Issue 16, Autumn/Winter 2022 WaterfrontTheCanal&RiverTrustMagazine 10th Anniversary Edition Celebrate all you’ve done to help canals as we mark our charity’s tenth forAmbassadorsyearwater Meet the 10 celebrities, bringing the joys of life by water to us all Lyrical flow Immerse yourself in the poetry of water, with canal laureate, Roy McFarlane
Created by the Canal & River Trust and Cherry Tiger Ltd. All content is owned by the Canal & River Trust and may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Contact: Darroch Reid, Canal & River Trust, National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 4FW. UK registered charity: 1146792. Printed at Seacourt Limited, a net-positive company powered by 100% renewable energy, using no water or chemicals and generating zero landfill.
To mark our charity’s 10th Anniversary, this edition of Waterfront reflects on the achievements and challenges of a decade. 10 years is but a tiny drop in over 200 years of canal history. And caring for over 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, towpaths, bridges, locks and historic canal buildings always comes first. But now we understand exactly why they are so important to protect. In the midst of an economic crisis, a pandemic and relentless change, canals and rivers offer us all rare places of peace, calm and comfort. They bring joy, pleasure and wellbeing free to around eight million people living nearby. We now welcome more boaters, walkers, paddlers and anglers than ever before and amazingly, five billion visitors have come to our canals since 2012. From being at the heart of the industrial revolution, we now see canals as places that can help drive the recovery of nature and wildlife. They can transform the landscape of our towns and cities, bringing health, activity and opportunity to local communities. Canals take us back into our nation’s history. And in the future we can use them to help cool our cities in the face of climate change. In just 10 short years our waters have become welcoming, more inclusive, cleaner, greener, safer and more popular than ever. This is just the start, and we can’t do it without the generosity of our supporters. We’re grateful for everything you do. From Friends, to volunteers and those kind enough to remember our charity in their Will, together we can help life get even better by water.
A22-23decade in numbers Celebrate all you’ve done to help us since 2012. From keeping canal history alive, to helping wildlife thrive and sharing the joys of time by water.
2
Reflections4-5 from our chair Allan Leighton, our outgoing chair, looks back over 10 years of achievement for our charity and gives a personal view on his hopes for the future.
Welcome10thAnniversaryIssue:
6-7 Weevil wildlife Not everything in nature is good for our canals. Invasive weeds clog up propellers and costs us millions each year. But now bio-blitzing weevils are helping fight back.
3
8-9 Talking gifts in Wills Join us for a day out with Friends at Anderton Boat Lift and Diglis Fish Pass as we learn how gifts in Wills protect our past and give canals a future. 10-11 A new future for Toddbrook Reservoir Restoration of Toddbrook Reservoir is now underway to return water to nearby canals and protect the people of Whaley Bridge against the risk of future floods. 12-13 Tunnel vision Read how the fortunes and follies of ‘canal mania’ made Standedge, the longest, highest, but also one of the most controversial tunnels on our network. 16-17 Trading places Go shopping with traders who have swapped high street shops for a pitch on the towpath. From vinyl records to foraged spirits, it’s all for sale by water. 18-19 Talking on the towpath Join us in DocklandsLondon’swheretall ships meet tall buildings and even taller tales from the people we meet on the dockside.
C o f f e 14-15 Ambassadors for water Meet our ten celebrities reaching out to millions of people to encourage them to enjoy everything canals have to offer. 20-21 Lyrical flow Meet our canal laureate, Roy McFarlane, and hear how our waterways have inspired his poetry as he shares a special poem celebrating our 10th Anniversary. 24 Benji, the Plastics Challenge pooch Say ‘good boy’ to the best friend of a fellow Friend and learn how he’s helping to clear our canals of litter and plastic.
“When I was just married, we used to take narrowboat holidays,” Allan tells us, reflecting on his earliest connections with canals. “I am still a keen kayaker and run a bit. In the nineties, at Asda in Leeds, I wanted to run along the towpath but found I couldn’t, so the Asda team got involved in helping tidy up the towpath. The interest was always there, but what surprised me when I came on board was the scale of the operation. One minute I’m looking at a £10 million engineering project. The next, I’m looking at the returns from our property and investment portfolio. The next thing is looking at what we are doing for boaters. Then it’s our wellbeing agenda and nature recovery. Then it’s thinking about our thousands of heritage assets. Of all the chair roles in Britain, it’s probably the one with the broadest spectrum.”
