Navigation Summer 2010

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The Cube looms over the Birmingham & Worcester Canal

I ssue2 0 1 0 / 2

Summer20 10

To all Navigation Readers

Cover pictureThe Cube, next to the Mailbox in Birmingham centre, towers 22 storeysover the Birmingham & Worcester Canal, and construction continuesdespite the company building it going into administration.The story of developments near to canals in Birmingham starts on page 6.

Every time you call or visit any of our advertisers,please tell them you saw their advert in ‘Navigation’.

B.C.N. C lean-upWe e ke n d

More than 20 shoppingtrolleys were removed fromthe BCN in a singlelocation in one weekend.The supermarket refusesto take them back.More pictures and storiesinside this issue.

Picture by Tim Lewis

IWA Registered Office : Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA. Tel 01494 783453Printed by Media Print Group, Park Lane House, Park Lane, Oldbury B69 4JX

The IWA may not agree with opinions expressedin this magazine but encourages publication asa matter of interest.Nothing printed may be construed as policy, oras an official pronouncement, unlessspecifically identified as such.

The IWA is a national organisation and campaigns for theconservation, use, maintenance, restoration and

development of the Inland Waterways.

The Association accepts no liability for anymatter published in this magazine, includingadverts. No reproduction is permitted withoutacknowledgement.Unless otherwise acknowledged, mostphotographs were taken by the Editor.

‘Navigation’ has been in continuous publication,in various formats, for over 50 years.

We aim to bring readers a variety of items of local interest,news of forthcoming events and provide a contact with IWA.

Primarily for the benefit of our members, Navigation is also distributed in alimited way for non-members to pick up and gain an insight into the news

in the Region and the aims and activities of the Association.

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is a registered charity No. 212342.

The IWA West Midlands Region

One of just eight Regions, thisregion covers the geographic ‘Heartof England’. Centred aroundBirmingham, it stretches to includeStoke on Trent in the north, toWarwick and Worcester in thesouth.This is where the great network of18th century canals, from Londonin the south east, Bristol in thesouth west, Merseyside in the northwest and Humberside in the northeast; all come together. This Regionis proud to be the Hub of thesystem.

IWA Website

Navigation magazine is available inPDF format on the IWA website :www.waterways.org.ukHardcopy of Navigat ion ismonochrome for economicreasons. Wherever possible, onthe in ternet , p ic tures andgraphics are full colour and otherenhancements, such as live linksto website locations and e-mailaddresses, are active.So even if you have a papercopy, it is still worth having alook on-line if you have accessto the internet.

is the quarterlypublication of the

West Midlands Regionof The Inland Waterways Association.

4.� Navigation �

� Contents �

Page 8-9 Region Chairman’s ReportPage 17-18 Lichfield Chairman’s ReportPage 19 Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire Chairman’s ReportPage 20 Warwickshire Chairman’s Report

More than 500 miles of canals and navigable rivers have been re-opened to publicuse since the Association was founded in 1946. Currently another 500 miles of derelictinland waterways including many locks, bridges and aqueducts are the subject ofrestoration schemes.

Chairmen�s Reports

Regular Features

News Stories, Gossip and Articles

Page 5 Editor’s ExcusesPage 14-16 Future Social EventsPage 25 New MembersPage 26 Committee Contacts and details for submissions / deadlines.

Page 5 BCN CleanupPage 6-7 Birmingham waterside developmentsPage 10-11 Chasewater Dam - water resrictionsPage 12 High Speed Rail Link / IWA Website tutorialsPage 13 Bridge Damages / Stafford Boat Club bridge /

Fradley attractionsPage 14 Updates on storiesPage 21 Dancing on boats / BW Free For AllPage 22 National Festival grant (2008) / History societiesPage 24 Shared Ownership boatsPage 24-25 Michael Fabricant - Parliamentarian of the Year Award

� Navigation �

Editor �sExcuses

5.

Members will be aware that from 2009, the WestMidlands Region includes the Stoke on Trent Branch.However, historically ‘Stoke’ Branch have producedtheir own newsletter, “Knobsticks” funded, like‘Navigation’, by capitation from IWA subscriptions.Due to this anomaly, whilst the content of Navigationattempts to reflect the interests of the whole region;this issue is only being mailed to members of theother three branches.

Allan

You may notice that there are fewer advertsin this issue. This is due to a broad newapproach to assessing the benefits of sellingadvertising space and collecting therevenues from this on a regular basis.

It has to be a good thing to shake it all upevery now and again to re-assess what isgood for the publication and what is draggingit back from evolving into the 21st century.

The next issue of Navigation is currently anunknown quantity. It may revert back torunning several pages of advertisements orit may evolve in a totally new direction.There have been many changes to theRegion committee and the input of the newline-up may reflect in the region’s main itemof communication.We will all have to wait and see.

The 2010 BCN Clean up

Many tonnes of dumped material

was removed over the weekend

from stretches of the Birmingham

Canal Navigations in the Black

Country.

The combined efforts of localvolunteers, the WRG and BritishWaterways proved most effective.Each had an expertise or facility attheir disposal to make thecombined effort far more effectivethan either working on their own.

Pictures by Tim Lewis

Waterfront Developments around Birmingham

This massive structure towers just metresfrom the edge of the Worcester &Birmingham Canal with 22 floors of its totalof 26 storeys above water level.The modern design adds to the overpoweringcontrast with the traditionalbuildings of thearea and even with contemporarydevelopments like the adjacent ‘Mailbox’.The ‘Qube’ was many years in the planningand construction of the resulting ‘Cube’started in 2007 with the excavation of a 4storey hole. In March 2010, the developerswent into administration, run by insolvencypractitioners, but this did not halt the workto finish the complex.When completed, there will be watersideshops and cafes, a glazed atrium, a boutiquehotel, commercial offices and a variety ofapartments. The roof will be taken up by arestaurant with views right across the cityand beyond.Simultaneously, only metres away at theend of the sidearm excavated in recent timesas part of the Mailbox development, a giantstaircase is being constructed below theBBC studios. There was some controvercywith conservationists, including IWA, after

a barrier was constructed to hold back thecanal, when part of an historic bridgestructure was destroyed to enable thesupporting structure for the new steps to bebuilt.

Close by is another skeletal construction,making the whole stretch seem like onelong extended building site.

New steps down to towpath level from by theBBC studios at the Mailbox.

6.

Our cover shows ‘The Cube’ developmentat ‘Salvage Turn’ as seen from Gas StreetBasin.

