Working Holidays
2011
www.wrg.org.uk
volunteers restoring the waterways
Holidays with a difference… Waterway Recovery Group working holidays, called ‘Canal Camps’, are a great experience for anyone who loves being outdoors and is interested in having fun, whilst meeting people with different backgrounds and from different countries. Our camps also offer you a fantastic chance to learn new skills such as bricklaying, stone walling, machine operation and restoration techniques. How do canal camps work? In groups of up to 20 volunteers, you can help with essential restoration work on the derelict waterways of England and Wales. Volunteers will be able to take part in various tasks from vegetation clearance to learning how to build a lock wall. Whether you are a complete beginner or have tried your hand at restoration before, you will be guided through every task by the canal camp leader and their assistant. Our working holidays are open to anyone aged between 18 and 70. Volunteers come from all walks of life... so why don’t you do something completely different in 2011! Accommodation Our standard accommodation is best described as basic – usually in village halls, scout huts or community centres unless otherwise stated. There will always be a hot shower on offer after a muddy day on site!
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40 years of restoring the waterways
...only £56 per week! The working day Our week-long working holidays usually start around 4pm on the first Saturday and finish at lunch time on the following Saturday. The working day usually runs from 9am to 5pm (depending on the weather!) with plenty of tea-breaks and lunch on site. A cooked breakfast and a substantial, home-cooked evening meal will be provided. Duke of Edinburgh Award WRG welcomes participants completing the residential aspect of their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. All volunteers participating in the scheme must attend the camp for the full seven days to be eligible for the award. What do I need to bring? You’ll be sent a full list of what to bring, the essentials being… • sleeping bag & mat (or mattress) • waterproofs • old work clothes • steel toe capped boots or wellies
How to book It’s easy to book onto one of our canal camps and become a 21st century canal navvy! book online www.wrg.org.uk call 01494 783 453 ext. 604
...and most importantly a sense of humour! We will supply any other safety equipment required, including a hard hat.
email enquiries@wrg.org.uk to receive a booking form in the post.
get outdoors and dirty in 2011
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Cotswold Canals In 2011 WRG is helping the Cotswold Canals Partnership restore two locks on the Thames and Severn Canal and Stroudwater Navigation (collectively known as the Cotswold Canals) which once linked the Thames, through the Cotswold Hills, to the Severn. Although the canal closed over fifty years ago, the waterways are still part of the landscape with many sections still visible today in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.
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book now www.wrg.org.uk
Inglesham Lock
Eisey Lock
Be part of the first canal camps at Inglesham Lock! Inglesham Lock is seen as the gateway to the Cotswold Canals restoration.
Eisey Lock is a Thames and Severn Canal lock designed to take Thames Western Barges.
The Inland Waterways Association is in the process of raising £125,000 to enable volunteers to restore and recommission this iconic structure just off the river Thames at Lechlade.
Following on from 3 years of successful summer camps, WRG is returning for a final push to restore the lock.
(Wiltshire)
(Gloucestershire)
cost: £56 accommodation: basic activities: demolition, dam construction, bricklaying
Work will include construction of a site compound, landing stage and dam. Volunteers will also start rebuilding the upper wing walls of the lock.
The Easter and first summer camp will focus on demolition and rebuilding of the lower gate recesses and walls, with the August camp concentrating on clearing the lock chamber of the mud, removing the scaffolding, together with final landscaping of the site.
These camps give volunteers the opportunity to get their hands dirty right at the start of an exciting project.
If you have bricklaying experience or want to learn how to bricklay then these could be the camps for you!
dates: 13th-20th August 20th-27th August 27th August-3rd September
bricklaying
cost: £56 accommodation: basic activities: demolition, bricklaying, landscaping
mortar mixing
dates:
16th - 25th April (£72) 25th June-2nd July 6th-13th August
heritage skills
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Cromford Canal (Derbyshire)
The Cromford Canal is a waterway being reborn in the heart of the Peak District. The canal originally ran for 14 miles from Cromford to the Erewash Canal carrying coal, lead and iron ore, but in 1944 most of the canal was abandoned and it slowly fell into a state of disrepair. Volunteers will be working on a site nestled in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and will spend the week enlarging an overflow weir. Volunteers will also help repair stone walls and construct silt traps. This is going to be a busy, fun filled week, so do something different this summer and join us on the Cromford Canal!
