Volunteer Leaflet

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heritage skills restoration brick-

laying scrub-bashing machine-driving

working holidays festivals environment new skills...

...restoring Britain's Waterways

Volunteers

waterwayrecoverygroup

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Waterway Recovery Group had its

origins in waterways restoration work

during the 1960s, but formally came

into being in 1970. The aim was to

be a co-ordinating force, not centred

upon any individual project but backing

up and assisting local groups on any

worthwhile restoration project. Since

then considerable knowledge and

experience of restoration methods

have been built up. At present WRG

owns a fleet of vans, and a range of

plant including excavators, dumpers,

pumps, mixers, and specialist

conservation tools.

WRG has helped restore many derelict

waterways throughout Britain – one

of WRG’s largest projects has been

the complete rebuilding of the four

Frankton Locks and the three Aston

Locks on the Montgomery Canal,

which passes through the spectacular

Welsh Borders. Other projects include

the construction of Over Basin on the

Herefordshire and Gloucestershire

Canal and more recently the restoration

of the Droitwich Barge Lock in

Worcestershire.

about us...

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WRGie fact: Every year

WRG records over 20,000 volunteer

hours, on site, restoring the

waterways of England and Wales.

www.wrg.org.uk

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21st century navvy - it could be you! WRG attracts a wide range of people,

from young volunteers taking part in the

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme;

to waterway enthusiasts who wish

to make a contribution to restoring

and preserving the system; to people

who just want to get outdoors and

dirty, have fun and learn new skills.

Volunteers attending our activities must

be aged between 18-70, but apart

from that age doesn’t matter, nor does

previous experience.

The work of a modern canal restoration

navvy is very varied... it may involve

traditional work such as bricklaying

and stonework; or modern techniques

such as piling and concreting; or it

may involve the use of machinery like

excavators and dumpers …or nothing

more sophisticated than a shovel or a

trowel!

I enjoy volunteering with WRG because it gives me the chance

to get out in the fresh air, keep active and meet a wide cross section of people, of different ages and backgrounds- Bob Crow ”“

WRG IS PART OF:

www.waterways.org.uk

[email protected]

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Now for a bit of history ….for sixty

years, from the late 18th century

onwards, Britain’s inland waterways

system expanded to link the country’s

rivers, ports, cities and industrial

heartlands. Then, with the beginning of

the Railway Age, the days of roaring

prosperity for the waterways were gone

forever with finance being diverted to

build the railways. Those canals that

survived the onslaught did so by cutting

their tolls to a minimum, meaning that

there was little money available to

enlarge or improve the waterways, and

they slipped slowly into decay.

By the 20th century, the decline was

accelerating with many waterways

being abandoned and altogether

disappearing from sight – they looked

set to become a part of history.

Luckily, by the 1940s a few visionaries

realised that canals did have a future

– for pleasure boating, recreation and

industrial archaeology.

From this...

To this...

01494 783 453

why?

Every year 10 million people visit Britain’s canals and inland

waterways. People go to walk,

cruise, canoe, fish or watch wildlife

as well as enjoying the wonderful

scenery, heritage and tranquility of

times gone by.

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Since then, hundreds of miles of canals

and river navigations have been saved

from dereliction and gradually more

and more miles are being brought back

to life by volunteer groups around the

country.

Today, Britain’s network of canals and

inland waterways are a huge linear

national park – a leisure park, a

vital wildlife sanctuary, an important

industrial heritage site and an

environment-friendly transport system

all rolled into one. Despite this there

are still over 2500 miles of derelict

waterways and that’s where we need

your help.

WRG offers people a unique volunteering opportunity with the

chance to learn new skills such as bricklaying, and be trained in the use of specialist and construction machinery, as well as having the chance to be part of the team that really makes a huge difference to the waterways. - Mike Palmer, WRG chairman ”

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www.wrg.org.uk

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canal camps

The Waterway Recovery Group

runs unique week-long residential

volunteering opportunities called

Canal Camps, designed to restore the

derelict waterways of England and

Wales to their former glory. Canal

Camps give you the chance to do your

bit for the environment whilst having

a fun holiday. Go on - get outdoors

and dirty! Read more about our Canal

Camps on pages 8 and 9.

volunteer

canal camp leader/cook

Every year WRG run over 25 week-

long residential canal camps and we

are always on the look out for people

who would like to come along and cook

for our hungry volunteers! Fancy the

challenge of cooking for 18 people? Go

to page 10. We also need volunteers

to run our Canal Camps – are you up

for the challenge? Check out page 10.