Seen from Holliday Street, another giantmechano set is being assembled

NavigationIWA West Midlands

Building at Bagot Streetseen from the A34 bridgeover the Birmingham &

Fazeley Canal.

Meanwhile, at the Soho Loop on the BCN,bits of a dilapidating building are droppingoff and into the canal. For a while, the debrisis an eyesore and a warning not to hangabout below the scene of slow collapse.Then it disappears, but only to become yetanother item of invisible, underwaterobstruction.To the owner of the building responsible forthis pollution, it is out of sight and out ofmind. But should they be allowed to getaway with it ?Navigation would like to hear ofdevelopments elsewhere in urban centresin our region. Branches monitor planningapplications and rightly so, but sometimesthings are happening (or not happening)beyond the routine planning regulations.

A large chunk of cladding slowly settles intothe mud, but how soon will it be until the next

bit falls off ?

We all accept that construction sites are anecessary feature of ‘progress’ and usuallythey are only temporary. But increasinglyduring the present recession, developers gobust and, like at the Birmingham Mint, thesite remains static for months. Is it wise tostart so many projects beside canals in onearea all at once ?

Not too far away, at BagotStreet, close to theBirmingham & FazeleyCanal, another massiveconstruction is takingplace.This area is littered withstudent accomodationblocks and slowly thewhole area is beingswallowed up by concreteand glass. In this case, thesky line is being dominatedby liftshafts, which,bizarrely, they seem to beconstructing first.

7.

NavigationIWA West Midlands

Region Chairman�s Report

As you will see in this edition of Navigationthere have been a number of changesfollowing March’s series of Annual GeneralMeeting. At long last out Birmingham, BlackCountry Branch has a Chairman and I wouldlike to welcome David Pearson in his newrole. David only joined the BranchCommittee last year and was ‘persuaded’by a number of Committee members to jumpin at the deep end. It will clearly be a steeplearning curve for him and clearly not onlyhas he to learn how IWA operates but healso has to build up a working relationshipwith the Councils, Iocal Waterways Societiesand the membership as a whole. I’m surethat he wont object to my ask you, asmembers, to contact him regarding mattersthat my concern on your local waterway.

Likewise Ian Jackson has taken over thechairmanship of Warwickshire Branch fromIan Fletchers and I would also like towelcome him on board. Ian, Jackson thatis, has a considerable waterways pedigreehaving worked on Avon matters for manyyears so perhaps his job may not be asdaunting as David’s. Ian Fletcher willcontinue to represent the Region on ournational Navigation Committee, a role hetook on a couple of years ago, and as aconsequence he has joined West MidlandsRegion Committee as an elected memberhaving lost his ex-offico membership onceher retired as Branch Chairman.Elsewhere in both Lichfield and Stoke

Branches Phil Sharpe and Roger Savage(respectively) remain Chairmen sodoubtless, with the support of the membersof both committees; the Branches willcontinue to flourish as they have before.Likewise thanks should also go to themembers of all our Branch Committees, andour Region Committee, for all the work thatthey have done for the Association duringthe last twelve months.

As you will doubtless have read elsewhereBritish Waterways is looking at changingits status into some form of Trust, althoughwere not quite sure as to what that willconsist of, and this move has receivedrecognition, albeit perhaps a little luke warm,in the Government’s Budget Statement lastmonth. Clearly Government wants to seechange and indicated that they want tomutualise British Waterways and suggestedthat that may take the form of a Trust sothey are obviously looking at other ways thatthat can be done. Ideally, given the fact thatthe country is broke, a total change isneeded and, to save much of the duplicationof work and expenditure, the navigationactivities of both the Environment Agencyand British Waterways ought to beamalgamated into a totally new organisation;hence IWA’s bid to get an ‘Inland WaterwaysConservancy’ set up. From what weunderstand this has already created interestin Government circles.

Mindful of the present financial situationmoney will be tight over the next decadeand seen the end of big money projects likethe Falkirk Wheel and the Droitwich JunctionCanal for many a year. Waterwayrestoration will have to resort to moretraditional means of funding the restorationof navigation on former, but now derelict,waterways in the form of much smallerpackages that would see restoration on astep by step basis designed to interest theHeritage Lottery Fund, whose income was

8.

NavigationIWA West Midlands

cont’d...

Region Chairman�s Report

albeit temporarily (allegedly) curtailed a fewyears ago to help pay for the Olympics thatare now only a couple of years away.

As well as being a serious issue directlyaf fect ing the waterways i t is nowindirect ly af fect ing the waterwaysbecause Lichfield District Council arefaced with a colossal bill to repair thedam at Chasewater, a facility that theyfought tooth and nail to get of Walsall afew years ago when there were someminor boundary changes, that will takethe Council tax payer of the district manyyears to pay off. It is perhaps surprisingthat having acquired such a facility (orperhaps better still before they acquiredit) the Council would have given it athorough check over and, on the basisof its state, budgeted for its repair andmaintenance. It would seems that,whilst being normal for a business, thishas not happened and we’re now facedwith emergency repairs that could affectthe water resources on the BCN forseveral years, the reservoir taking morethat two and a half years to fill withoutany water being drawn off.

By the t ime you read th is Br i t ishWaterways will have implemented aprogramme of overnight lock closuresthat they have agreed wi th IWArepresentative and other interestedparties. This will affect boaters arrivingon/leaving the Wolverhampton Level andclearly the proper use of the locks willconserve the water and help conservewater supplies thus preventing additionalrestrictions being introduced. Pleaseremember when locking down to fill thelock below you before drawing thepaddles of the lock you are in; to waitfor boats coming up to start filling theirlock before drawing your paddles and ifa lock is against you and you can seen

a boat coming towards please wait for itto work the lock. Whilst it might costyou a little time you may gain an awfullot of time when cruising in the monthsahead.Finally its good to see that the work hasstarted on the repairs to the Leekbreech, lets just hope that the repairsare of a much better standard than thosethat took place to resolve the StourbridgeCanal failure a couple of years ago wheresubsequently BW had to have additionalworks done to make sure that it was fitfor purpose.K V Welch

MBE forHarry Arnold

We are delighted to report the inclusionof a popular figure in our Region in thelatest honours list.Harry Arnold is to be awarded an MBE.Harry, who is rarely to be seen withoutone or more cameras hanging around hisneck, lives within the Region and runsthe company, Waterways Images. Hispictures regularly appear in waterwaysmagazines, including IWA’s quarterly‘glossy’, ‘Waterways’.

Because of his company’s extensivearchive of canal related photographs,Harry has been invaluable to ‘Navigation’for supplying historical pictures. Werecal l a recent instance when theRegion’s President, George Andrews,died; when Harry provided an excellentpicture of George for our obituary item.On behalf of IWA West Midlands Region,congratulations, Harry. Well deserved.