Reflections from our chair 4
While caring for canals is certainly a broad remit, Allan says he’s tried to bring a business-like focus and pace to the role: “I like to think I’m a good listener and can quickly get to what the real issues are. But my style is to be eyes-on but hands-off. So, all the real work has been done by the people in the Trust. We have two big drivers. Number one is to look after the waterways and our infrastructure. Boaters are front and centre, as they oil the machine and widen our appeal to people who want to walk, fish, cycle or run with Numberus. two, you have the wellbeing we deliver. We’re a natural health service and in lockdown more people went down to their local canal. Why? Because in that period, we became the nation’s back garden. We have the water, the nature, the towpaths. You can walk the dog, take fresh air, canals and rivers are free and available to everybody. Few other organisations can deliver that. One of the things we’re driven by is a sense of responsibility. We’ve been entrusted with one of this country’s greatest assets. Canals have been around for 250 years, and we are only ten years into our stewardship of them. We’re not here for ourselves. We’re here for the nation. Whether you’re a walker, a boater or just someone who values our waterways and supports our work, you’re one of our customers and we listen to you. Right now, we’re talking to the government about our future grant funding, but really it comes down to whether government sees our canals as a piece of industrial heritage, or as a major opportunity to level up and improve the nation’s wellbeing. The benefits we deliver more than justify ongoing Government funding but our
On achievements, Allan is unequivocal: “I always think that the numbers tell a factual measurable story. This year, our volunteers will give us their five millionth hour. That’s huge. We’re probably one of the biggest volunteering organisations in the country. You’ve got a million other people engaged in some way with the charity. In ten years, we’ve had five billion visits and invested £1.5 billion in our infrastructure. Then there’s the one million tonnes of silt we’ve removed from canals. Boat numbers have gone up by ten per cent, we’ve taught 800,000 children about water safety and introduced 30,000 people to fishing. These are phenomenal numbers and that’s why I think it’s been a successful decade. Do we always get our priorities right? No, not always. But someone once told me that if you are very, very good, you get it right about seventy per cent of the time. The important thing is to put things right if they go wrong and learn for the future.”
As well as running businesses as diverse as Royal Mail, Asda and Pizza Express, Allan Leighton has been chair of our charity since 2015. After seven years, he’s handing over the reins to another trustee. It’s the perfect time to hear his reflections on the role and look ahead to the next 10 years of making life better by water.
5
“Once canals were a slow way for industry. Now we want them to be a highway for wellbeing. So that they have a relevance for the future, not just a legacy to the past.”
Allan objectiveLeightonhasalways been to become more self-funding and we have moved steadily in that direction. To do that we have to offer a great experience. So that everybody who uses canals feels they are something they want to contribute to, be a part of and protect for the future, for their kids to enjoy.” As we end, we ask Allan what’s next for him personally. Won’t he miss spending time by the water? “I must say the seven years have gone like a shot. It’s been incredibly good fun. It’s fair to say that canals and rivers have been good for my mental wellbeing too. I hope to keep kayaking and have a toe in the water… I’ll just try not to tread on anyone else’s.”
JenningsJill©
As we work to bring back more biodiversity along our waterways, our environmental scientist Charles Hughes, is leading a battle to remove invasive, non-native weeds that are taking over our canals. Come with us as Charles, and ecologist Tom King, survey the Shropshire Union Canal for early signs of unwelcome invaders. Find out why this is a fight we all need to play our part in winning. Weevil6 wildlife Before After
“We’re trying all sorts of things,” Charles enthuses, “from damping down a towpath INNS called Himalayan Balsam with dredged sediment from the canal, to using clay compounds that absorb phosphorus and limit excessive plant growth. We’re also using online mapping tools to monitor weed hotspots, partly to pinpoint what might be causing these blooms in plant life. Are they being fed by run-off from nearby land? Is it more to do with 200 years of sediment and nutrients building up on the canal floor? What effect might more dredging have on reducing problems with INNS? At the moment we just don’t know for sure. But the data from this project is helping us to find out.”
Could you help remove INNS from our canals? Volunteer to help us manage weeds and canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer/opportunitieswildlife
7
Charles says his collaboration with Severn Trent Water, other environmental partners and consultants from the Netherlands has huge potential.: “We have to tackle invasive weeds like these to give our own native species the chance to thrive. It affects everyone who is responsible for the health of our canals and rivers and everyone who uses our waterways. I’d encourage any boaters, anglers or walkers on our canals to learn to recognise our top four species and use our ‘Clean, Check, Dry’ guidance to help stop their spread. Every small step can help make a big difference.”
