Canal & River Trust

Campaign Cruise on ‘The Danny’ Celebrates IWA’s 80th Anniversary and Champions The River Weaver

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Mark Lancaster

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June 18, 2026

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) marked its 80th anniversary of campaigning for Britain’s waterways with a special cruise aboard the historic SS Daniel Adamson affectionately known as “The Danny”, on Friday 12 June. The event celebrated eight decades of IWA’s work to protect, restore and promote the nation’s inland waterways, while also shining a spotlight on…
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Milton Keynes clean-up collects seven tonnes of rubbish

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Web Editor

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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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The canal campaigners who refused to let the Monty run dry

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Mark Lancaster

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June 12, 2026

Sixty years after a last-ditch meeting in a Newport hotel, the Shropshire Union Canal Society is still fighting for the waterways of the historic Shropshire Union network – turning threatened closures into volunteer-powered restorations and keeping up the pressure to bridge the final ‘Shropshire Gap.’ THE Shropshire Union Canal Society (SUCS) began life on Wednesday,…
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Shropshire Union Canal Society – June 2026 work party report

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Web Editor

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June 11, 2026

A very busy work party. 5 days, record volunteer numbers (again), multiple different activities. Apologies if this report is a little longer than normal. “June was the second successive work party with two days of preparation before the main work party started on Friday. And once again, two full days of profiling the channel was…
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One man and his dog – and a 250-mile towpath challenge

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Web Editor

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June 8, 2026

FOR more than 30 years, Britain’s canals have been a place of refuge, connection and joy for Mark Willis. But when the Whitchurch breach devastated the Llangollen Canal, closing a vital waterway and then demanding an immense, costly rebuild, it exposed just how fragile some blue spaces have become – and how heavily they now…
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How engineers kept waterways alive through stormy winter

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Web Editor

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May 11, 2026

THE Canal & River Trust has put the finishing touches to its substantial winter programme of repairs aimed at safeguarding the nation’s historic waterways. The multi-million-pound maintenance operation, carried out between November and March to avoid the peak boating season, this year centred on replacing more than 100 worn-out lock gates, each nearing the end…
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£1.3m canal repairs see hand-built lock gates installed on Grand Union Canal in Leicestershire

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Web Editor

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April 2, 2026

Major Canal & River Trust works are under way in Leicestershire to replace ageing lock gates and protect historic waterways from climate pressures. Leicestershire’s waterways are undergoing major maintenance and preservation work to keep them navigable as part of a £1.3 million repairs and restoration programme. The Canal & River Trust is replacing lock gates…
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Residents invited to drop-in sessions about Brewood Bridge repair plans

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Web Editor

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March 13, 2026

Waterways charity, the Canal & River Trust, is inviting residents, businesses and boaters to attend two drop-in sessions to learn more about plans to repair Brewood Bridge and the proposed timeline for the works. These informal sessions will give local people the opportunity to speak directly with the project team, ask questions, and find out…
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Trust salutes volunteers in North West for their exceptional contributions

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Web Editor

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February 21, 2026

The waterways – and canal volunteering – are for everyone. The Canal & River Trust celebrated this by honouring its volunteers in its annual awards scheme, supported by The Marsh Charitable Trust. In an ongoing series, we are featuring all the winners. THIS month we continue to shine the spotlight on the work of trust…
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£220k project to restore historic water-saving canal engineering at Hanwell

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Web Editor

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February 20, 2026

Work underway on a Historic England-funded project to restore 200-year-old side ponds at the Hanwell Flight of Locks in West London. The initiative follows a year of navigation closures caused by drought and climate change and focuses on locks 94 and 95. The scheme is supported by Historic England, the Inland Waterways Association and the…
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Go behind the scenes of lock restoration at Chesterfield Canal open day

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Web Editor

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February 16, 2026

The Canal & River Trust is giving members of the public the opportunity to get an up-close view of newly installed lock gates at Stret Lock in Worksop to highlight what it takes to look after the nation’s centuries-old canal network. The trust has replaced two sets of lock gates on the narrow beam lock…
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Community mural brings a splash of colour to Doncaster Lock

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Web Editor

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February 14, 2026

Volunteers have completed a vibrant mural at Doncaster Lock to celebrate the city’s heritage and encourage more boaters to experience this part of the waterway network. Creation of the mural CREATED by local artist Kate Rhodes, with assistance from volunteer lock keeper and ex-boater Jan Miller, the mural – measuring more than 10 metres long…
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From industrial lifeline to revival

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Web Editor

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February 13, 2026

Early industrial achievement THE Stroudwater Canal, completed in 1779, stands as one of Gloucestershire’s earliest and most significant industrial achievements. Designed to connect the River Severn at Framilode with the market town of Stroud, it was conceived and financed by local merchants and mill owners seeking a reliable route for transporting coal, stone, and timber…
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Toddbrook Reservoir restoration reaches major milestone as new spillway completed

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Web Editor

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February 9, 2026

A major phase of the Toddbrook Reservoir restoration project near Whaley Bridge has been completed with the construction of a new dam overflow spillway. Work is continuing to reconnect the structure to the River Goyt, refill the reservoir, and return surrounding land to community use. New dam spillway structure completed A major phase of a…
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