9.

NavigationIWA West Midlands

C h a s e w a t e r D a mSince the last issue of Navigation, whenthere were murmurings of problems to comedue to the planned maintenance of the damat Chasewater reservoir, near Brownhills,there have been a series of consequencesand restrictions that will go on throughoutthe summer.

The first step was to reduce the level of waterto expose the dam and reduce the pressureupon it. This took place over several weeksfrom early Spring and involved the additionaltask of rescuing and re-locating thousandsof fish.

One of the first casualties was the CanalFestival at Pelsall, planned for 12/13 June.A late proviso was added to theadvertisement of this event just beforegoing to press in January and very soonafterwards came the announcement thatBCNS had decided to postpone it until thesupply of water to the Wyrley & EssingtonCanal could be guaranteed with greatercertainty.

Chasewater normally feeds about 25% ofthe water usage on the Wolverhamptonlevel.

The problem was not so much theprovision of water for normal boatingvolumes, but the confidence that therewould be enough water for the locks for aconcentrated period of heavy traffic, suchas the peak period of boaters getting to alarge event, and later, wanting to get awayagain.

Brit ish Waterways always hadcontinguency measures in hand, such asback pumping from Brades works, but aquestion mark always hung over the abilityto cope with surge demand. Pumping atBradley was significantly increased up toits licensed maximum of 27.5 ML/day.

Just looking at the layout of the BCN, thestrategic importance of Chasewater

Reservoir is apparent.

(continued)

Essential work on the dam was intended tostart in May/June 2010 and was planned tolast 9 months to Feb/Mar 2011.

However, the initial tenders for the workappear to have been rejected and the projecthas gone out for re-tender. The actual startdate of the prescribed remedial work is stillunknown, but it will be July at the earliest.

This means that on the initial estimates, thework will not be finished by the start of theboating season 2011.

Since April, further measures have beentaken to conserve water, including theovernight closure of many locks. On longerflights of locks, such as the ‘Wolverhampton21’, this has meant an early afternoon “lastman in” policy at the top and bottom locksto ensure that boaters had time to reachthe opposite end before the paddles wereshackled.

10.

The Background

The reservoir dates back over 200 years andis the major supply of water to the northernBirmingham Canal Navigations.Approximately 4,500,000 cubic metres ofwater is contained by the dam, up to 12metres high in places and 560 metres inlength.The dam consists entirely of earth, with nowaterproof membrane, very little clay andno steel piling nor concrete.As a consequence, the dam leaks. In 1799part of it collapsed completely causing atorrent of water which spread for miles. Evenafter re-building, the continuous seepage ofwater over many decades, causes fineparticles to be washed out of the earthembankment. The fear is that the voids leftby the silt leakage could, over time,undermine the stability of the remaining largerparticles which tend to move about with theslow transit of water. After a storm or flashflood, levels rise and so does the pressureof the water, especially at the foot of the dam.

C h a s e w a t e r D a m continued

Lichfield District Council, owners of thereservoir, after a survey of the condition ofthe dam, accepted that the consequencesof a sudden shift at the base of the damwould be catastrophic. Many lives would beendangered.

A full engineering solution was developed andthe draining of the reservoir was the firstessential step in the repair program. Theproposed solution is to stop the silt fromwashing out of the dam.

NavigationIWA West Midlands

The height of the dam can clearly be appreciated bycomparison to the height of the house on the right. Note

also the small octagonal building on top of the dam

At the end of all the remedial work,Chasewater will be allowed to fill up bynatural means. The normal abstraction ratewould be up to 34ML/day in a dry summer,although summer inflow to the reservoiraverages only 9ML/day.

How long will it take to refill ?The Chasewater catchment area is notvery large. LDC estimate 2 years to refill,BW’s estimate based on 80 years of datais 2 years 9 months.

But , that is tocompletely refill. Ifcanal abstractionresumes at 144mAOD then completerefil l ing will takelonger.

11.

H i g h S p e e d R a i l L i n kH i g h S p e e d R a i l L i n kH i g h S p e e d R a i l L i n kH i g h S p e e d R a i l L i n kH i g h S p e e d R a i l L i n k

The detailed route plans now published forthe proposed High Speed 2 railway fromLondon to Birmingham also include a linefrom Birmingham to Lichfield. Intended asthe first part of its continuation toManchester and Scotland, this would initiallyjoin the existing West Coast Main Line justnorth of Lichfield. On its way it would crossthe Birmingham & Fazeley Canal just belowthe 7th lock up on the Curdworth flight, at askew angle on a 260m viaduct about 8mhigh. A dashed line on the key map labelled‘Provision for North East Connection’ alsoheads off alongside the M42 (throughKingsbury Water Park) for a future crossingof the Coventry Canal somewhere nearPolesworth.Around Lichfield, it would cross the LichfieldCanal restoration site at Darnford Lane and,although a 35m bridge is shown across theDarnford Brook which should be wide enoughto also span the new canal channel, it would

I WI WI WI WI W A WA WA WA WA W e b s i t e Te b s i t e Te b s i t e Te b s i t e Te b s i t e Tu t o r i a lu t o r i a lu t o r i a lu t o r i a lu t o r i a l

The Website EditingTutorial for our Regionat Stafford Boat Club.In addition to David

Forester and GemmaBolton from Head Officerunning the course, thissession was attended

by National Chairman,Clive Henderson

(centre)

Following the launch of the new format IWAWebsite in April, a series of tutorials aretaking place around the country to train localbranch and region representatives to edittheir own pages with local information.The West Midlands Region session tookplace on 20 March at Stafford Boat Club.

The program that creates the site allowsapproved individuals to log on and insert andedit the information on certain allocatedpages.Elected editors from each of our region’sbranches had hands on tuition to enablethem to leave, with a manual for a reminder,

to them keep the pagesinteresting and up todate.

be 15m high with considerable noise andvisual impact. The line continues acrossthe golf course, over the A38 and over bothexisting railway lines on high embankmentsand viaducts, which is already generatingmuch opposition.

IWA nationally will also be concerned by theroute alignment across the southern OxfordCanal on its winding summit level aroundWormleighton Hill, which would severelyaffect its remoteness and tranquillity. Othercanal crossings are a bridge over the GrandUnion Canal east of Leamington; and on therailway into Birmingham another crossingof the Grand Union Canal (Birmingham &Warwick Junction section) near SaltleyViaduct below Garrison Locks on a 12m highviaduct; and finally a 12m viaduct overAshted Bottom Lock on the Digbeth BranchCanal.