That’s why, between now and 2025, Charles is delivering the largest ever INNS eradication project on UK inland waterways. Funded by £600,000 from Severn Trent Water, the project is targeting four invasive plants including water fern, giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed, across 250km of canals and rivers. Today, we’re on the look-out for the other main culprit, called floating “Pennywortpennywort.growsincredibly
“Few people realise that globally, invasive non-native species (INNS) are in the top three threats to our wildlife, alongside climate change and habitat loss,” explains Charles, as we begin our walk. “All around the world, aggressive, invasive species are outcompeting native species, reducing the richness of nature. It’s as big a problem on our canals and rivers as anywhere else.”
quickly, at up to 20cm a day,” says ecologist Tom. “It creates these huge rafts of weed which impedes navigation for boaters and chokes off life in the canals. It outcompetes with other plants for sunlight, reduces oxygen in the water for fish and sucks up all the other nutrients water life depends on. The key is to catch it early, before it blooms in late summer.” It’s not long before we find some. Every few metres there’s early signs of growth. “We definitely need to do something here,” concludes Charles. “I’ll call the contractors this afternoon.” The main way we manage pennywort is simply lifting it out of the water with floating mechanical diggers. Once large sections are cleared by specialist contractors, we also work with local volunteers and environmental partners to lift out smaller pennywort rafts by canoe. It’s a never-ending, year-round task. But removal is not the only weapon in Charles’ armoury. He says: “Floating pennywort arrived in the UK from the Americas. So now we’ve secured approval from the UK government to run trials with American weevils, which naturally eat away at the plant.” Similar weevils are already showing promising results against the water fern, another invasive species being targeted. Willingness to try innovations like these has now helped the project to win a prestigious award for its impact.
To thank our Friends for all their support over the last decade, we recently welcomed long-standing local supporters to two gatherings at Anderton Boat Lift and Diglis Fish Pass. A wonderful time was had by all at both events, as our speakers shared stories of their work on local waterways. It was also an opportunity to ask our Friends to consider how a gift in their Will could help shape the future of canals.
8
We were overwhelmed and delighted by your response; it was wonderful to meet our Friends in person and especially rewarding to give you a chance to meet each other. Clearly, we had brought together like-minded people with shared interests and a common cause. For many, the chance to ride the boat lift at Anderton or watch fish swim up-river to spawn at Diglis was a real treat. Particularly as our expert and hugely knowledgeable volunteer guides were on hand to share the fascinating history of the ‘Cathedral of the Canals’ and the biodiversity benefits of the fish pass in their own words. Our speakers also outlined how our Friends are helping protect canal heritage right across our North-West, and support exciting plans to bring nature back to the towpaths of the West Midlands in the coming years.
“Canals have always been part of my life as a young angler, and a canoeist, walker and cyclist in later years. I happily signed up as a Friend after visiting Anderton Boat Lift. After coming back again today I’ve decided to continue my support through a gift in my Will.”
Talking gifts in Wills
Arthur
Pam and Meryl
None of this work would be possible without the generosity of our Waterfrontsupporters.alsohad
Or visit: canalrivertrust.org.uk/giftsinwills 9
the chance to speak to many Friends who told us they were drawn to the event thanks to a life-long love of boating, towpath walking, cycling, angling or simply enjoying time spent outdoors in their local area.
A gift in your Will is an amazing way to recognise how much pleasure canals have brought to your life. Don and Sandra, for instance, had amazing tales to tell about their 12 years living on a narrowboat, moored on the river Seine in the heart of Paris. They told us: “We’ve had a wonderful life by water and it’s so nice to come back to a place like Anderton and celebrate how much canals mean to us. Today was better than we could have ever expected.”
We hope to put on more of these special days right around the country next year, so more of our Friends have a chance to get even closer to the amazing work our charity is doing to reimagine canals in the 21st century and pass the joys of life by water onto the next generation. If you’d like to express an interest in a future event, or to learn more about how a gift in your Will can shape the future of canals, our legacy officer, Emily, would be delighted to hear from you.
Please contact: emily.ding@canalrivertrust.org.uk
James “The Canal & River Trust have made the waterways so much more welcoming. If I had my time again I’d like to have worked for them!”
“This event today should be billed ‘Your membership at work’ as it reminded us of the great things our money is doing.”
Lindsay “I saw the Diglis Fish Pass being built as this is one of my favourite walks along the Severn. But coming in and seeing the fish going by was wonderful. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Alan “We had an excellent day discovering a bit of Worcester we didn’t even know was here.”
