Canal Camps Brochure 2020 by The Inland Waterways Association

2020

canal camps

Canal restoration working holidays

Volunteer with us

waterways.org.uk/ canalcamps 1

Why you’ll love volunteering for Waterway Recovery Group • Meet new people and make lifelong friends • Be part of a friendly and diverse team • Learn new practical skills • Gain valuable work-related experience • Help restore our industrial heritage

It was great to work with a lovely mix of people and ages; I especially liked the opportunity to learn new skills and try my hands at using a variety of tools. Throughout the week, I felt encouraged and supported. - Zefra Khelif 2

Camps & Dates for 2020 15th - 22nd February Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation (CC202001) 14th - 15th March B irmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) Clean-up (BCN2020) 8th - 10th May Training Weekend (TW2020) 16th May Leaders Training Day (LTD2020) 23rd - 30th May River Waveney (CC202002) 30th May - 6th June River Waveney (CC202003)

22nd - 29th August Cotswold Canals (CC202016)

4th - 11th July Swansea Canal (CC202004) Wey & Arun Canal (CC202005)

29th August - 5th September Cotswold Canals (CC202017)

11th - 18th July Wey & Arun Canal (CC202006) 25th July - 1st August Derby Canal (CC202008) 1st - 8th August Lichfield Canal (CC202010) Wilts & Berks Canal (CC202012)

24th - 31st October Cotswold Canals (CC202018) Wey & Arun Canal (CC202019) Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation (WRGFT) 7th - 8th November Reunion Weekend (BB2020) 26th December - 1st January Christmas Canal Camp (CC202020)

8th - 15th August Wilts & Berks Canal (CC202013) 15th - 22nd August Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation (CC202014) Cotswold Canals (CC202015)

Just add volunteers Canal Camps are a great experience for anyone who loves being outdoors and enjoys meeting new people of different ages and from a variety of backgrounds. Run by the Inland Waterways Association’s Waterway Recovery Group (WRG), Canal Camps allow participants to learn new skills whilst helping bring derelict waterways back to life.

Each Canal Camp costs just £70 per week

age limit

accommodation

WRG Canal Camp working holidays are open to anyone aged 18 and above.

Volunteers sleep in a village hall or similar with access to electricity, toilets and draughtfree sleeping areas. Hot showers are provided at the end of the day. You will need to bring a sleeping mat or camp bed.

experience It doesn’t matter whether you are a complete beginner or already have some skills, you will be guided through every task by the Canal Camp leadership team.

kit list You’ll be sent a list of what to bring. You will need steel toe capped footwear. We will supply safety wear, such as hard hats and safety specs.

food There will be a cooked breakfast, lunch on site and a substantial home cooked evening meal along with plenty of tea and cake. Let us know if you are vegetarian or have special dietary requirements.

Free time Evenings are free to socialise with your fellow campers. Camp Leaders will organise activities such as bowling, cinema or go to the pub, so don’t forget to bring some extra money if you want to join in.

Transport Car parking is provided. If you arrive by train or bus, we will pick you up from the designated station. We also provide transfers between the accommodation and site.

Navvies Our magazine will update you on our restoration activities. First time volunteers will get one year’s free subscription. 4

Duke of Edinburgh’s award

Book Now

A Canal Camp is a great way to complete the residential section of your Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. All volunteers participating in the Award are expected to attend the Camp for the full seven days.

waterways.org.uk/canalcamps 5

For me, Canal Camps are an irresistible combination of muddy, grubby physical activity, enjoying the open air, getting hands-on experience of our heritage, sharing adventures with all sorts of friendly people, achieving something tangible of value to society, acquiring knowledge and new skills.

- Ralph Mills

BCN clean-up £13

Leaders training day (Free)

Location: Walsall Canal, Birmingham Activities: Canal Clean-up Dates: 14th - 15th March

Location: Brownhills Community Centre, Walsall Activities: Leadership Training Dates: 16th May

Ever wondered what’s lurking beneath the waters of the Birmingham Canal Navigations? Over the past four years, over 140 tonnes of rubbish has been cleared from the BCN – including lots of treasures such as an electric guitar, motorcycles, a safe and of course lots of shopping trolleys! WRG’s annual cleanup weekend is a great opportunity to have fun and meet new people, whilst making a welcomed improvement to Birmingham’s Canals.

Every year we run a Leaders & Assistants Training Day for volunteers running Canal Camps and for those who are interested in getting involved or considering giving it a go. Join us on this relaxed and inclusive day and find out more about what our leaders and assistants do. We always welcome eager volunteers and will provide all the support and training needed to help you lead or assist a WRG Canal Camp.