12.

In a recent item on Radio 4, BritishWaterways highlighted the increasing costof repairing heritage bridges on the canalsystem.Heavy goods vehicles and farm vehicles (withtrailers) often have problems safelynegotiating 200+ year old bridges originallydesigned for horses and carts. They cancause a lot of damage in just seconds whichcan take weeks to repair.Wherever possible, old bricks and copingstones are preferred, to match the rest ofthe bridge and maintain the illusion oforiginality. Naturally these are more difficultto get hold of than a palletful of brand newbricks from the local Jewsons.British Waterways are looking into chargingfor the damage, or suing the perpetrator(assuming they don’t just disappear from thescene).In a recent incidence, a large hole waspunched in the parapet of Bridge 83 on theCoventry Canal by a vehicle, leaving an archof precariously suspended coping stones.Much more than the brickwork was involvedin putting things right. The road had to be

Stafford Boat Club bridge workStafford Boat Club bridge workStafford Boat Club bridge workStafford Boat Club bridge workStafford Boat Club bridge work

Fradley attractionsFradley attractionsFradley attractionsFradley attractionsFradley attractions

Stafford Boat Club has been developing for many years, utilising a short side arm of theStaffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, near Baswich. The side arm has never had abridge across, so members and visitors using moorings on the far side from the clubhousefacilities have always had a long walk to get there.

Work has nowbegun on thefoundations of afootbridge over themouth of the arm.The actual bridge isstill in the future, butwith the supportsdone, wearymembers can atleast see a light atthe end of thetunnel.

Bridge DamageBridge DamageBridge DamageBridge DamageBridge Damage

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closed for a couple of weeks causing a longdiversion around Whittington. This wasinconvenient for hundreds of local peopleand a financial nightmare for The Ploughpub at Huddlesford, adjacent to the bridge,who inevitably lost trade.The bridge is “back together again” but thescars remain. No doubt many of the originalbricks still lie on the bottom of the canal - afuture source of contemporary masonry ?

Fradley Nature Reserve, beside the Trent& Mersey Canal near Fradley Junction hasenjoyed a sizable grant to improve thefacilities.For walkers, there are now audio guidesavailable to advise at key location aroundthe pool on what to look out for and how torecognise the habitat.Fradley is becoming an increasingattraction for tourists. In addition to theSwan Inn and two competing cafes, a steamfair was recently held, with rides on steamdriven vehicles along the ‘towpath’ roadto the Swan.

13.

14. NavigationIWA West Midlands

Canal Festival

The campaigning aims of the event wereto increase the profile of the northern BCNand to contribute to the fight against thecurrent reduction in funding for the InlandWaterways. This could put at risk thefuture of the canals in this area unlesstheir benefits for visiting boaters and thelocal communities can be demonstrated.

Pelsall 2010As most people will now be aware, thisevent has been postponed.

The remedial work on Chasewaterreservoir dam has caused watershortages this summer, particularlyaffecting proposed large gatherings.

Boaters should note that the BCN is stillfully navigable, but some restrictions uponthe operation hours of key lock flights havebeen introduced.

email [email protected] Caplan, mobile 07778 685674For general inquiries please contact;

Readers may remember the controversyover square bollards installed recentlynext to narrow locks all across our area.Nearly all of them have been roundedoff now, leaving a square profile just atthe top. But not all.If you go to the Bodymoor Heath Locknext to the Dog & Doublet on theBirmingham & Fazeley Canal, you willfind square profile pegs all the way downto the brickwork.Did British Waterways just forget thislock ?

S q u a re B o l l a r d s

Updates on past i tems in Navigat ion

Breach on the CaldonCanal near Leek

Remedial work has been carried out at thesite of a massive towpath collapse nearLeek. A large part of the Leek Branch of theCaldon Canal has been stoppaged formonths.Just as at the Stourbridge Canal breach, thebed of the canal has been found to bedefective after the initial repairs had beencompleted.The stoppage has had to be extended intoJuly to rectify the fault. The branch isimportant as it carries water from RudyardReservoir to the main Caldon Canal.

New Slipwayon the Herefordshire and

Goucestershire CanalAt Aylestone Park, Hereford, a shortsect ion of the Herefordshi re andGloucestershire Canal is in water.Waterways Recovery Group have builta new slipway there which will allow thiscurrently disconnected bit of canal tobe used by small boats.

Many other projects are taking place alongthis old disused canal, making restorationgradually closer. There is a Trust whichinterested parties can subscribe to in orderto support the cause; seewww.h-g-canal.org.uk

15.West Midlands RegionDiary of Social Events of our Branches

Birmingham, Black Country and Worcestershire BranchMeetings details from Chris Osborn01299 832593 [email protected]

Birmingham, Black Country and Worcestershire Branch meetings are held at the Social Club,Ashwood Marina, Ashwood Lower Lane, Ashwood DY6 0AQ (near Kingswinford andWombourne) at 19.30. This venue is accessible to anyone having difficulties with stairs.

Lichfield Branch Meetings details from Phil Sharpe01889 583330 [email protected]

Lichfield Branch meetings are in the College Hall, Cathedral Close, LichfieldWS13 7LD, usually September to April. This is on the ground floor. Parking just offBird St. (see website map). Meetings start at 7.30 for 7.45 pm

Wed 21st Jul Walk: Penkridge : 6.45 for 7pm at Cross Keys, with meal afterwards.Details from Tim Burgin 01889 579039 or [email protected]

Wed 15th Sep Talk : Grand Canal of China, by Liam D’arcy BrownSat 18th Sep Garden Party : Hopwas, Catering, games, sales, but not alcohol.

Parking at the pubs. Open to members, friends, and neighbours.

The social meetings will resume in September and details will be published in the nextissue of Navigation.

All the events below are open to non-members and member’s guests.

During the Summer months, when many people are away and boat-owners take their boats outa lot, the Social Events list tends to be rather sparse compared with the winter season. Howeverthere are still the odd organised walk, barbecue, etc.Those with internet access are well advised to keep fully up to date from the IWA website,www.waterways.org.uk, which has pages dedicated to each Region and Branch. It should alsobe remembered that Warwickshire Branch has its own newsletter “Bear Essentials”, availableits branch members invarious formats; and Stoke on Trent Branch has “Knobsticks”. Boththese publications carry local information, possibly more up to date than Navigation.