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Volunteers don’t get paid, not

because they’re worthless, but

because they’re priceless.

Choose the right opportunity for

you….

[email protected]

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dirty weekender

A lot of voluntary work has to be done

at the weekend, and between them

WRG’s regional groups ensure that

almost every weekend there will be

volunteers at work somewhere in the

country restoring the waterways. If you

fancy being a dirty weekender find out

more on pages 12 and 13.

festival volunteer

Now for something completely different

…each year WRG helps to set up

waterway festivals around England and

Wales. Festival camps are a great way

to meet new people, learn new skills

and, most importantly have fun! We

always need volunteers to come along

and help out - go to page 11 and find

out what’s involved. vo

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A Canal Camp is an enjoyable week’s

outdoor holiday spent working on the

canals. It’s a great opportunity to meet

all sorts of new people from all walks

of life, of all ages and from all over the

country and abroad as well as learning

new skills.

It can also be used as an excellent

opportunity for the residential aspect of

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. No

previous experience necessary – you

just need to be willing to have fun and

get involved.

The work: No two canal work sites are

exactly the same. Every canal has its

own distinctive features and building

materials, as the original canal builders

used whatever was available to hand

to build the canal. Combine this with

the many different jobs involved in

restoring a canal and you will find that

Canal Camps offer a wide variety of

work. Each camp offers you different

opportunities from restoring a lock

chamber and learning to lay bricks,

to driving excavators and reprofiling

a section of canal or rebuilding a

towpath... and even more muddy skills

like clearing smelly black slimy silt from

lock!

Whatever volunteering opportunity

you choose, it will be a unique and

memorable experience, and will help

bring the derelict waterways of England

and Wales back to life!

canal camps week-long holidays run by

volunteers for volunteers

www.wrg.org.uk

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camp facts

When? WRG run over 25 Canal

Camps every year – mostly in

the summer months from June to

September, but we also have an

October Camp and a camp running

from Boxing Day to New Years Day.

For up to date information on camps go

to www.wrg.org.uk or email to request

a brochure.

age: anyone aged between 18-70

cost: Between £56-£80 (this includes

food and basic accommodation)

accommodation: best described as

‘basic’ in one large room. You will need

to bring a sleeping bag and sleeping

mat/airbed/camping bed with you (don’t

worry we make sure you get to have a

warm shower at the end of each day!)

transport: many people come by car,

but if you arrive by train/bus we’ll pick

you up from the station in one of our

big red vans.

working day: the working day usually

runs from 9am to 5pm … but don’t

worry there will be plenty of tea

breaks! We try to organise social

activities in the evenings (eg swimming,

cinema, boat trips) for those who want

to take part. c

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[email protected]

find out more! online www.wrg.org.uk

call us 01494 783 453

email us [email protected]

or write to Island House, Moor

Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA

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Every year WRG run over 25 Canal

Camps and this means we need to find

up to 50 volunteer Canal Camp leaders

and assistant leaders each year.

As leaders you need to be able to give

up a week, have camp experience of

Canal Camps, and most of all be willing

to look after 18 wonderful volunteers!

To ensure that WRG Canal Camps are

a fun and safe experience we also run

a leaders training day so that leaders

and assistants can get together and

discuss all the different aspects of

leading a camp.

If you are interested in becoming a

leader or coming along to the Leaders’

Training Day, then email leaders@

waterways.org.uk and register your

interest.

As well as leaders we need to recruit

Canal Camp cooks – do you fancy

cooking for 18 hungry volunteers?!

Then email [email protected].

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camp leaders / camp cooks

01494 783 453

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festivals

Some of our volunteering opportunities

aren’t directly concerned with waterway

restoration at all – they involve helping

run waterway festivals.

At these events, we help to set up

the festival site beforehand – erecting

marquees, stalls, arenas, fencing,

constructing boat moorings and lots

more! Then we help to run the festival

itself, and take it all down again

afterwards! You can volunteer for up

to 10 days depending on the festival

- check out www.wrg.org.uk for more

information.

”“

Went there, did that - and got the T shirt! First time and loved

it. Will definitely be there again next year!