Training Weekend (Free)

Reunion weekend 2020 £13

Location: Lichfield Canal Activities: Heritage Training & Machine Operation Dates: 8th - 10th May

Location: To be confirmed Activities: Vegetation Clearance Dates: 7th - 8th November WRG’s Reunion Weekend is our big annual get together and a working party of up to 100 volunteers. It’s also known as the Bonfire Bash because we usually spend the weekend clearing vegetation along the line of a canal and warming ourselves by bonfires. There will also be the chance to have a sneak peek at our Camps programme for 2021.

Want to get a head start on your Canal Camp, learn how to use new tools and equipment or try your hand at operating an excavator? Our Training Weekend upskills volunteers involved with canal restoration or looking to give it a go! Learn transferable skills and get to grips with operations carried out on construction projects under the supervision of our fully trained instructors.

Sites for 2020 cotswold canals £70 Location: Stroud, Cotswolds Activities: Lock Restoration & Aqueduct Installations Dates: 15th – 22nd August, 22nd – 29th August, 29th August – 5th September, 24th – 31st October

Ebley Mill © Mike Gallagher & Cotswold Canals Trust

We are supporting Cotswold Canals with their challenging but exciting project to reconnect the Stroudwater Navigation back to the national canal network. Volunteers will undertake the restoration of Westfield Lock and the construction of the new Oldbury Brook Aqueduct. Over the three

weeks, volunteers will excavate and uncover the in-filled lock and will start preliminary works for the aqueduct. These camps are great opportunities to develop a wide variety of heritage and transferable construction skills, with support from many of our technical experts. 8

Swansea Canal ÂŁ70 Location: Swansea Bay, South Wales Activities: Heritage Construction Dates: 4th â€“ 11th July

A perfect opportunity to learn heritage restoration skills whilst making a positive impact to the area. Volunteers will work at Trebanos Lower Lock to rebuild and repoint the lock chamber, reinforce the banks and repair the structures. Dredging of the one mile section in 2019, below Trebanos Lower

Lock, means that a navigable working lock here is top priority for the canal. The Swansea Canal originally ran for 16.5 miles and was steeply graded, needing 36 locks to enable it to rise 373 feet over its length. Subsequently, parts of it were closed and filled in but around 6 miles of it remains in water. 9

River waveney £70

Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation £70

Location: Beccles, East Anglia Activities: Lock Repairs Dates: 23rd – 30th May, 30th May – 6th June

Location: Essex Activities: Vegetation Clearance & Carpentry Dates: 15th – 22nd February, 15th – 22nd August

This will be our fourth year at Geldeston Lock on the River Waveney continuing to restore the lock near Beccles. This summer, working alongside River Waveney Trust, volunteers will focus their efforts on restoring one side of the lock chamber; removing damaged brickwork and carrying out repairs using lime mortar. This camp has restricted numbers and preference is given to volunteers looking to step up and become a volunteer leader or camp assistant.

The Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation is an unsung gem, running through an unspoilt part of rural Essex. Volunteers in February will help clear overgrown vegetation from the towpath to keep this popular route open for everyone. In summer, volunteers will undertake technical carpentry and joinery work to restore a widely used bridge on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation at Beeleigh Weir. 10

For enquiries, please contact: canalcamps@waterways.org.uk

lichfield Canal £70

Derby Canal £70

Location: Staffordshire Activities: Towpath Restoration, Excavation & Lock Maintenance Dates: 1st - 8th August

Location: Derbyshire Activities: Lock Restoration Dates: 25th July – 1st August Returning to Borrowash Bottom Lock, volunteers will continue to uncover and rebuild the original stone walls above and below the lock chamber. We will also be visiting Sandiacre Lock to begin restoration of the upper gate area using brickwork. This camp offers a great opportunity for volunteers to learn heritage restoration skills and bricklaying. Our Derby Camp is also famed for its interesting social activities each evening – last year involved abseiling off an aqueduct.

The Lichfield Canal covers a distance of over seven miles through 30 locks. Despite the challenges, such as the building of the M6 Toll Road over the line of the canal in the 1990s, restoration continues with significant progress being made recently. Volunteers will work at either the Tamworth Road Section or Fosseway Heath Nature Reserve; undertaking lock maintenance, excavation and restoration. 11

wilts & berks Canal £70 Location: Shrivenham, Wiltshire Activities: Bridge Restoration & Brickwork Dates: 1st – 8th August, 8th – 15th August

Returning to the Wilts & Berks Canal after a number of years away, volunteers will reveal and rebuild the foundation stones and wingwalls of Steppingstone Bridge. Volunteers supporting the project over the two weeks will have plenty of opportunity to undertake both heritage and modern

construction techniques. The 52-mile (84 km) canal was opened in 1810 but abandoned in 1914, with much of the original canal line lost permanently. Volunteers are working to both restore what is left and create new routes.

wey & arun Canal £70 Location: Birtley, Surrey Activities: Bridge Construction Dates: 4th – 11th July, 11th – 18th July, 24th – 31st October

Experienced machine operators and civil engineers are encouraged to apply for our summer Camps to help build the bridge.