Stoke on Trent Branch Meetings details from Alison Smedley01538 385388 [email protected]

Stoke on Trent Branch meetings are in the Stoke on Trent Boat Club, Endon Wharf,Post Lane, Endon, Stoke on Trent ST9 9DTMeetings start at 7.45 for 8.00 pm

Branch members should consult ‘Knobsticks’ newsletter.

Warwickshire Branch

Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month, and start at 7.30 pm.Location : ‘Alan Higgs Centre’, in Allard Way, Coventry, CV3 1HW.Meetings will be in ‘The Gallery’ a self-contained room with our own bar - available from7.00pm. For earlier arrivals a licensed cafeteria is available elsewhere in the building forsnacks or bar-meals.This venue will be changing later this year. The new venue will be the Sports Conventionon the A45, full details will be published in the next edition.

Wed 14th July Our ‘end of season’ walk and picnic. A return to The (hopefully bythen open) Droitwich Canal. Meet at 7-30pm.Rendezvous details in Bear Essentials newsletter.

Worcester & Birmingham Canal SocietyMeetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month, and start at 8.00 pm.Location : Boat & Railway pub, Shaw Lane, Stoke Prior, nr Bromsgrove; upstairs.Program Secretary : Denis Pike, 07870 939121, [email protected]

Tues 6th July Society Walk to visit the Woodgate Valley section of the LapalCanal by Ian Hunter. Meet at Visitors Centre, Clapgate Lane,Bartley Green B32 3DS at 7.15 pm.

Tues 3rd August Society Walk to visit the newly opened section of the DroitwichBarge Canal by BW Engineer, John Tearle. Meet at LadywoodLock at 7.15 pm.

Tues 7th Sept Visual presentation : Water Management - The Electronic Lock-keeper by Neil Bedford.

Birmingham Canal Navigations Society

Meetings are held at Titford Pumphouse, Engine Street, Oldbury, starting at 7.30 pm.Social Secretary : Geoff Peakman, 0121 559 7486

27 June Brownhills Festival - details Georgina Fereday tel. 01543 45211916 July Longwood Boat Club 40 years Celebration at junction of Rushall Canal

and Daw End Branch. Comedy duo : Duo Dandy. [email protected] - 12 Sept Black Country Boating Festival, Windmill End, Netherton

-details Paddy Grice 0844 800 5076 www.bcbf.com or [email protected]

16.

Lichfield Branchstarted 2010 with ourtraditional New Year’sDay walk, this time

around the fields and canal at Penkridge.Denis our usual leader was laid-up at thetime but his understudies knew the routeand everyone made it back to the pub.

We are never quite sure what the responsewill be when the subject of our indoormeetings goes outside our ‘comfort zone’of waterway topics, but we need not haveworried in January as there are close linksbetween canal and railway enthusiasts. Infact the Cromford & High Peak Railway wasoriginally intended to be a canal andconnected at both ends with canals, and itsunique mixture of steam locomotives andrope-hauled inclined planes made for afascinating talk which was well attended bymembers and non-members alike.Unfortunately, the same broad appeal didnot quite extend to our February meetingon the steam tug Kerne. Nevertheless, aninteresting talk especially if, like me, youhave memories of the Mersey and Weaverwaterways.

Despite all the snow this winter, we found apleasant day in February for an exhilaratingwalk around the Kingsbury Water Park andthe Birmingham & Fazeley Canal atBodymoor Heath. Another in our growingprogramme of weekday walks, this oneagain attracted a good turnout, even if wedid lose a few of them on the way round !

The traditional Jumble Sale at Penkridge inMarch again raised funds jointly for theBranch and the Lichfield & Hatherton CanalsRestoration Trust. Numbers though the doorseemed slightly down this year but therewas a steady stream and those that came continued . . .

must have spent more because overalltakings were similar to last year. A lot ofwork goes into this event but it is a sociableoccasion and it would be hard to replacethe income it generates.

On the following day we had a ‘Towpath Tidy’along the Trent & Mersey Canal throughRugeley, in conjunction with BritishWaterways. Some 20 volunteers includingour members, local residents and BW staffcleared the litter from nearly 2 miles oftowpath from The Mossley to Brindley BankAqueduct, including the worst areas on theoffside. A team also filled a BW workboatwith timber from a long section of collapsingwooden fencing, leaving the canal corridorlooking much improved. We hope to arrangefurther events to tackle graffiti, paint benchesand refurbish signs to improve the image ofthe canal for boaters and local people.

At our AGM in March, Barbara, Pat,Margaret and myself were duly re-elected,and we are pleased that Helen has rejoinedthe committee in view of her contribution toBranch income from sales and external talks.The formal proceedings were followed by ashort but entertaining update on the AshbyCanal restoration.

A special event was organised at FradleyJunction on Wednesday 19 May. This wasa double event; in the afternoon we will hadan exhibition and a reception for the ‘CressyCruise’ re-enactment. This voyage was thetrigger for Tom Rolt’s seminal book ‘NarrowBoat’ which led to the founding of the InlandWaterways Association and the saving ofthe canal system. In the evening SteveBicknell, the volunteer co-ordinator for BWwho helped us organise the Towpath Tidy,talked about volunteering with BW. This wasin the cellar room of The Swan and afterwards there was an informal social.

We also had a boat trip through DudleyTunnel on Sunday 20 June. An evening CanalWalk at Penkridge is planned on

17.

18. � Navigation �IWA West Midlands Region

Lichfield Chairman continued

Phil Sharpe

Wednesday 21 July, before resuming ourmeeting programme at College Hall with atalk on The Grand Canal of China on 15September. Details of our Garden Party atHopwas on Saturday 18 September will beon our website.

One event I mentioned last time did nothappen, the Canal Festival at Pelsall. BCNShave postponed it due to possible watershortages following the draining ofChasewater Reservoir by Lichfield Councilfor urgent repairs. BW hope that extrapumping at Bradley and other measures willenable normal boating on the Wyrley &Essington and connecting canals thissummer but could not guarantee this. Otherevents on the BCN this year have also beencancelled or curtailed.

On the planning front, the proposed powerstation on the Trent & Mersey Canal atBurton on Trent has now been dropped,and amended plans for repairing andextending Deepmore Lock Cottage on theStaffs & Worcs Canal have been approved.There were a lot of silly press reports aboutour comments on a fisherman sculptureby the Daw End Branch Canal at WalsallWood, and a proposed industrial unit tooclose to the same canal at Brownhills waswithdrawn. A housing development on theT&M at Weston has been re-planned toinclude more canalside open space, andan application for a large Tesco storedevelopment by the canal in Rugeley hasjust been received, so more on this nexttime.

