Features

CANOE RIVER CLEANER Jim Elliot

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December 7, 2024

Lucy Wood reports… An environmental campaigner is on a one-man crusade to make his local waterways cleaner – and educate people in the process. NATURE lover James (Jim) Elliott regularly takes to his local waterways in a canoe to clear litter and fly-tipping, conduct wildlife surveys and more, all the while promoting the well-being benefits…
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LIVING AND WORKING: Floating home & workspace

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October 22, 2024

Couple’s floating home is their workplace. Sally Clifford reports. IT WAS a chance find; the forlorn-looking narrowboat was lying against a hedge when Colin Wood spotted it. He’d previously made a career out of buying, restoring and selling cabin cruisers and could see beyond the boat’s then sorry state. Colin knew it had potential and…
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CRISIS! Cruisers urged to adopt as pet charities struggle

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October 19, 2024

Two of the UK’s largest pet rescue organisations have called for boaters to give desperately needed homes to dogs in their care. Tim Greenfield reports… THE RSPCA and Dogs Trust – who have hundreds of pets needing new homes – both say they are keen to see more waterways users adopting canines. They say it…
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CHARACTERS OF THE CUT: Ken Norman, Flock Comedy

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October 18, 2024

Alice Elgie reports… IT WAS a school narrowboat trip back in 1977 that first piqued cartoonist Ken Norman’s interest in living aboard. He was then aged just 15, and along with his now wife, Kate, it turned out to be just the beginning of their adventures together on the water. Fast-forward 44 years, and taking…
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LEEDS & LIVERPOOL CANAL: History in Felt!

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September 21, 2024

The history of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal is the focus of West Yorkshire felt artist Janine Jacques’ latest exhibition. Sally Clifford finds out more. BUILT 200 years ago, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal was one of the most important waterway trade routes through the region. Coal and textiles were among the important cargo carried…
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CHARACTERS OF THE CUT: A narrowboat family

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September 11, 2024

Alice Elgie reports… WHEN Dawn Rooney and Ben Pearson’s first child, Willow, was born, the family were living happily in Cornwall with dreams of eventually owning their own smallholding. However, with the steep increase in rural house prices and the arrival of their second child, Harley, the desire to be closer to extended family strengthened.…
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CANAL ANCESTRY: Friends of the canal families

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August 9, 2024

Nicola Lisle continues her family history series with a look at the canal boatmen’s missions, chapels and institutes, which offered much-needed support to the floating population BY THE 19th century canal boatmen and their families were well-established fixtures on the watery highways of Britain, many working long hours to keep essential goods moving around the…
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CHARACTERS OF THE CUT: Stuart Fenwick

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August 3, 2024

Alice Elgie caught up with Stuart aboard The Briarose… AFTER sofa surfing for a number of years, florist and fiddle player Stuart Fenwick was finally introduced to the idea of a narrowboat named The Briarose by a work colleague. A 42ft semi-trad built in 1984 as a holiday boat, for the past seven years she…
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River Canal Rescue releases engine alignment training ‘how to’ video

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Scootering Web Editor

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July 26, 2024

RCR ‘how to…’ videos River Canal Rescue has released its second ‘how to…’ video on YouTube, giving engine alignment training. Fronted by RCR standards and ethics executive, Kerry Horton, he explains how to see if an engine is out of alignment, where adjustments can be made, the difference between radial and angular alignment and how…
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CHARACTERS OF THE CUT: Paul & Anthony Smith-Storey

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July 24, 2024

Alice Elgie caught up with Paul & Anthony… AFTER 13 years of hiring a small day boat from Ellerbeck Narrowboats in Chorley, and multiple walks along the towpath with their dog Dexter, it was a chance meeting that finally propelled Paul and Anthony Smith-Storey towards living aboard. Paul explained: “We bumped into a lady who…
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Assist Insurance Services Ltd win prestigious insurance award

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July 17, 2024

ASSIST Insurance Services Ltd were announced as the winner of the 2024 Customer Experience Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the insurance industry, on July 3, at the Royal Albert Hall. A few months ago, they were informed that they had been shortlisted for three prestigious British Insurance Awards, marking a significant accomplishment.…
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RCR posts ‘how to…’ videos

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June 16, 2024

With longer and lighter days prompting more boaters to cruise the inland waterways, River Canal Rescue is posting ‘how to’ videos on YouTube, sharing practical tips on how to keep engines and components running smoothly. The first video covers stern glands, discussing adjustment and packing replacement (the latter when no alignment is needed). Fronted…
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Volunteers’ Week spotlight on Wilts & Berks Canal

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June 10, 2024

A WILTSHIRE volunteer is supporting a national campaign that encourages people to get more involved in their communities. Howard Wilson, from Semington, is a member of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust which aims to restore the former waterway through the local countryside. He joined the Melksham, Chippenham & Calne branch of the charity seven years ago…
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Three-month recovery high and YouTube rescue videos

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June 6, 2024

Unprecedented rainfall levels, water surges and numerous flood warnings resulted in River Canal Rescue (RCR) responding to more major incidents in the first three months of this year, than it did for the whole of 2023. Between January and March, its teams responded to 155 major incidents (emergency situations either involving submerged, partially sunken or…
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