Over the next two years, the main stage of the restoration will be completed as a new replacement spillway is built. Essentially, a spillway does the same job as the overflow in your bath. If the reservoir fills too high, due to heavy rainfall or flooding, a spillway safely allows excess water to escape before it spills over the top.
10
You may recall that in July 2019, a series of severe rainstorms caused the collapse of several concrete panels on the reservoir’s auxiliary spillway. As a safety precaution around 1,500 residents of Whaley Bridge needed to be evacuated. Over a billion litres of water were pumped out of the reservoir to protect the town. It has stayed almost empty ever since as intermediate works provided additional protection to the crest of the auxiliary spillway.
The new spillway being built at Toddbrook will have a weir that’s over 70m wide and will carry water along a channel that’s over 200m long to a ‘stilling basin’ that will slow the water down before it meets the River Goyt below. Its design is in line with the latest requirements in
A new future for Toddbrook Reservoir
New walkways New
Artist’s impression
This summer, the largest-ever engineering works in our ten-year history begins, to permanently restore Toddbrook Reservoir at Whaley Bridge, in Derbyshire. The huge £15M project will ensure long-lasting protection for the reservoir and the community, whilst helping residents enjoy time by water in a newly landscaped park and play area. Crucially, once the reservoir is back in operation it will also supply one third of the water needed by the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals.
Water levels in the reservoir have been kept low until repairs are completed Restored dam Emergency repairs to the failed spillway in 2019 play park
Viewing turrets
11 reservoir safety and takes into consideration the future impacts of climate change, ensuring it can deal with exceptional rainfalls, like those seen back in 2019. As principal engineer Alistair Lobban says: “The new spillway is ready for the most extreme flooding events we can foresee; it could carry more than double the amount of water as could be expected in a 1 in 10,000 year Projectflood.”manager, Tom Greenwood, says the new spillway will fulfil all the necessary reservoir safety requirements, manage longerterm impacts to the local area and, where appropriate, incorporates improvements to the surrounding landscape: “Our design leading into Memorial Park is more open, helping people enjoy the water. It includes features such as stepping-stones, a new footbridge, viewing platforms, plus terracing so people can sit comfortably by the water. There will be a high quality children’s play-ground, new walking routes and a new home for the reservoir’s sailing club. We have worked very closely with our stakeholders to achieve these in the design. We have had to fell some trees in order to start construction, but many more will be planted on completion, so there will be a biodiversity net gain overall.”
Communitydoorstep.”groupsgather at the newly restored Transhipmrnt Warehouse Artist impression of the restored dam crest, new weir and spillway Spillway and stilling basin
Working with the local community has been vital, as Tom acknowledges: “It’s challenging working in such a constrained location, so engaging constructively with our neighbours has been key to finding the right solution. We appreciate what people went through in the 2019 incident and we’ve made every effort to be open, transparent and bring people with us.”
It’s a view confirmed by Neville Clarke, founder of the Whaley Bridge Canal Group at the nearby Transhipment Warehouse community centre: “My sense is that the town is pleased work is going ahead and is looking forward to the improvements it will bring. Most locals are positive, knowing the town will have a longlasting, safe and attractive reservoir on their
Marsden end of the Standedge Tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, taken in the 1950s
12 TunnelVision
Earlier this year, we celebrated the 21st anniversary of the reopening of Standedge Tunnel, the longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel in the country. But dig into its history and you’ll uncover a tale of lost fortunes and high folly, where the driving ambitions of ‘canal mania’ blinded its builders to the hard realities of burrowing beneath the Pennines.
21 years on, Standedge Tunnel is still open, with a fantastic visitors centre that’s well worth a day out. Just as it was back then, the tunnel today is still a challenge for only the most intrepid of boaters to take on. But despite all the difficulties, it lives on as an icon of canal history, and a testament to perseverance, determination and the indomitable human spirit.