A new IWA website is now up and runningand, although it is yet to be fully populatedwith all the information that was on theold one, it has attractive new facilitiesincluding much easier access forBranches to input and update their own

information. Our Branch webpage nowhas information on our activities, thecommittee, the waterways we cover, newsand recent events, the AGM, planning and,most importantly, an up-to-date list of allour meetings and events with full details.We also plan to add more content overthe next few months so take a look atwww.waterways.org.uk/regions_branches/west_midlands/Lichfield.

Emails are also a fast and economic wayof communicating with our members andwe send out an update reminder aboutour meetings and events about once amonth. So if you are on email but havenot received anything from us recently,please let us know your email address.You can update your membershiprecords by ringing or emailing HeadOffice, or better still register on thewebsite and you can amend your ownrecords and choose what other emailsyou receive, including the Bulletin, pressreleases, festival news, wrg news, etc.Of course there will stil l be printedinformation in ‘Navigation’, and youshould receive our Programme Card forthe next 12 months enclosed with thisedition, but details do sometimes changeand extra events are often organised,especially walks, so if you can receiveemai ls and/or check the websi teperiodically you will be right up-to-date.

19.Navigation J u n e 2010

Cruising this year on the branch canals couldbe a little difficult compared with previousboating seasons. Like tentacles of anOctopus the draining for repairs of theChasewater reservoir for dam repairs is goingto affect the whole of the BCN with probablya knock on effect as the water drains (ormore correctly doesn’t drain!!!) down to otherlevels. Whilst we may not have to resort topaddling we all be more aware of theimportance of saving water whenever cruising.We may be short of water for up to two yearsas it will take almost this long to refill thereservoir. Some events have had to becancelled for this year& at the time of writingothers are in the balance. Titford & the BCNchallenge as I write are still scheduled to goahead.

Our branch at the AGM welcomed two newcommittee members Derek Radcliffe & BobBiddulph whom we warmly welcome.

At the AGM I was confirmed as BranchChairman, replacing Vaughan Welch whohas done sterling service over the last 12years. Thank you Vaughan.

Since the last issue of Navigation we havehad two interesting meetings. Due to the badJanuary snow our booked speakerunderstandably cried off. Rising to thechallenge Mike Rolfe rose to the occasion &showed his excellent photographic skills ofhim cruising on Waverley paddle steamer.The places this vessel gets to are amazing& a great tribute to the current maintenance

crew.

Our Feb meeting got us in "knots!” Thespeaker was Bruce Turley from the Guild ofKnot Tyers & the delicate work hedemonstrated was really skilled &fascinating. Tying up my boat will not be thesame again.

Back up to strength again I hope we as abranch can emulate our near neighbours &become more active. However, one of ourmembers who had agreed to handle part ofthe planning application process has said itis too much & has resigned. We thereforeneed a willing new member to be co-optedonto the committee.

Also I am keen on resurrecting a branchsales stand for use at canal rallies & otherlocal events, but have already had staffingproblems.

The idea of a joint IWA/local group stand hasbeen floated & we would need someone tolook after this as well. This would be goodfor Beales Park. The equipment exists so itis just the man/woman power needed. Itwould raise much needed branch funds.Contact me if you can volunteer.

Dave Pearson

e-mai l database

e-mails are the most efficient way ofcommunicating, informing and bringingpeople up to date.Birmingham, Black Country andWorcestershire Branch would like to buildup a comprehensive database of members’e-mail addresses. This would enable thecommittee to pass on up to date informationand late changes to arrangements.To achieve this, all members with e-mailaddresses have to do is to send a simplemessage to the chairman [email protected] leave the rest to us.

20. Navigat ion June 2010

I strongly urge members to encourageyoungsters to take an interest before thelegacy of the IWA founders starts to erodeaway. This year is the centenary of TomRolt and a re-enactment of his “Cressy”cruise of 1950 is about to get underway,starting from Tooley’s Yard in Banbury andending at this year’s “National” at BealePark.Ron & Mary Heritage aboard their boat Heronwere at Fenny Compton on the morning ofMonday 25th April and at the Folly Inn belowNapton Locks that evening, when there wasa get together of Warwickshire IWAmembers and friends. There was a formalhandover to Northampton branch of IWA atnoon on Tuesday 26th from where Heron willproceed up Braunston Locks and on to theLeicester Canal. She will return south alongthe Coventry Canal passing throughHawkesbury Junction in mid July whenWarwickshire IWA will again be involved.

Shortage of Government funding is likely tobe increasingly reflected in a deteriorationin the upkeep of our canals and I draw yourattention to the SOS gathering over the MayDay weekend at Hawkesbury incorporatinga cruise from there to Coventry Basin.

Following on from our outgoing Chairman’sremarks in the last edition of Navigation, wewill be working - in association with StratfordCanal Society and HNBOC to expose and‘exploit’ the problems of the SouthernStratford - using Bridge 58 as an exampleof what happens to a system if ‘steady state’is not maintained. The manner and timingof this is yet to be determined.

Frequent boat movements are essential forkeeping weed growth in our canals at bayand maintaining a deep water channel freeof weed to the benefit of fishermen. Onleisure Cruising Waterways road bridges hadto be retained to enable navigation and nowensure walkers can enjoy long peacefulwalks along the towpaths.

As the newChairman of the Warwickshire Branch it isappropriate to say a little about myself. Ican claim to have visited the original MarketHarborough Rally as a small boy with myparents and whilst in my early twenties Iwas present at the re-opening of the lowerStratford Canal in 1964 aboard my latebrother’s half narrowboat conversion“Normandy Star”.

My first boat was the former FMC motornarrowboat ‘Aster’, which I bought fromMajor Fielding when the Salvation Armydisbanded its canals mission andsubsequently restored, but I have for the last30 years owned a much smaller vintageformer south Cornish timber fishing boat‘Seahaze’. Apart from occasional coastalexpeditions she usually spends the summeron the Avon.

I became an early member and supporter ofthe fledgling Kennett and Avon Canal Trust,and currently I am an active member of theCotswold Canal Trust, ANT and SWWT.

From these clues it should be apparent thatI am hardly young and dynamic, neither doI live within this region’s geographicalboundaries! Age profile is becoming a majorproblem within many volunteer organisationsincluding our own, which is how I find myselfin the Chairman’s role.

21.Navigation J u n e 2010

The Cotswold Canal Trust for one, has donemuch to campaign to reopen derelict andovergrown sections of towpath, and nowmajor bridges are about to be reinstated inthe Stroud area thanks to Heritage Lotterymoney and associated funding. We shouldnot forget either the role of our waterways inland drainage or water supply. Our canalheritage is unique in the world, andour Association’s slogan “Waterways for All”is what IWA is all about and not just boats,albeit that they keep open water in ourcanals, bridges standing and good qualitylong distance footpaths segregated fromtraffic in existence.

