Legacy Leaders Training scheme report

training Legacy leaders

Legacy Leader Programme trainee leader Karen explains about the Programme, and reports from a training event at Rowington in January

Waterways Legacy Leaders Training Weekend 29-30 January Rowington, Warwickshire.

I can hear you ask yourselves: what’s the The Waterway Legacy Leader programme? Well, it commenced last January 2021 under the care of IWA / WRG head office’s Alex Melson - who quickly decided that we were too much trouble to handle, and so got a new job and left us! Luckily for us, Jenny Morris has taken us under her wing and is looking after us.

The aim of this training was to provide new trainee leaders with the tools and skills to enable us to become future leaders of Canal Camps. All of us underwent a stringent application process and it was decided that we had the correct attributes to offer WRG – although of course you will decide!

We have been provided with a varied amount of online training (Due to COVID-19) over the course of the year, which has included:

.Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) . Site Environment Awareness Training (SEATS) . First Aid . Mental Health Awareness Training . Mini workshops on Risk Assessments, Management and Ecology.

Some of us also applied for the WRG Skills grant and were lucky enough to be selected: I completed the Mental Health First Aid Course.

Over the last weekend of January, we came together for the Grand Finale which was conducted at Rowington Village Hall. We undertook Lateral Flow Tests to ensure we didn’t contaminate the work force, and on arrival we had sausage baps and proper coffee while introductions were completed. This training was conducted face-toface and was a breath of fresh air: it really was, as we were outside in gale force winds! The gazebo took off and had to be rescued by Jude page 8

Jenny Morris

Palmer (who was a lovely chef for the weekend) and her minions – Nigel, Jenny and probably someone I have forgotten (sorry). It was really nice to see people in the flesh and not online.

We completed a heritage bricklaying introduction, van, trailer and levelling training. Some of us even got a trip to Lichfield to donate the bricks we had used during the day to the Lichfield and Hatherton Canal Trust but, more important than all of that was the evening surprise where we got to meet our Mentors at the Tom o’ the Wood pub in Rowington.

We met our Mentors (or should I say Dementors?) - these are the lucky ones who will guide us over the next year; I’m not sure who is more worried, them or us? Nigel Lee has been selected to be my Dementor - how lucky is he?

We also got to meet some of the leaders, assistants and cooks from last year’s camps. On return from the pub, we congregated in the huge kitchen like all good parties do, socially distant of course, to enjoy Jude Palmer each other’s company but really it was to continue stuffing our faces with cheese, biscuits, and Port, although other beverages were available.

On the Sunday morning some of us stayed to observe the WRG Committee / Board Meeting in which we also contributed, even Ricey from his bed on the stage - maybe the other beverages had had an effect! I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you on behalf of everyone who has completed this training and for the support we continue to have in our new venture. For those of you that are already leaders, we are all very much looking forward to being a part of the team and hope to see you in May at the Leaders’ and Cooks’ Training weekend. Here’s to a successful year of camps, socialising and getting together with likeminded people who want to make a difference.

Jenny Morris Best wishes

Karen Cook page 9