Situated on the picturesque Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Standedge Tunnel now links Marsden in the Colne Valley with Diggle below Saddleworth Moor. It has long been considered one of the seven wonders of the waterways; perhaps in part because it’s a wonder it was ever built. At the tail-end of the 18th century, the textile factory owners of Huddersfield were looking for a cheap, reliable way to transport their goods to lucrative ports like Liverpool. A canal cutting directly beneath the Pennines through a just over three-mile tunnel at Standedge would be the jewel in the crown of the network, delivering a shorter and quicker route than competing canals like the Rochdale or Leeds & Liverpool, which were under construction at the time. Led by chief engineer, Benjamin Outram, work began on Standedge Tunnel in 1794, and was beset with problems from the very beginning. Due to its length and depth the tunnel couldn’t simply be dug from A to B. Instead, a series of shafts were dug straight down from the wet, bleak peaks of the Pennines. Then, step by step, each of these shafts would be connected as the tunnel was excavated from both ends. With only pickaxes, shovels and gunpowder to work with there were constant problems with water seeping into the works, multiple collapses and accidents in which perhaps hundreds of navvies are thought to have lost their lives. Exhausted by the arduous project and ill-health, Outram resigned in 1807 and Thomas Telford was brought in to advise on completion. It was diagnosed that the workings from each end of the tunnel might not meet in the middle. To this day, boat traffic still needs to be carefully chaperoned through the resulting series of tricky bends that had to be put in place. By the time the tunnel finally opened in 1811, a full 12 years behind schedule, the rival Rochdale Canal had been up and running for seven years. Far from an easy pathway through the Pennines, the tunnel was narrow and difficult to navigate. To save money, no towpath had been built into the scheme, so ‘leggers’ had to lie flat on their backs on horizontal planks and slowly walk the walls to propel boats from one end of the tunnel to the other. This slowed up traffic so much that rival canals still delivered a faster route to market. Ever since, the tunnel has become a symbol of the reckless ambition of the ‘canal mania’ that gripped the age. Ironically, one of the tunnel’s few successes was to ease the building of several parallel railway tunnels some 40 years later. Having a canal tunnel in place to carry away the waste made digging the new railway tunnels much quicker and easier. In time, the railways would only serve to hasten the canals’ demise. The end came in 1944 when the Huddersfield Canal was finally closed to traffic by an act of Parliament, seemingly forever. But our story doesn’t end there. Restoration efforts began in the 1980s and, eventually, thanks to the sterling work of the Huddersfield Canal Society, the local authority and British Waterways, the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and Standedge Tunnel were reopened to boats in 2001. The project cost £5m, and was paid for thanks to some great fundraising efforts, particularly millennium lottery funding.
13
Visit Standedge Tunnel to dig a little deeper canalrivertrust.org.uk/standedge-tunnel
Jo Moseley Presenter, columnist and actress, Nicola, is a liveaboard boater: “After enjoying boats go by my flat, I went on ebay one night. Next morning, I was the owner of a 60-foot boat! Living afloat is so good for your wellbeing; the water is so calming. In the next ten years, I hope our charity’s amazing work to care for canals continues, and that canals become even more accessible for everybody to enjoy.”
Stan Cullimore
The TV doctor believes there’s no better prescription for our wellbeing than time by water: “Many studies show that time by water reduces stress, anxiety and blood pressure. After the pandemic, I’ve seen a huge spike in people raising concerns over their mental health. It’s so important to look after our canals, particularly in towns and cities where they are needed most.”
14 toHere,canalpaddleboarders,tentocelebritysupportplasticprotectOverforAmbassadorswaterthelastdecade,we’vecampaignedhardtonaturealongourcanals;tofightbackagainstpollution;toprotectourcanalheritageandthenation’swellbeing.Alongthewayourfriendshavehelpedusspreadthewordmillions.Sonowwe’redelightedtowelcomewell-known,historians,boaters,naturalists,entrepreneurs,walkers,doctorsandloversasour10thAnniversaryAmbassadors.theykindlytellWaterfrontwhytheyareproudencourageeveryoneto#ActNowForCanals.
The former Housemartins’ guitarist is now a journalist sharing his towpath adventures online: “We recently moored up by a field full of lambs enjoying life. Opposite was a lush woodland carpeted with bluebells and wild garlic. It was like a glimpse of paradise. I am always grateful for the work done by the Trust and its volunteers. Without all their hard work, the joy of canal and river life wouldn’t be possible.”
The paddleboard adventurer and keen plastic litter-picker says: “My hope for the next ten years is that more people discover the fitness benefits of being on your local canal. It’s never too late; I’m 57 but if you just look around there are people running, walking and cycling, as well as canoers or paddleboarders who are older than me. The canal offers so much to so many people.”
Dr. Amir Khan
Nicola Thorp
Deborah Meaden Blogger, walker and dog lover, Paul, says. “I love spending time by canals and rivers because of the open air, water, nature and peacefulness. After half an hour walking down the canal my mind is clear. I remember 50 years ago the canals and rivers were basically going to ruin. Now our charity is making great improvements, both for those on the water and for people like me walking beside it.”
I want canals to be beautiful places where friends meet, families go for a walk and people find some peace.”