cost: ÂŁ56 accommodation: basic activities: construction, stone
dates:
16th-23rd July
walling
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for more information call 01494 783 453 ext 604
Chesterfield Canal (Derbyshire)
The Chesterfield Canal is one of the most beautiful and varied waterways in England. Officially opened in 1777, its most famous cargo was stone to rebuild the Houses of Parliament. Restoration work is now well advanced with much of the canal re-opened. In 2011 WRG will be helping construct the New Staveley Town Lock. Over the two weeks volunteers will start to lay the first bricks and blocks to build this new lock. There will be plenty of work to keep both skilled and newcomers busy!
cost: ÂŁ56 accommodation: basic activities: lock construction,
dates: 2nd-9th July 9th-16th July
brick & block laying
preserve
get involved
learn
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Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation (Essex) The Chelmer and Blackwater runs through a largely unspoilt part of rural Essex and connects Chelmsford with the tidal estuary of the River Blackwater at Heybridge Basin. To help maintain this beautiful waterway WRG is running 3 camps this year. So why not join the Essex Waterways team this summer as they have an array of tasks waiting for you! Get stuck into various improvement works including bank protection, painting, towpath clearance, and repairs. Accommodation for the week is on a barge moored in the tidal estuary, converted for residential use. These camps are different from our normal restoration projects but if you fancy helping us keep this active and vibrant waterway alive then this is the camp for you! cost: ÂŁ56 accommodation: superior activities: vegetation clearance, bank protection
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dates: 19th-26th February 25th June-2nd July 22nd-29th October
River Avon (Warwickshire)
The navigable river Avon runs through some of the finest landscapes in central England, from Tewkesbury on the Severn to Stratford-upon-Avon. It is hoped that one day a navigable link can be created between Stratford-upon-Avon and the Grand Union Canal creating a linear water park that can become a valuable public amenity. WRG will be working in conjunction with the local trust on an exciting project to create a slipway at Barford providing access for boats onto the Higher Avon. Work will include excavation, sheet piling, concreting and landscaping. This is sure to be a fun and technical camp so why not spend a week full of new experiences. cost: ÂŁ56 accommodation: basic activities: landscaping,
machine operation, concreting
book now www.wrg.org.uk
dates:
2nd-9th July
Basingstoke Canal (Surrey)
The Basingstoke Canal is one of the few canals we work on that is navigable. In the early 1970s restoration work began and although 32 miles of the canal have now been fully restored, there is an ongoing need for maintenance and improvement works to sustain it. This year we will be involved in a multitude of tasks including water conservation works. This camp will offer volunteers the chance to operate excavators and dumpers, so why not come along and try your hand at something completely different.
cost: ÂŁ56 accommodation: basic activities: machine operation,
dates:
25th June-2nd July
canal maintenance
drive a digger
new skills
restoration
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for more information call 01494 783 453 ext 604
Montgomery Canal
Monmouthshire Canal
Escape with us to the stunning countryside of the Welsh Borders.
Generally referred to as the ‘Mon and Brec’, the Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canals form a 50 mile link between the Brecon Beacons National Park and the South Wales Valleys.
(South Wales)
(Shropshire)
In 2011 volunteers will be trialling several innovative and sympathetic approaches to restoring a length of the Montgomery Canal using Bentonite matting, clay and geotextiles.
There will be plenty of activities on this camp to keep you busy during the week, from scrub bashing, to the repair and repointing of lock walls, and the removal of silt from Ty Coch and Lower Brake Lower locks. Volunteers will be given the chance to attend a 1-day training course at Ty-Mawr Lime Mortar Centre. This handson course gives volunteers the opportunity to learn the art of using lime mortar in construction.
WRG will also undertake bank piling and rebuilding of the towpath where it has been damaged due to subsidence. In addition to that, volunteers will have the chance to get involved in constructing a stone wall using heritage techniques and lime mortar. These will be great camps for first-timers and experienced WRGies alike because of the varied tasks so don’t delay, book now! cost: £56 accommodation: basic activities: construction, piling, heritage restoration, stone walling
dates: 6th-13th August 13th-20th August 20th-27th August 27th August-3rd September
new friends
cost: £56 accommodation: basic activities: heritage
dates:
9th-16th July 16th-23rd July
construction skills, vegetation clearance
new experiences
great memories
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Festival Camp Burton upon Trent
Christmas Camp Montgomery Canal (Shropshire)
(Staffordshire)
Our main Canal Camps programme ends in October but that doesn’t mean we go into hibernation for the winter.