Warwickshire Chairman continued

Ian Jackson

The Janice Long Show on Radio WMbroadcast an interview with a choreographerwho intended to have a boat on the canalwith various dance routines celebrating thewaterways.

The boat will travel around the canals and atone point intends to pass through the wholeof the 21 locks at Wolverhampton. Thenarrow boat will stop at various locationswhere the dancers will perform on the roof.

The Dance boat left Birmingham on Monday19th April, after a public opening of theInternational Dance Festival, the second tobe held in Birmingham.

The theme is a celebration of canalengineering. The opening ceremony was atat Brindley Place.

They stopped at Wolverhampton and thenheaded on for Brewood. The narrow boat wasdue back in Birmingham on 8th May.

Ray Shill

Dancing on Boats

Free for all !

Turn to the water for quality familyfun without the price tag

As the summer holiday season draws nearthoughts turn to what to do and where togo with the children. While many families’finances are still tight, the trick will befinding fun and inspiring activities thatwon’t break the bank.

Brit ish Waterways is launching acampaign to inspire more people todiscover the varied delights of the WestMidlands’ canals and rivers. The ‘Yours toEnjoy Anytime’ campaign aims to highlightthe many ways in which people of all agescan enjoy the beautiful canals and riverson their doorstep as the warmer weatherapproaches.

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, ayoungster or young at heart there is nobetter way to enjoy summer than byembracing the great outdoors. And whetheryour intention is to relax and unwind orraise the pace there is something foreveryone. From walking, running andcycling to boat trips, wildlife watching orsimply enjoying a leisurely stroll and picnic- canals and rivers provide masses ofopportunities.

NavigationIWA West Midlands

NATIONAL FESTIVAL GRANTSWolverhampton Festival 2008

At its meeting on 29th March WestMidlands Region reviewed the allocation ofthe £2000 waterways funding to be spentwithin the Region as a consequence of the2008 National Waterways Festival held inWolverhampton.

It was originally proposed to spend themoney to aid the campaign to increase theuse of the Northern BCN ReminderWaterways by means of a Boat Rally atPelsall Common. Because of theChasewater Reservoir Dam problem that isno longer possible.

The Region has now reconsidered the matterand has agreed, subject to FinanceCommittee approval, to award the moneythe Stafford Riverway Link for their imminentfeasibility study.

Ideally the Region would like to followRestoration Committee’s practice and makethis conditional on: -• The Trust being able to raise the balanceof the funding required• IWA being allocated a place on theworking group• The copyright being vested in allfunders• IWA having a copy of the finaldocuments,• the usual conditions about grant offeracceptance, publicity and payment ofclaims.

Finance Committee is therefore askedto approve this proposal and, becausethere are now no regional accounts inwhich to hold the money, agree amechanism whereby the cash can be ringfenced until the contact is let.

K. V WelchWest Midlands Chairman

The IWA branches and many canalsocieties frequently use history as atheme for talks and slide shows at theirmeetings. Now historical societies areturning the tables.On 4th June, Halesowen History Societyhad a talk on the Stourbridge Canal.David Hickman gave an illustrated talk atthe society’s final meeting of the 2009/2010 season at the Shenstone Theatre atHalesowen Library.Previously, Smethwick Local HistorySociety and their sister society inWillenhall had talks on canal tunnels.Martin O’Keeffe and Ray Shill, prominentmembers of Birmingham CanalNavigations Society held a Canal HistoryWorkshop on 15 May. This was the firstfor three years, no doubt because of thework involved in organising such an event.This one was subtitled ‘Living and Workingon the Canals’ and delegates enjoy a buffetlunch during the break. Reports indicatedthat the workshop was well appreciated.

History Societies

Another scene from the Canal Clean-up,illustrating the team effort by theparticipants from widely differing

organisations.

Picture by Tim Lewis

22.

Navigation IWA West Midlands

Foot Health Practitioners (FHPs) are autonomous practitioners that will visit a patient athome, or in Nursing and Residential Homes to attend to common conditions affecting footand leg. These range from nail care, treatment of heel fissures, callus and corns, tofunctional problems of the foot in gait.

There is great need of Foot Health Practitioners. There is a higher proportion of elderlypeople in our population, the incidence of diabetes is rising (diabetics have need ofprofessional foot care) and there are more overweight people in our society (who makeheavy demands upon their feet) than ever before. Evidence shows that attention to footlesions results in significant pain reduction, increased functional ability and fewer falls.

Those trained at the College of Foot Health are skilled in assessment, treatment anddefence of the foot, and as members of the Alliance of Private Sector Practitioners carryappropriate indemnity insurance. They are fully aware of issues of confidentiality, record-keeping, informed consent and communication with other health care workers.

Navigation readers maybe interested in some of the background to our most recent advertiser.You may not think about your feet very often, perhaps you should.

Foot Health Practitioners

23.

24.

Ownerships, the largest shared ownershiporganisation on the UK canals, has hitfinancial difficulties and has ceased trading.

For some, this is a case of history repeatingitself. In January 2008 Ownerships’ closestrivals, Challenge Syndicateships called inadministrators under what appear to be verysimilar circumstances.

So BCBM, the boat management companythat rose from the ashes followingChallenger’s demise, has offered to help.Already it has received a large number ofcalls from owners of shares in Ownershipsboats.

BCBM Managing Director Andrew Bartonsaid, “We have been inundated with callsand we have been more than happy to helpwhere we can. We must be uniquely placedto do so having been through all this oncebefore.” He added, “Like Challenger ownersbefore them, Ownerships syndicates havea lot of things to consider now. We havebeen asked all kinds of questions, fromfinancial issues insurance problems rightthrough to whether boatyards can ‘impound’

boats following non-payment of bills. Theyreally are the same issues that we facedwith Challenger boats, all over again.”

Mr Barton said, “It’s amazing really. Theysay that lightning can’t strike twice but itappears it just has.” He added, “The fulldetails of Ownerships financial problems areyet to become revealed, but there seem tobe some striking similarities”.

As a further response to the calls for advice,BCBM ran surgery-style advice sessionsover the weekend of 15th and 16th May atthe Village Hotel Walsall. There was a goodturn-out across the weekend and many moreowners who couldn’t attend have called ande-mailed since.

BCBM is happy to offer help, support andadvice where it can free of charge with nostrings attached and can be contacted on01270 628 076 or via the website atwww.bcbm.co.uk.

