Big Garden Birdwatch 2016

If you can take a break from canal walking, watching or boating this weekend - please find time to join in the Big Garden Birdwatch.

The weekend of 30/31 January is the time of the 2016 RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. It will take you an hour and is suitable for all ages and abilities.  

Throughout the country more than half a million people are set to take part by counting the birds in their gardens - they can also make a record of the other wildlife that they see throughout the year, providing a vital snapshot of UK nature.

You can request a free pack from the RSPB or simply register your details - and save yourself time this weekend.

Boaters help to steer recovery from Boxing Day Floods

The following has been taken from a press release issued by the Canal and River Trust:

Canal engineers have been buoyed by the support of local boaters as they attempt to assess the full damage caused to the historic Calder and Hebble Navigation by the Boxing Day floods.

Members of the Calder NavigationSociety (CNS) and Inland Waterways Association (IWA) have been offering their boat-handling skills to enable staff from the Canal and River Trust to assess the damage from the water.

The floods were some of the worst ever seen on parts of the waterway network in the North and the scale of the damage means that the Trust’s own workboats either can’t get to some areas or are being used on other flood-related repairs.

Using a boat lent by hire firm Shire Cruisers at Sowerby Bridge, members of the CNS and IWA have taken staff from the Trust out on to the water to get a better look at lock gates and mechanisms and also to check out any obstructions in the water. The Safe AnchorTrust based in Mirfield has also made a similar offer of help.

Jon Horsfall, waterway manager for the Canal and River Trust said; “We were delighted to receive the offer from the Calder Navigation Society, IWA and Shire Cruisers and it’s been a genuine help in enabling us to get a clearer picture of the damage caused by the floods.

“Their offer has helped us to see things that you wouldn’t be able to from the towpath and to get into hard to reach places on the opposite side of the canal. It’s a fantastic, and very warmly received, example of people pitching in to get things back up and running as quickly as possible.” 

Mike Fretwell, Secretary of the Calder Navigation Society said; “The damage to the navigation is obvious and we wanted to help out in any way we could to get things reopened as quickly as possible. While we may not be experts in bridge construction, we are practised boaters and used to operating locks and so we were happy to offer our help in surveying the navigation, where possible by boat.”

Nigel Stevens from Shire Cruisers said; “Everybody is pitching in and it was nice to be able to help. We had one of our hire boats available and wanted to do our bit to help get things back up and running.”

Elaine Scott, IWA West Riding Branch Chairman said; “It is brilliant that the Canal and River Trust can bring different people together to try and get the navigation open as quickly as possible”.

For more information on the impact of the Boxing Day floods on the region’s waterways go to:

www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/our-regions/north-east-waterways/flooding-updates-in-your-area

Clean-up efforts on flood hit Calder and Hebble Navigation swing into action

Local people are being asked to lend their support to clean up efforts on the flood-hit Calder and Hebble Navigation.

The Canal and River Trust, the charity that cares for 2,000 miles of historic waterways in England and Wales, is organising a clean-up of the canal after the Boxing Day floods caused widespread damage to the towpath and dumped rubbish and other debris.

The Trust is holding a volunteer event between 10 am and 1 pm on Saturday 23 January focused on the canal between Elland Lock and Park Nook Lock. Local people can help repair the towpath, rebuild a damaged dry stone wall and clear the rubbish that the floodwaters have dropped.

Jon Horsfall, Waterway Manager for the Canal and River Trust said; “The Boxing Day floods were the worst we’ve ever seen on our waterways and have caused major damage on the Calder and Hebble Navigation.

 

“You only have to take a walk to Park Nook to get an understanding of the havoc that the floods wreaked. The towpath has been washed away, walls have been destroyed, there’s rubbish lying everywhere, a boat was even lifted onto the bank and dropped against the trees – it really is a chaotic scene.

“We want to get the canal and towpath back to its best as quickly as possible so that it can once more be enjoyed by the local community. That’s why we’re asking local people to help where they can and this volunteering day will be a great opportunity for us all to pull together and begin to get things back to normal. We’ve already had lots of fantastic offers of support and we’re very grateful for any help that people can give.” 

The meeting point for the clean-up is the Colliers Arms, off Park Road, HX5 9HZ at 10 am on Saturday 23 January. The Colliers Arms has kindly offered the use of its car park for people wanting to help out.

For more information on volunteering contact Lucy Dockray on 07767 383736 or lucy.dockray@canalrivertrust.org.uk.

Rebuilding canals in the heart of flood-hit communities

Since the dreadful floods over the Christmas period, staff from the Canal and River Trust have been busy inspecting bridges, embankments and wash walls - assessing the damage and putting together plans. Many individuals and local voluntary organisations have already been heavily involved in helping to deal with the damage the flooding caused.  You can read about some of the work that has taken place by visiting the Canal and River Trust website just click on this link.

As CRT says "The kindness and spirit of those that have helped so far has shown what can be achieved in the face of adversity".  But the Trust needs to raise significant funds to make sure that this wonderful work is not wasted. The money will be used to repair things like major structural failures and to deal with canal breaches and landslips. CRT must also fix holes, washouts and clear deposited silt that have forced the closure of towpaths and waterways.

Please show your solidarity with the thousands of people whose lives have been turned upside-down. Help the Trust rebuild canals in the heart of flood-hit communities by making a donation today.  Flood appeal - donate now

Water Resources Strategy 2015-2020

The Canal and River Trust has published its Water Resources Strategy:  Putting the water into waterways.  A lengthy document but well worth the read.

Flooding in Mirfield - Boxing Day 2015

This is a video which appears on YouTube - Mirfield Floods