Now for something completely different! Why not come along and help us set up the largest waterways event of its kind in Europe. Every year we help set up The Inland Waterways Association’s National Festival by building the site, putting up market stalls, fencing, track-ways and then dismantling it all at the end. Also whilst the festival is running we provide site services and help entertain and educate the public. The festival is being held at Burton upon Trent this year (near the Marston’s brewery) so it’s sure to be a fun 10 days! cost: £72 accommodation: marquee activities: site construction plus lots of festival fun!
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dates: 25th July-3rd August
This year the Christmas Camp will be working on the notorious ‘dry section’ of the Montgomery Canal clearing vegetation along the line of the canal so there will be plenty of scrub bashing, bonfires and other winter activities. It’s the perfect opportunity to work off your Christmas dinner and start the New Year in style! Festive season Canal Camps are just as much fun as summer ones so book now!
cost: £56 accommodation: basic activities: scrub bashing, bonfires
book now www.wrg.org.uk
dates:
26th December-1st January
Other Waterway Events BCN Cleanup 9th - 10th April This cleanup weekend on the Birmingham Canal Navigations is a great way to have fun and make a difference‌ plus you never know what exciting rubbish you might find lurking in the water! For more information (not run by WRG) go to www.wrg.org.uk WRG Bonfire Bash 5th - 6th November In November we hold our annual major work party and big get-together. If you enjoy scrub-bashing and bonfires then this is the weekend for you! For more information go to www.wrg.org.uk Wey and Arun Canal Trust Working Holiday (WACT) July 30th - 6th August The restoration of the Wey and Arun Canal is progressing well and in 2011 the Trust is running its own working holiday. Volunteers will be involved in the construction of a new culvert. If you’d like to get involved please contact George Whitehead tel: 07721 684 690 or email: (not run by WRG) georgewhitehead1@tiscali.co.uk.
Weekend volunteering
For those with not a lot of time to spare we also have two-day volunteering opportunities avaliable with our regional groups. For more information please go to www.wrg.org.uk
scrub bashing
people
festivals
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calendar
All camps (except CC201102,12 & 22) run from Saturday to Saturday
February 19th - 26th February Chelmer and Blackwater CC201101
March/April 16th - 25th April Cotswolds (Eisey Lock) CC201102
June 25th June - 2nd July Chelmer and Blackwater CC201103 Basingstoke CC201104 Cotswolds (Eisey Lock) CC201105
2nd - 9th July Chesterfield CC201106 Avon Slipway CC201107 9th - 16th July Chesterfield CC201108 Monmouthshire CC201109 16th - 23th July Cromford CC201110 Monmouthshire CC201111 25th July - 3rd August National Festival CC201112
14
August
book now!
6th - 13th August Cotswolds (Eisey Lock) CC201113 Montgomery CC201114
9th - 10th April BCN Cleanup
July
30th July - 6th August WACT Working Holiday (not run by WRG)
13th - 20th August Cotswolds (Inglesham Lock) CC201115 Montgomery CC201116
online: www.wrg.org.uk call us: 01494 783 453
email us:
enquiries@wrg.org.uk
20th - 27th August Cotswolds (Inglesham Lock) CC201117 Montgomery CC201118 27th August - 3rd September Cotswolds (Inglesham Lock) CC201119 Montgomery CC201120
October
Manchester
22nd - 29th October Chelmer & Blackwater CC201121
Nottingham
November 5th - 6th November Bonfire Bash
Oxford
tbc WRG
Cardiff
December 26th December - 1st January Christmas Camp (Montgomery) CC201122
www.wrg.org.uk
01494 783 453 ext 604
London
canal camp booking form personal details
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age limit you must be over 18 by the start of the camp to book on. cancellations If you wish to cancel or transfer your booking please inform us 21 days before the start of the camp. Your payment will be refunded, less a £10 administration fee, or transferred. If you cancel less than 21 days before the start of the camp, no refund can be made.
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Please return completed form to: WRG, Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA
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 2010. WRG reserves the right to decline bookings without a specified reason. Photos supplied by WRG volunteers.