- Alex Bibby

www.wrg.org.uk

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WRG North West

Our most northern regional group,

based in Manchester. It mainly

organises weekend digs in and around

North West, North East and Wales on

canals such as the Manchester, Bolton

and Bury Canal, Montgomery Canal

and Chesterfield Canal.

WRG Bit In The Middle

Draws membership from anywhere

that isn’t covered by our other groups,

and even some who are! They have

members from as far afield as Kent,

Herefordshire and East Anglia,

although most are from the home

counties. BITM works on a wide variety

of sites, based mainly around central &

southern England.

Somewhere, every weekend

throughout the year, there will be a

dirty weekender helping restore the

waterways of Britain.

Find your local group...

dirty weekends

WRG South West

Formed in 2004 with the aim of

restoring canals in the South West,

including the Herefordshire &

Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire and

Brecon, Cotswold, Grand Western

and Wilts and Berks canals. WRGSW

are always on the look out for new

volunteers to join them on weekend

digs.

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London WRG

Regular weekend digs on canals

throughout the country. Most of its

members come from London but they

also welcome people from around

the country. London WRG mainly

work on canals in southern England,

such as the Wilts & Berks, Cotswold,

Basingstoke and Lichfield canals.

[email protected]

WRG Forestry

WRG Forestry Team draws its

members from the regional working

parties. The Team carry out work

from a single tree removal to major

scrub and tree clearance, for canal

restoration projects. All the Team’s

chainsaw operators have undergone

LANTRA & NPTC training.

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Essex WRG

Formed from the Chelmsford Branch

of The Inland Waterways Association

following completion of the Springfield

Basin restoration on the Chelmer &

Blackwater Navigation. This group

was assembled to harness the skills

developed on this project for use on

other schemes in the South East. It

runs both single day and weekend

work-parties and new volunteers are

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keep up to date

... by subscribing to ‘navvies’ the Waterway Recovery Groups magazine for people restoring the waterways. It only costs £3.00* for 6 issues a year. Subscribe online www.wrg.org.uk/navvies* additional donations welcomed

1301494 783 453

dirty weekends

costs between £8 and £15

which includes food and

accommodation.

accommodation is basic, you

will need to bring a sleeping bag

and sleeping mat.

transport: WRG can pick you up

from the nearest

rail/bus station

or try and find

you a lift.

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training

diggers, dumpers and dredgers.

Many people still call what we do canal

digging, but nowadays we rarely do it

by hand with picks and shovels – we

use excavators and dumper-trucks

instead.

To ensure that sites are managed

responsibly and due care is taken

with regard to control of plant and

vehicle operation, WRG runs a Driver

Authorisation Scheme. This allows

volunteers to be trained, by specialist

instructors, on items of plant such as

excavators, dumpers and tractors,

and most importantly ensures that

they are safe to do so. The Driver

Authorisation Scheme card is neither

a ‘driving licence’ nor a certificate of

competence, but gives volunteers the

opportunity to learn a completely new

skill whilst on a canal camp.

To find out more about driving

diggers, dumpers, vans and much

more check out the WRG website

www.wrg.org.uk

training weekend

Every year WRG runs a training

weekend which allows volunteers

www.wrg.org.uk

New Experiences – New

Skills… learn how to

operate machinery, lay

bricks and help restore

Britain’s industrial heritage!

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to learn new skills and whilst also

improving and developing skills

learnt previously. We run courses in

writing risk assessments, first aid,

bricklaying, surveying, operating

excavators and much more. This

weekend is a great chance to become

a true 21st century navvy! To find out

when the next training weekend is

email [email protected]

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I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and

it’s the best hobby I’ve ever done, to meet like minded people and to do a worthwhile activity is amazing!

-Becky Parr ”“

[email protected]

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find out what we are up to this year online: www.wrg.org.uk call us: 01494 783 453

email us: [email protected] us on twitter: @wrg_navvies

find us on facebook: ‘WRG’

Waterway Recovery Group is part of The Inland Waterways Association (registered office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA). The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee, registered in England

no 612245, and registered as a charity no 212342. VAT registration no 342 0715 89. Copyright Waterway Recovery Group 2012. WRG reserves the right to decline bookings without a specified reason. Photos supplied by WRG volunteers.

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