Grapevine Issue 34, Summer 2013

Chiltern Grapevine Issue 34

Branch makes donations to Canal & River Trust IWA Chiltern Branch has made two donations of £500 each to the Canal & River Trust. One of the donations of was made to Jeff Whyatt, General Manager of C&RT’s South East Area and is for work on Lock 12 of the Aylesbury Arm, which collapsed in March. This is a very expensive task and the failure of the lock has closed the navigation. It is hoped that the work will be completed by October.

The other donation of £500 was presented to John Guest, General Manager of CRT’s London Area as a contribution towards the costs of repairs to Reeds Bridge over the Slough Arm. The canal was closed while the footbridge was removed.

The cheques were presented by Branch Chairman, Dave Chapman, at the IWA National Waterways Festival, Cassiobury Park, Watford. Dave commented ‘The canal arms of the Grand Union are an essential aspect of the character of this waterway. It is important to ensure that these navigations are maintained and that more use is made of them. Hence we are delighted to make these donations and look forward to ever closer cooperation with the Canal & River Trust.’

At the presentation Keith Clayton, Chairman Middlesex Branch; John Guest, CRT London Area Manager; Brian Fender, Chairman, London Area CRT Partnership; Ian West, Chairman, IWA Festivals; Dave Chapman, Chairman, Chiltern Branch; John Best, Chairman, South East CRT Partnership; Jeff Whyatt, CRT South East Area Manager; Paul Strudwick, Chairman, IWA London Region

Chiltern Branch Newsletter Summer 2013 www.waterways.org.uk/chiltern

Chairman's Ramblings Wow, that came around quickly. That was my reaction when Peter Winter told me he needed my input for the next Grapevine!

Wow, also my reaction when I saw the quality of the stand Chiltern Branch and the London Region created at the IWA National festival. Without doubt, Peter and the rest of the Chiltern Branch team produced the most professional display I have seen from any Branch or Region at the last ten Nationals.

Wow, to the sight of the Chiltern Boat Jumble Sale stand on the Friday morning of the National; first sales were completed well before opening time!

WoW or Wild over Waterways is the IWA program to encourage families to take an interest in our waterways.

Chiltern branch now has a WoW kit that we can use at events. It is a series of educational games that cover many aspects of our waterways, and whilst the children are engrossed, we have the opportunity to talk to the parents and to encourage them to take an interest in their local waterway and perhaps to become IWA members. See page 6.

We are now seeking a co-ordinator for WoW activities in Chiltern Branch; all activities require parents or guardians in attendance, so volunteers do not have to bother with CRB clearance. No committee work is involved and it is hoped a small team of Chiltern members will be interested.

Please contact a committee member for more information.

Page 2

You’ll have seen on the cover of this issue of Grapevine that Chiltern Branch has made donations to C&RT and perhaps are wondering why we took this initiative. Well, IWA is the oldest waterways charity and C&RT the youngest. I feel that the C&RT has much to learn about being a charity and to further our local objectives, we want to forge close links with our local C&RT teams. Just as C&RT has to learn how to think like a charity, so it will take IWA and its members some time to adjust our way of thinking. What is important is that we work effectively together and there will be a growing number of opportunities for direct and practical joint involvement by IWA/C&RT groups in improving our waterways for all.

Dave Chapman C HI L T E R N G R A PE V I NE

News Chiltern Branch WoW Coordinator: We’ve got the kit to get children interested in the waterways, so now we need someone to lead this activity at our events. Contact any committee member for further information.

New members: Chiltern Branch is pleased to welcome the following new members: Miss S Lewis-Campbell Mr J Dyer Mr A Johnson Mr R Kingsley-Smith Mr & Mrs T Smith Planning Croxley Rail Link: Hertfordshire CC and London Underground have been granted the powers to build, operate and maintain the Croxley Rail Link. This is the final go ahead for the £118M scheme which is the first new railway line in Hertfordshire since 1925. It will see the Metropolitan Line re-routed and extended to Watford Junction via Watford High Street and involves a new crossing over the Grand Union. New stations will be provided at Ascot Road, which forms a park and ride site for the area and Vicarage Road, serving the hospital and football ground. Construction work is scheduled to begin in 2014 and the first trains should run on the new line in 2016.

