SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has donated £1500 to the Shropshire Union Canal Society for its work on the Ellesmere Canal.
The society topped the poll in the Ellesmere Tesco Stronger Starts Scheme for its Enhancing Ellesmere’s Canal project.
The money will be used to buy tools and other equipment for the work, and to train three volunteers to achieve The Royal Yachting Association Helmsman certificate, the latter being done with the help of the Lyneal Trust, another Ellesmere-based charity.
David Carter, who organises the project, said: “Over the year, the group has planted nearly 400 trees, cleared towpaths, cared for canalside furniture and cleared offside channel vegetation using a loaned Canal & River Trust workboat steered by our newly trained volunteers.
“Appropriately, the Tesco Ellesmere store is located by the end of the Ellesmere Arm of the canal and to mark the end of the year-long support we were joined on the towpath by store manager Ella Hammond and team leader Chris Harris.”
Ms Hammond said: “The work has made such a difference to the whole area. It now looks very loved – so thanks to all the volunteers for their hard work over the past year.”
The group’s work will continue in future with towpath surface improvement work planned for the summer months so if you want to help, go to www.shropshireunion.org.uk