Paul Steele
The naturalist and TV presenter believes canals can help us all connect with nature: “I run along the Montgomery Canal twice a week. It helps recharge my battery and is home to some amazing wildlife. In the next ten years, I would like canals to help nature move into our cities. Half of us live in urban areas and we all should see kingfishers, orange-tip butterflies and plants like cuckooflowers.”
Saira Khan
“I grew up by canals and rivers, and as a naturalist, their wildlife brings me joy. Wherever water gathers or flows, life flourishes. My childhood is soaked in waterway memories from picking blackberries along the canal with my grandma to making bows and arrows out of willow with my dad. I want our charity to share the joys of canal and river wildlife with everyone, especially in towns and cities.”
15
Iolo Williams Above all, the actor and historian values the heritage of our canals, telling us: “They have been a real part of our history for the best part of 200 years. There was a time when it looked like they were all going to fade away and I found that really distressing, because if we had lost it, it would have been gone forever. Now, having saved this wonderful heritage, it’s beholden on all of us to keep it alive.”
The environmental entrepreneur is a keen supporter of our Plastics Challenge: “When I see a problem, I try to be part of the solution. When you see plastic by the canal it’s very satisfying to simply pick it up, clean up your local area and stop it reaching our oceans.
Lucy Lapwing
You can also read an anniversary message from our Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales canalrivertrust.org.uk/anniversary-message
Sir Tony Robinson TV presenter and former Apprentice, Saira Khan, offers a passionate plea for our planet: “It really shocks me that half a million pieces of plastic flow from our canals and rivers into the ocean. My plea to anyone is please pick up any plastic you see along your river or canal, because then you’re helping the environment. You’re helping our wildlife. Overall, you’re helping our planet.”
16
Wanting a more relaxed lifestyle after holidaying on narrowboats, Paul set up his artisan pizza oven afloat: “People love the novelty factor, the spectacle, and lots of fellow boaters, locals and festival visitors are my customers. Sometimes it can be challenging getting stock to the boat, but you find a way. Surprisingly, lockdown was my busiest summer so far. Because pubs and restaurants were shut and walks were encouraged, my towpath pizzas were really popular.”
gangplank.shop Sam makes and sells her own spirits, preserves and cakes from her narrowboat, using foraged fruit from the towpath and fruit swaps with allotment holders: “This year, I’ll be on the Trent & Mersey, Llangollen and Leeds & Liverpool canals. I like to get off the beaten track and I only trade at weekends because I need time to make my products, which is challenging in a small space! It’s hard work with a modest income, but I do have a very beautiful office.”
Trading places
From pizza bakers to baristas, gin distillers to vinyl crate-diggers, more traders than ever are swapping the high street for the towpath. Here’s just some of our top of the shops; all now trading thanks to the support of our business boating team and our friends at the Roving Canal Traders Association (RCTA).
bakedonboard.com
17
Stephen sells eight types of coffee from his houseboat, each one named after an English canal: “Whatever the weather, I set up my stall, and even if I don’t sell anything I often get follow up sales online from people walking the towpath. This isn’t my main income, but equally it isn’t just a hobby, so if you have an idea for a floating business, contact the RCTA and get going!”
therecorddeckuk
theholmoak.co.uk Onboard ‘The Holm Oak’, Sylvie and Ben make soaps, shampoo bars, eco-friendly detergents and organic clothing: “Living on the canal promotes an eco-friendly lifestyle because all the products we put into the water need to be bio-degradable. So we thought ‘why not sell them to other canal users?”
Fancy starting your own business afloat? Find out more canalrivertrust.org.uk/business-boating
narrowboatcoffee.co.uk
“The biggest challenge is the British weather”, says Luke on selling his vinyl afloat. “But interesting locations are great, so I’ll be at festivals and markets in Oxford, Banbury and Cropredy where record collectors can have a rummage onboard for missing gems from their collections.”
theboatpod.com Sophie records music, broadcasts and podcasts from what was once her father’s narrowboat: “I had a vision for the boat to be a creative space for the community and beyond, and now it’s a reality,” says Sophie of her floating studio in Little Venice. “You can watch people mixing records with the trees, water and the sound of ducks going past and it’s really dreamy. I count my blessings every day.”
the Isle of Dogs, in London, are far from our usual venue for talking on the towpath. But we were delighted to swap narrowboats for tall ships as we met harbourmasters, city workers, walking guides, liveaboard boaters and new arrivals to our waterways. Come with us as we get to know a rich and varied community by water.
towpathonTalkingtheThedocklandsofCanaryWharfand
18
19
Francina
We met harbourmaster, Ian and his deputy, Dean as they docked a tall ship from the navy of Oman. After coming ashore they told us: “No two days are the same. We host warships, luxury superyachts, tugs and workboats here. As the Thames is tidal, you need maritime experience that you won’t find on canals. We also look after boaters in our marinas, anglers, the local sailing club, canoeists and paddleboarders. There’s always something different to deal with.” Ian and Dean City worker, Angela, lives in an apartment overlooking the lift bridge that allows ships to pass between the docks and the Thames. “It’s a wonderful place to see all the comings and goings.” she says. “I only have a ten-minute walk to work at JP Morgan. Then in the evening, it’s a great place to wind-down with a drink or meet friends. Quite often they have water sports activities in the dock. But I prefer to watch, as I can’t swim!”
