Inland Waterways Association

  • National Trailboat Festival to return after five-year break

    National Trailboat Festival to return after five-year break

    by

    –

    THE Inland Waterways Association has announced that next year’s IWA National Trailboat Festival is to be held at Moira on the Ashby Canal. It will be hosted and organised by the Ashby Canal Trust over the weekend of May 18-19, and will be hosted and organised by Ashby Canal Trust.  The event is the largest…

    Continue reading »

  • IWA and Towpath Talk Launch the ‘IWA/Towpath Talk Sustainable Boating Award’

    IWA and Towpath Talk Launch the ‘IWA/Towpath Talk Sustainable Boating Award’

    by

    –

    Have a read of this IWA announcement, below! IWA is pleased to announce the launch of an IWA/Towpath Talk Sustainable Boating Award, which will recognise the individuals, organisations, or businesses making the most valuable contribution to sustainable boating during the previous calendar year. There will be two categories, one for individuals or groups representing charitable or…

    Continue reading »

  • IWA welcomes HS2 cancellation

    IWA welcomes HS2 cancellation

    by

    –

    THE Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has welcomed the cancellation of HS2 Phase 2 as announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Cancellation of HS2 Phases 2a, 2b and HS2 East will avoid major noise impacts on waterway users at numerous locations and remove the blight on several canal restoration projects. Phase 2a (Fradley to Crewe) was…

    Continue reading »

  • Chief executive resigns from IWA

    Chief executive resigns from IWA

    by

    –

    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…

    Continue reading »

  • IWA branch to join key River Dee committee

    IWA branch to join key River Dee committee

    by

    –

    THE Inland Waterways Association (IWA), Chester & Merseyside Branch, has been invited to take a seat on the Dee Estuary Consultative Committee by the Environment Agency for Wales. The agency manages the basic navigation structures such as moorings, navigational aids etc in the area covered by law for the estuary. This area is basically from…

    Continue reading »

  • Organise a National Trailboat Festival

    Organise a National Trailboat Festival

    by

    –

    FESTIVALS are very useful for drawing attention locally and nationally to the restoration or improvement project your team is working on. A greater awareness of your need for more support is generated as a result of that attention. Festivals are encouraged and promoted by the IWA to highlight your restoration project. You will draw local…

    Continue reading »

  • IWA publishes new guide to Denver crossing

    IWA publishes new guide to Denver crossing

    by

    –

    LIKE most rivers, the River Great Ouse flows into the sea. The main boundary between the non-tidal river and estuary is at Denver Sluice. The Middle Level is a series of drainage channels. To get from the non-tidal waters of the River Great Ouse to the Middle Level requires a short estuary crossing between Denver…

    Continue reading »

  • North West Canal Restorers Free Exhibition on Steamship “Danny”

    North West Canal Restorers Free Exhibition on Steamship “Danny”

    by

    –

    The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) are delighted to be holding its second “Waterways Restoration Showcase” on board the steamship “Danny” at Sutton Weaver on the River Weaver on Saturday and Sunday, 29th and 30th July. The event, which has free entry, will have exhibition stands from 12 of the leading waterway restoration society from the…

    Continue reading »

  • The Inland Waterways Association Appoints Professor Sarah Niblock as CEO

    The Inland Waterways Association Appoints Professor Sarah Niblock as CEO

    by

    –

    The Inland Waterways Association (IWA), the only independent, national charity campaigning for Britain’s canals and rivers, has appointed Professor Sarah Niblock as CEO. Sarah will have primary responsibility for the organisation’s long-term strategy as she takes up her role this month. Raised on Merseyside, Sarah is an experienced narrowboater and a qualified helmsman. She has…

    Continue reading »

  • Volunteers clear Firepool Lock gates ready for River Tone visitors

    Volunteers clear Firepool Lock gates ready for River Tone visitors

    by

    –

    BRIDGWATER and Taunton volunteers recently worked at Firepool Lock to help get the gates to open correctly as there was a problem getting them to open to sufficient width to get a boat through. They will need to return in the coming weeks to reopen the channel through from the canal to the River Tone.…

    Continue reading »

  • IWA Lichfield Branch offside vegetation clearance

    IWA Lichfield Branch offside vegetation clearance

    by

    –

    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…

    Continue reading »

  • Preston tram bridge to be replaced using levelling-up funding

    Preston tram bridge to be replaced using levelling-up funding

    by

    –

    A HISTORIC bridge in Lancashire will be replaced after a successful campaign to secure money from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund. Community pressure group Friends of Tram Bridge campaigned for replacing the bridge and persuaded Preston City Council to include the project in its levelling-up funding bid last year. IWA member Nigel Hardacre, from the…

    Continue reading »

  • Waterways vital to Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan

    Waterways vital to Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan

    by

    –

    BOTH the Canal & River Trust and Inland Waterways Association have welcomed the Government’s recent announcement about its Environmental Improvement Plan 2023. The waterways network has been described as ‘ready-made to provide a vital role’ in meeting the target of having everyone living within 15 minutes’ walk of a blue or green space. Both organisations…

    Continue reading »

  • Protect our waterways!

    Protect our waterways!

    by

    –

    The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is today launching a major campaign to Protect Our Waterways. Here’s their message: IWA is deeply concerned about the threat to our waterways posed by funding cuts, with for example Canal & River Trust and Scottish Canals financial situations being especially critical. Despite being recognised in the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan, the condition of…

    Continue reading »