IWA Round-up

Milton Keynes clean-up collects seven tonnes of rubbish

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June 15, 2026

THE IWA’s Milton Keynes branch held its annual Canal Clean-up across the 10-mile stretch through Milton Keynes from Fenny Stratford to Cosgrove on April 10/11. The usual mix of discarded items were found, including several supermarket trolleys, six tyres, four electric hire scooters, three bicycles, an outboard motor, a plastic barrel, a motor bike frame,…
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WATERWAY RESTORATION conference a success

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July 7, 2025

THE Annual Waterway Restoration Conference at the National Waterways Museum was jointly organised by IWA and Canal & River Trust. IWA’s Amy Tillson reports… A packed audience attended this event, held at the historic venue at Ellesmere Port on April 26. Special thanks go to the excellent speakers and compere who made the conference inspiring…
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IWA urges ‘joined-up’ thinking in water review

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Mark Lancaster

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June 11, 2025

THE IWA has submitted a response to the Call for Evidence issued by the Independent Water Commission. The commission was launched by the UK and Welsh Governments in October 2024 and is chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England. It is tasked with carrying out the largest review…
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HELP COMPILE a national picture of waterways heritage

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April 21, 2025

IWA’s Amy Tillson reports… IWA’s Heritage Advisory Panel aims to safeguard and publicise the extraordinary national heritage asset that our waterways network represents. To aid public and governmental awareness of this, the group is compiling a ‘risk list’ of significant waterways heritage items that are endangered for whatever reason – for instance neglect, dereliction, insensitive…
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IWA Canalway Cavalcade 2025

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Mark Lancaster

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March 27, 2025

IWA Canalway Cavalcade returns to London’s Little Venice on Saturday, May 3, for the full Early May Bank Holiday weekend. Each year the best of life on the waterways in London and its community is celebrated at IWA Canalway Cavalcade. There’s something for everyone at this vibrant canal festival in the heart of London’s waterways.…
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RETURNS: Historic Lighter

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August 5, 2024

THE beautiful Susan is the only surviving timber-built lighter from the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation. Susan was built in 1953 by R J Prior of Burnham on Crouch for Brown & Son timber merchants in Chelmsford to carry timber from Heybridge Basin to Chelmsford. Based on the design of the earlier horse-drawn lighters which from…
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Head to Ware Boat Festival

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Scootering Web Editor

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May 31, 2024

JOIN the IWA Lee and Stort branch at the beautiful and historic market town of Ware on the upper reaches of the River Lee for Ware Boat Festival from Friday, July 5 to Sunday, July 7. Friday evening is the riverside barbecue, Saturday afternoon is the themed boat parade and boat handling competition, Saturday evening…
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Restoration projects update

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Scootering Web Editor

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May 29, 2024

THE Annual Waterway Restoration Conference attracted more than 100 delegates this April. The event, jointly organised by the Inland Waterways Association and Canal & River Trust, was opened by Julie Sharman, chief operating officer at Canal & River Trust. The theme this year focused on inclusion, collaboration, training, skills and sustainable planning. Keynote speakers included Eoin Harris…
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Boost to Grand Western Canal visitor experience

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May 28, 2024

VISITORS to the Grand Western Canal Country Park can now benefit from a range of new facilities to help them make the most of a trip to this charming waterway in mid-Devon. The canal visitor centre now features two new video display screens, each playing a choice of several short film clips, including some spectacular…
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Schoolboys have a brush with history as they paint canalside infrastructure

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January 13, 2024

ON THE scorching-hot final day of the summer term 2023, 40 pupils from Berkhamsted Boys School in Hertfordshire set to work painting infrastructure along the Grand Union Canal, next to the school’s Castle Campus in the town, says IWA’s Amy Tillson. The day, organised through the Inland Waterways Association working in collaboration with the Canal…
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Chief executive resigns from IWA

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October 19, 2023

PROFESSOR Sarah Niblock has resigned her position as chief executive of the Inland Waterways Association. IWA is extremely fortunate to have the interim support of some highly experienced volunteers who, along with an enthusiastic trustee team, will cover the position in the short term. National chairman Les Etheridge said: “IWA would like to thank Sarah…
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Tackling one of IWA’s Silver Propeller challenges

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September 27, 2023

IT IS rare to have a passage enquiry more than 60 days ahead requesting a specific day and time – it has sometimes been less than 60 hours, writes IWA and River Foss Society member Peter Hopwood. However, on May 17 skipper Mike Wright confirmed his 57ft long, 6ft 10in wide narrowboat, Uz Boat, would…
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New guide to electric boats published

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September 26, 2023

IWA is pleased to announce the publication of its new guide An Introduction to Electric-Drive Narrowboats. It believes that it is vital for members of the inland waterways community to make their contribution to a more sustainable environment. IWA’s Sustainable Boating Group has been looking at how inland waterways leisure boating can become more sustainable…
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IWA Lichfield Branch offside vegetation clearance

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April 18, 2023

IWA Lichfield Branch has been busy this winter, cutting back the offside vegetation in its area. Starting at Willington, members worked their way along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Fradley Junction and had a little time left over to do some ‘spot’ trimming on the northern reaches of the Coventry Canal. The offside vegetation…
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