Angela This married couple have just trained as walking guides for our charity, helping visitors explore the history of the docklands. “We’ve lived here ten years,” says Steven, “but only got to know more people on walks during lockdown. We started to feed and care for the wildlife like the moorhens, ducks and geese, and that brought us more in touch with the Canal & River Trust. We volunteered so we could share our love of walking and wildlife with more visitors.”
The affable former accountant kindly invited us aboard his pride and joy ‘Cornelia’, a houseboat moored in Blackwall Basin. “We used to live in a big Victorian place, but bought this after the kids left home. It’s not your typical place to live, but we’ve never been typical. We’d never owned boats before. You make mistakes, but then you learn and get on with it. The community here is great, everyone gets on and has these different but interesting backgrounds.”
Peter Walking south towards the Isle of Dogs, the accents and atmosphere change, as corporate towers give way to a proper East-End neighbourhood of flats and high streets. We met Francina taking ten minutes by the water: “It’s a great place to come for calm and tranquillity. A good place to be alone. There’s an amazing park by the water where you can watch sailing boats go by. I’ve not lived here long, but I love it.”
Spencer Sustainability consultant, Peter, hot-desks in Canary Wharf: “I advise corporates on being more environmentally-conscious and working here gives me amazing stories. I live close to Stinkhouse Bridge in Limehouse; so-called because leather tanneries, fertiliser, dog food and soap factories used to congregate there because the easterly prevailing winds would carry the dirt and smells down the Thames and away from the city. Yet look at how much cleaner and greener the waters are now.”
Winnie and Steve
‘These are our Waters’ deals with themes close to Roy’s heart. After all, he spent his childhood using the Black Country’s towpaths as a playground and once had a career in youth work and community development: ”When we were young, we would use canals as shortcuts and meeting points. Canals were a space that as young people we owned, even though we didn’t understand them. They were our freedom, our place to grow; the making of our youth. I wanted the poem to capture that.”
Lyrical flow
20
These are our waters that will carry our sorrows. The bush and hanging trees catching our waiting dreams and waters will take our misery and herons will show you the joy of standing still, until the sun goes down. “With nature, we should all be a part of it,” says Roy with passion. “Nobody should be excluded from it. It’s the rising of the sun that I want for everyone. It’s the walking with herons that I want for everyone. We’re all equal in nature. And humanity needs to know that.”
What better way to celebrate ten years than to capture canals and rivers in poetry? Canal laureate, Roy McFarlane, has done just that in ‘These are our Waters’, an epic ode to the heritage and healing powers of our waterways for everyone in our community. Waterfront went to meet Roy as he performed the poem to camera, along his local towpath in Birmingham.
During the pandemic, Roy spent a lot of time rediscovering the canals of his youth.: “These corridors of blue and green space were really key to me surviving lockdown,” he continues. “Family members were lost to Covid. Then there was the killing of George Floyd which had a profound effect on me as a black writer. I found real solace and inspiration in looking at canal nature through my poetry.”
From behind the scenes, we watch as in a deep deliberate baritone, Roy caresses every cadence of his opening stanza: These are our waters. The boater, navigating veins that have pumped through this network for a quarter of a millennium, veins that fed an industrial revolution the beating heart of a colonial empire… As Roy explains, it’s just the first of ten verses he’s performing today: “How do you sum up the whole story of canals in just one poem? I’d always been intrigued by how these waters fed into the industrial revolution and, good or bad, the links to colonialism and empire. And I liked the idea of the empire’s children coming back to the places that made them. I wanted to bring it full circle. Looking at communities, young people and women who are now reclaiming these waters as their own.”
As well as his 10th Anniversary poem, Roy is writing a whole series of works around water during his year-long stint as canal laureate, including four poems to mark each solstice. He says: “I always try to wake up for sunrise and see the sun come down on the longest day. From a pagan perspective, I love these junctions in time. And waterways mirror those seasons, capturing them in time.”
