we have managed to keep the Branch going whilst searching for reinforcements. I am pleased to report therefore that in the last few months John Stockland has rejoined the Branch committee after an absence of 18 months and will be taking over the Membership Officer role, whilst Neil Barnett, after attending several meetings as an observer, has volunteered and was co-opted only last week, so is yet to be allocated a task. Fortunately, throughout this difficult period, Margaret Beardsmore has continued to organise our volunteer work parties as part of the Rugeley Project, and also found the time to arrange a series of Community Boat trips, whilst Clive Walker continues to arrange interesting canal based walks for us every 2 months, without needing to actually be on the committee. Helen Whitehouse too, despite the many demands on her time as West Midlands Region Chairman and a national Trustee, still somehow manages to run our Sales Stand, including taking it to various external events, and to give occasional talks about canals to a variety of audiences, raising funds for the Branch in the process. Our newsletter Lichfield Lines enables us to keep you all informed about forthcoming events and to report on our recent activities, and thanks to Pete Gurney’s editorship and a slick printing and distribution system organised by Head Office we have again published 4 issues this year which we hope you all read and enjoy. The Branch pages of the IWA website also allow some of these reports to be viewable within a week or two and those of you who use Facebook may see things even quicker thanks to Margaret’s input. As well as the newsletter, website and social media, Pete also publicises our activities through the waterways magazines and local press, via a monthly email, and by distributing posters, with thanks to those of you that put up the posters in various places for us. It seems to work as we generally get good attendances and our walks in particular attract potential new members. I should also express appreciation for all those of you that have contributed to the running of our meetings, in the kitchen, setting out and clearing chairs, to Sue and
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others for running the raffle, to everyone that helped on our Branch stands at Moira and Huddlesford, and to Pat, Margaret and Derek for organising various social activities including the Lock Wind, our Branch Christmas lunch, and its replacement when snow caused a postponement. So as you can see, our Branch has remained healthy, with our ‘core’ activities including 7 public meetings with a variety of interesting speakers, 6 walks and 3 work parties; there would have been more work parties but for recent weather postponements. However, several of our members have also been working since November with the Canal & River Trust on a project to cut back the offside vegetation on the Trent & Mersey Canal between Great Haywood and Rugeley. This required training courses in the use of pole-saws and chippers and a commitment to weekly work parties in what has been a challenging period for weather, but the project will finish this month having met all its objectives. It is dedication like that which keeps the Inland Waterways Association active and relevant to the future of our waterways, but I only wish we could tempt a few more of our members to join the Branch committee. We particularly need somebody to take the committee minutes for us, and there are other jobs that Pete and I are still doubling up on that we would love to be able to pass over. So please bear that in mind when it comes to the Elections part of our agenda, but be assured that you will be welcome to join us at any time during the year and are not committed to staying for 3 years. I will be showing you shortly some slides of our outdoor activities since the last AGM so I can answer any questions you may have about them then, but if you have any other questions or comments about the Branch I will do my best to answer those at the end of this report. We are privileged to have our National Chairman Ivor Caplan to address us after the break about the recent rebranding and future direction of IWA, so we will have a national perspective as well. But this AGM is an opportunity for you to praise, complain, or make suggestions about your Branch and what you want from IWA at the local level, so over to you: Philip Sharpe, Chairman TREASURERS REPORT 2017 was a good year and we were able to donate £1290.00 to canal funds as follows:£1000 to the Lichfield & Hatherton Canal Restoration Trust for their “Tunnel Vision” appeal £40 to the Derby and Sandiacre Canal Society (for speaker) £100 to the Waterways Recovery Group (for speaker)