Andrew Barton can be e-mailed [email protected]

Boaters Pull Together as Lightning Strikes Twice

Michael Fabricant awarded “Parliamentarian of the Year, 2010”.

Michael Fabricant was awarded JointParliamentarian of the Year 2010 by theInland Waterways Association at a dinnerin the House of Commons on Tuesday 2ndFebruary.Michael is a keen narrowboater, is Patronof the Lichfield & Hatherton CanalsRestoration Trust, and has spoken in anumber of Parliamentary Debates on mattersconcerning Britain’s inland waterways.Retiring Labour MP, Bob Laxton, Chairmanof the Waterways All Party Group, alsoreceived the award.

Left : Michael Fabricant MP (left) waspresented with the award by IWA National

Chairman, Clive Henderson.

IWA West Midlands Region 25.

Vacancies for New MembersLichfield Cruising Club

N e w M e m b e r s

There is capacity for a couple of boatowners to join Lichfield Cruising Club.The Club has moorings at HuddlesfordJunction, just off the Coventry Canal.The maximum length of boat that canbe accomodated is 15.2 metres (50ft).Anyone interested in applying shouldcontact :

Dave PrestonLichfield Cruising Club

Canal Cottages, Huddlesford Junction,Lichfield, Staffs. WS13 8PX

[email protected] 432004

Mr & Mrs Brian Mann, STOURPORT-ON-SEVERNMr Keith Bell, WALSALLMr Simon Darton & Miss Judy White,AlsagerMr Michael & Mrs Jane Taylor, Denstone,UTTOXETERMs Julie Hudson, STRATFORD-UPON-AVONMr Stephen P Harrington, WORCESTERMs Joan McAdam, Shirley, SOLIHULLMrs Wendy Noble, Wolverley,KIDDERMINSTERMr John W Taplin & Mrs Sheila Smith-Taplin, Clevelode, MALVERN

We would like to welcome all new membersto this region and those transferring fromother areas.We hope you will enjoy being part of theIWA and look forward to meeting you at someof the many events organised by orparticipated at by our branches.

Some of the new members this Spring areas follows :

Michael said : “I am honoured and delightedto have been given this prestigious award.Our canals and rivers generate millions ofpounds in revenue from tourism and are anatural sanctuary for wildlife. They need tobe maintained and cherished. As I told thoseassembled: I shall plonk the award on thetable when I next go narrowboating with abunch of my rowdy friends. My next trip isround the Cheshire ring.”Guests at the dinner included Members ofParliament of all parties, regional chairmenand officers of the Inland WaterwaysAssociation, and the Chairman and ChiefExecutive of British Waterways.

Close-up of the Pariamentarian ofthe Year Award

Pictures courtesy of Michael Fabricant Press Release.

C o n t a c t sC o n t a c t sC o n t a c t sC o n t a c t sC o n t a c t sThe next issue, No. 2010-3 is due to be published in August 2010.Your contributions and comments should be sent to the Editor by 5th July 2010.Please submit your news, comments, letters, photographs and articles to :

Allan Gilbert, 47 Western Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B73 5SPor attached to e-mails to : [email protected]

Tel. 0121 682 4230

26.

WEST MIDLANDS R E G I O N

The Region is made up of these four branches :

BIRMINGHAM,BLACK COUNTRY ANDWORCESTERSHIRE BRANCH

LICHFIELD BRANCH

WARWICKSHIRE BRANCHSTOKE ON TRENT BRANCH

Chairman Dave A PearsonNetherton Cottage2 Netherton laneBewdleyDY12 1PT

Chairman Ian Jackson209 Daventry Road, Barby, Rugby, CV23 8TR

01788 [email protected]

Secretary Sue Roy46, The Butts, Warwick. CV34 4STTel. 01926 [email protected]

ChairmanPhilip Sharpe34 Old Eaton Road, Rugeley,Staffordshire WS15 2EZTel. 01889 [email protected]

Chairman Vaughan Welch, 3 Beach Close, Northfield, Birmingham B31 3DB Tel. 0121 477 9782 Mob : 07971 202406 [email protected]

Secretary Brian Kingshott, Park Cottage, Hopton Castle, Craven Arms,Shropshire SY7 0QF Tel: 01547 530457 Mob: 07831 572642 e.mail : [email protected]

Treasurer Anthony Davies, 17 Elm Row, Stockton, Warwickshire CV47 8JYMob: 07775 912486

e-mail : [email protected]

Chairman Roger Savage19 High Street, EccleshallStaffordshire ST21 6BWTel. 01785 [email protected]

Secretary Alison SmedleyHazelhurst Cottage, Denford, Leek ST13 7JTTel. 01538 [email protected]

Tel 01299 404273Mobile 0752 [email protected]

Navigation

Picture byTim Lewis

Another load dragged offthe bottom of the canalmakes its way to theskips.Many tonnes werecollected like this byvolunteers. If you want tohelp next year, get intouch.

SUCCESSFUL IWA STAND ATBOAT & CARAVAN SHOW AT NEC, FEB 2010

Members of all branches in the West Midlands Region contributed to the highlysuccessful IWA stand at the Boat and Caravan show held at the NEC in February.Despite the recession, sales were up on last year and we managed to recruit 110new members to the IWA. This almost doubles last year’s recruitment figures of 53at the NEC and exceeds the 103 members recruited at last year’s NationalWaterways Festival at Redhill. The volunteer chairman of IWA Promotions andCommunications committee, Jerry Sanders, whose committee is responsible for themanagement of the IWA stands at large shows is quoted as saying “We areextremely grateful to all the IWA members who worked so hard to make the event asuccess. By attending shows such as this, we can spread the word about the veryimportant work performed by the IWA. The enthusiasm of our members is infectiousand that combined with the publicity generated by the hard-working campaign teamat Head Office is clearly bearing fruit.In the current economic climate, we have to continually consider our commitment toattend these events. Attending large shows is expensive but when we can recruitmembers in these numbers and cover our costs with good sales figures, it is worthall the effort.”It is hoped that given the importance of IWA’s SOS 2010 campaign, more peoplewill wish to support the IWA and will consider becoming members. We discoveredat the NEC that all we had to do was invite people to join. Once they had read the“10 reasons for joining IWA”, (see attached) they realised how important it was.This is a plea to West Midland Region IWA members to try to recruit at least onenew member each during the coming year. By doing this, we could considerablyincrease the membership of IWA and thus the influence that we can exert politically.

Helen Whitehouse 30/03/10

C a n a l C lean-upWe e ke n d