The Wey & Arun Canal was opened in 1816 as a safe route from London to ports such as Portsmouth. It was abandoned in 1871 but significant restoration work has been carried out since the 1970s. Volunteers on this year’s camps will be working towards building the second of two new lift bridges needed to bring the Birtley

section of canal back into working order. The work will involve preparing the site for future work and to begin the construction of the bridge. This camp is a perfect opportunity for budding engineers and construction enthusiasts to experience first-hand what it takes to work on a significant infrastructure project. 13

Family weekend camps £15 per person

Book no w

Please call : 01494 783 4 53 ext 607 Open to fa milies with child ren aged between 6 and 14

Locations: Royal Gunpowder Mills (London): Summer TBC Wendover Arm Canal: 23rd - 25th October Activities: Various

Due to popular demand, WRG’s Family Weekend Camps are back for a third year with more sites and new activities to welcome families to the world of canal restoration. It’s not all work as evening activities will be planned for the weekend. Families will be provided

with accommodation (families will need to bring their own sleeping gear). The activities involved will make practical improvements to the canal, help enhance the waterways for wildlife and learn what it is like to live like a Navvy. 14

Christmas camp ÂŁ70 Location: To be confirmed Activities: Vegetation Clearance Dates: 26th December 2020 1st January 2021

Our Canal Camps programme ends in October, however, every year we run a Christmas Camp from the 26th December through to New Years Day. Work will include vegetation clearance, perfect for bonfires to keep you warm. Work your Christmas dinner off and

start the New Year in style! Site is yet to be confirmed for 2020 but check the website for more information.

weekend digs

Help run a canal camp

WRG’s Regional Groups organise weekend canal restoration ‘digs’ for volunteers throughout England and Wales. The work can be anything from restoring a lock chamber to vegetation clearance, there really is something for everyone. The weekends start on the Friday evening and volunteers work on site from Saturday morning until Sunday afternoon. Each weekend costs between £8-£15 which includes food and accommodation.

Our Canal Camps also need leaders and organisers to help run them. Volunteers donate their own holiday time to ensure that each and every volunteer who joins us can have a fun filled and safe week. As a WRG Canal Camp Leader, assistant or cook you will need to have some experience of Canal Camps and be willing to look after (or feed) 18 wonderful volunteers.

waterway restoration

our restoration goals:

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) supports the creation of a robust and vibrant waterway restoration sector, delivering re-openings of waterways and preserving our unique waterways heritage structures. IWA provides a centralised service for advice and resources, plus practical, hands-on support to enable waterway restoration groups to manage their waterway projects.

support We are a central point of contact, helping signpost restoration groups through the challenging process of restoring a waterway. Through our panel of experts such as engineers, planning advisers, health and safety experts, we produce guidance, workshops and free online resources. We visit restoration sites and can offer specialist support and resources.

Visit our website for more details: w aterways.org.uk/ restoration

before

enabling restoration We provide practical assistance through both week long and weekend working holidays. Training includes construction and machine operation skills, we advise on site health and safety and contribute over 40,000 volunteer hours a year towards practical canal restoration and planning.

Championing restoration

after

We campaign on behalf of the waterway restoration sector, lobbying to return even more miles of canal and river to navigation. We are looking to demonstrate the value of the waterway restoration to politicians, media, local government and other stakeholders.

Love your Waterway Restoration

Book now

Over five hundred miles of the UK’s waterways have been saved from dereliction since the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) was founded in 1946. Many more miles are gradually being brought back to life thanks to the work of IWA and WRG volunteers as well as the extraordinary hard work and dedication of restoration groups all over the country.

70 for just £ per week

WRG is part of IWA and together we aim to support, enable and champion restoration nationally. IWA spends around a third of its membership subscription income to benefit WRG’s practical hands on work. And it’s not just financially that IWA supports restoration. Volunteers regularly lobby politicians, provide advice, expertise and publicity and combined with WRG volunteers our aim is to ensure the future of our waterway heritage.

Keep up to date with WRG: @wrg_navvies facebook.com/ waterway recoverygroup

Join us on one of our Canal Camps 2020

01494 783 453 canalcamps@waterways.org.uk 19

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 2020. WRG reserves the right to decline bookings without a specified reason. Photos supplied by WRG volunteers. Back cover ÂŠ Ralph Mills

waterways.org.uk/ 20 canalcamps