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£50 to the Claverton Pumping Station (for speaker) £100 to the Black Country Museum for the restoration of NB President’s boiler tubes We made a profit on the year of £42.43. At the end of the year we had £3221.03 in our bank accounts, £466.32 of which is allocated to work on our Rugeley project in 2018 and £705 was held over to pay for the postponed Christmas lunch. I would like to thank you all for your contributions to the raffle and refreshments. These amounted to £444.14 which more than covered the £162.00 cost of the room hire for the monthly meetings and also speakers fees of £130. The income from fundraising events (£212.65) and donations (£255.26) was £467.91 with expenses of £256.62. Therefore the overall proceeds for the year from fundraising events & donations, after all expenses had been deducted, were £211.29, made up from the following £ 13.26 from donations at our walks £132.65 from the Lock Wind £ 93.38 from the Community Boat Trip (The cost of the boat trip was more than covered by a grant of £240 from Rugeley Council) £ 2.00 Donation £ 30.00 Loss on cancelled Race Night Other items of income were £100.00 from advertising in Lichfield Lines (no per capita payments this year) £1087.68 income (profit of £333.17) on Branch Sales – thanks to Helen. We still have £1,116 stock at retail value. Barclays have recently started giving us interest on our accounts and so far we have received the grand sum of £0.57. Summarising the expenses from above we paid out £1,290.00 in donations £ 292.00 expenses for meetings and work parties £ 256.62 expenses for events and fundraising activities £ 169.74 on the Rugeley Project £ 754.51 cost of Branch Sales A change in our outgoings is that we no longer pay for the printing of Lichfield Lines this is payed direct by Head Office So in all a successful year and hopefully 2018 will be even better. Pete Gurney, Acting Treasurer
Lichfield Branch
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Editorial Notice Lichfield Lines is the newsletter of IWA Lichfield Branch, it is produced 4 times a year to keep members informed about our forthcoming public meetings, walks, work parties and other activities, to provide reports on recent meetings and events, and to include articles of general interest to our members. The editor, Peter Gurney, welcomes articles, letters or photographs of waterway activities in our Branch area which can be emailed to pete.gurney@waterways.org.uk (Please note there is a 10MB limit for emails with attachments sent via this address). The copy date for the next newsletter will be 15th July 2018, for publication in August. Advertising Lichfield Lines is posted or emailed to about 300 addresses covering around 400 Branch members. It can also be read and downloaded by anyone from the Branch website pages. If you would like to publicise your waterway related business to our members, and others that read the newsletter online, we can offer advertising space at the following rates: Full Page - £20 per issue
Half Page - £10 per issue
Please contact the editor to discuss artwork and layout. By advertising you will help to sponsor IWA's charitable activities and reach potential customers who are all committed to the waterways. The IWA has a range of corporate members some of whom offer discounts to members. The discount details can be found on the IWA website at www.waterways.org.uk/support_us/corporates. Corporate members in our area are— Lichfield Cruising Club Stafford Boat Club Ltd Truman Enterprise Narrowboat Trust Ashby Canal Trust Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Canal Transport Services Ltd Waterways World Ltd Fingerpost pub Pelsall Clifford Arms Great Haywood
Longwood Boat Club Ashby Canal Association Tamworth Cruising Club Ash Tree Boat Club Countywide Cruisers (Brewood) Ltd Elite Furnishings Birmingham and Midland Marine Services River Canal Rescue Ltd Midland Chandlers Glascote Basin Boatyard (Norton Canes Boatbuilders)
Please mention the IWA when contacting any of these Corporate Members.
Lichfield Branch
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Your Committee Chairman and Acting Secretary Tel: 01889 583330 Email: phil.sharpe@waterways.org.uk
Philip Sharpe
Treasurer Tel: 01785 255101 Email: pete.gurney@waterways.org.uk
Pete Gurney
Planning & Website Tel: 01889 583330 Email: phil.sharpe@waterways.org.uk
Philip Sharpe
Newsletter Editor and Publicity Tel: 01785 255101 Email: pete.gurney@waterways.org.uk
Pete Gurney
Volunteer Coordinator Tel: 07581 794111 Email: margaret.beardsmore@waterways.org.uk
Margaret Beardsmore
Speakers Secretary Tel: 07947 337491 Email: pat.barton@waterways.org.uk
Pat Barton
Navigation Officer Tel: 07847 470112 Email: derek.beardsmore@waterways.org.uk
Derek Beardsmore
Membership Secretary Tel: 0121 308 0293 Email: John.stockland@waterways.org.uk
John Stockland
Committee Member Tel: 07808 846434 Email: neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk
Neil Barnett
Minutes Secretary
Position Vacant
Ex Officio: Region Chairman Branch Sales and External Talks (non-committee posts) Email: helen.whitehouse@waterways.org.uk
Helen Whitehouse
Walks Coordinator (non-committee post) Tel: 07866 201873 Email: clive.walker@waterways.org.uk
Clive Walker
Branch Contact Address Email: lichfield@waterways.org.uk
IWA Lichfield Branch 34 Old Eaton Road Rugeley, Staffs WS15 2EZ
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