See Roy perform ‘These are our Waters’ Has Roy learned a great deal by writing for these poems, Waterfront wonders? “I’ve come to understand how profound canals were to what Birmingham has become,” Roy explains. “Transporting raw materials into the city and finished goods out. Connecting the trade of the north of the south. And how we reclaimed our canals for leisure and tourism. Here we are now in Brindley Place. Somewhere I’ve walked through all my life and only now do I learn who Brindley was; a major figure in the building of canals! I love how his canals still run through places like Ladywood, Winson Green and Smethwick. And how today communities are working hard so that people of all ages and backgrounds can uncover these stories and embrace their heritage.”
Lock keepers and heron watchers volunteers and community gardeners paddlers and wild water swimmers knit and natter to make it better this is the Super Slow Way these are our waters. As we pack up the cameras, Roy reflects on the importance of waterways as a space for art: “Yeah, let’s celebrate that. If you are drawing, painting or writing poetry, you are capturing the beauty around you. If we want to preserve these waters and pass on their heritage to the next generation, then we need to capture them through art. And the canals will be loved. And people will come back to them. And people will know about them. And the next generation will take on the baton.”
canalrivertrust.org.uk/poem
21
A
Keeping 200 years of history alive and working £1.5 billion invested in core charitable activities Upwards of 1,500 individual, handmade lock gate leaves made and replaced to help keep our network open and navigable Thanks to your invaluable help and support, we’ve delivered some remarkable achievements in the last decade. Our aim has always been to make life better by water, and by transforming places along our canals and rivers, we’ve tried to change lives; helping everyone discover the peace, calm and sheer pleasure that’s found by water.
miles500 of towpath upgraded for safer, easier access for all to enjoy projects to repair, renovate and safeguard our network Around
22
11,225
Celebrating 10 years of the Canal & River Trust Under our stewardship, our canals and rivers are enjoying a second golden age, with more boats on the network than ever before, and more people enjoying the many health and wellbeing benefits of being by water. We’re doing all we can to protect the past by caring for our industrial heritage. Looking to the future, we’re working to help nature recover along our canals by building biodiversity along their banks. And helping mitigate climate change by providing clean energy, plentiful water and sustainable travel. Everyone has played their part, from Friends like you, to our amazing volunteers and all those who work for us and support us. With your continued support, there’s so much more we can accomplish in years to come. decade in numbers
C o f f e e ∙ F o o d ∙ C a k e s 23 Helping nature recover along the UK’s longest blue and green space Making life better by water for everyone 565 miles of our waterways have been awarded Green Flag status 5 hoursmillion have been given by our volunteersamazing More than 10% increase in boaters in ten years. Our beenhavewaterwaysneverbusier. Over completed600projects to support wildlife and improve the environment Canals and rivers give 8.8 million people access to the outdoor space and nature on their doorstep especially in urban areas 5 homesmillion Supplied with clean water every year Overchildren800,000 taught about our safetyandenvironmentheritage,water
Sadly, plastic pollution remains a big problem on our waterways. To try to stop 500,000 pieces reaching our oceans each year, our charity has to spend £1m annually on cleaning it up. Yet if every visitor to our canals picked up just one piece of plastic rubbish, we could solve the problem in a year. In the meantime, Benji is doing his best to protect wildlife and keep towpaths and riverbanks clean, safe and beautiful. Put your pooch on patrol and we could tackle the problem even faster. We’d love to hear your story of how you’re helping to protect and care for your local canal. Get in touch at:
Benji, the Plastic Challenge pooch Friend of the Trust, and best friend to an eco-warrior springer spaniel, John Standerline shares Benji’s special talent for cleaning up plastic on our canals. After adopting Benji from the Dog’s Trust, John discovered his new dog loved to fetch and carry plastic litter in exchange for a treat. Benji put his new-found skills to good use as they walked the nearby Llangollen and Shropshire Union canals during lockdown. “If there’s a bottle, bag or wrapper, he’ll bring it back, expect a treat and do it again,” John says. Benji has brought back all sorts from the canal bank; beer cans, discarded food containers, even a pickled onion jar. John, for his part, simply bags the litter and recycles it later. “Benji is bright,” John continues, “he would have made a good detector dog. But picking up plastic is something anyone could try to train their dog to do. It’s got to the stage that we need a new canal walk, because there’s not much left on Benji’s patch.”
canalrivertrust.org.uk/plasticschallengesupportercare@canalrivertrust.co.uk
Small act. Big difference See how you can safely help pick-up litter on our canals