Work Parties Himalayan Balsam Bash: On 24th July a group of Chiltern Branch volunteers working with C&RT revisited the side ponds of the locks on the Marsworth flight to clear this invasive plant. It had been cleared last year, but needed a return visit to keep the problem under control.

Coir Roll Laying: Volunteers are wanted for a work party at Horton, near Ivinghoe, to fit coir rolls in behind the reeds at the canal’s edge, to provide bank protection along a 200m-long stretch. This project will be undertaken in association with C&RT, who will have an experienced member of bank staff and one of their volunteering team on hand to supervise.

All materials and tools will be provided.

No date has been set for this project, but it is intended that it be undertaken before the end of September. If you’re interested, please contact John Brice on 07740 733241 or john.brice@waterways.org.uk.

Wendover Arm Trust Following the success of the Restoration Open Day in June it is planned to repeat the event on Sunday 8th September. See pages 8 & 9.

Errata: Included with this issue of Grapevine is the Meetings Programme Card. Dave Chapman’s phone number should be listed as 07808 720555.

PLEASE Sign up for IWA Chiltern e-News Postage costs are the biggest expense in bringing Grapevine to you, so why not get your news by email and receive an enhanced version of Grapevine as well as regular bulletins about what’s going on. This means that you get a better service while reducing costs. That has to be good, so sign up at www.waterways.org.uk/chiltern.

And remember that you can always get a hardcopy version by coming to one of our evening meetings when copies are always available.

S UM ME R 20 13 I S S UE

Page 3

From the Region Chairman On July 3 we heard that the Government had postponed the transfer of the Environment Agency navigations to the Canal & River Trust.

Environment Minister, Richard Benyon, said that cuts to his Department’s budget had led to economies which made the transfer unaffordable in 2015/16. This is bad news and we must now expect increasing prices and reduced maintenance on the Rivers Thames, Medway, Nene and Ouse.

One of the things I said I would do when I first started these notes was to explain what each part of the IWA did. I apologise for not doing much over the last couple of years but here’s the next installment. The IWA has three layers, the branches (such as Chiltern), the Regions, which encompass a number of branches (Chiltern Branch is part of London Region) and at the top is the Board of Trustees and a group of committees and limited companies that support the running of the Association. The Trustees are elected by you and have legal responsibility for the Association. They must by law ensure that the Association does what it was set up to do, uses funds at all levels correctly and wisely and that we operate within the law. The limited companies run the IWA shop and the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation without putting the Association at risk and to comply with the law.

So what is my role? Most importantly I have to keep you, through your branch committee, informed about what is going Page 4

on and to represent your views to the Trustees and its committees. I also represent the Region to outside bodies, such as C&RT, when discussing issues that affect more than one branch area.

Although it is high summer we need to start planning for winter. The C&RT has recently issued plans for boats without a home mooring.

You may find these interesting as London has the largest concentration of these boats. Have a look at them; they are at http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/ mooring/winter-moorings. Moving towards a solution to mooring problems in London is painfully slow. I met with C&RT to discuss the problem of mooring on lock landings in central London and whilst we agreed a way forward, nothing has materialised yet. I have also been talking to members of the Greater London Authority who are now looking into the effects of the number of boats in the area.

It will be interesting to see what comes out of that conversation.

Finally, I wish to thank everyone for their efforts in producing the London Region Village at this year’s National Festival, with a special thanks to Peter Winter and his team who produced the London Region display. The number of compliments I received from other Trustees and parts of the Association shows how successful all your efforts have been. We have really set a target for others to aim for in the future.

Paul Strudwick London Region Chair Person C HI L T E R N G R A PE V I NE

Ricky pulls in the Crowds The 21st Rickmansworth Canal Festival held over the weekend of 18th & 19th May was a great success and attracted many thousands to view the sights and events.

Well over 100 boats were moored along the towpath and in the Aquadrome there was plenty to see on the trade stalls and in the Environment Fair. As ever, the entertainment was enjoyed by all and staged at three locations across the Festival site.

Dave Montague, Chairman of the Rickmansworth Waterways Trust and Festival Director, commented ‘I think we've had one of our most successful festivals and I've been delighted to hear such positive comments from the public, other partner organisations, traders, caterers, performers and anyone who came at the weekend.

People leaving on Sunday had smiles on their faces having had a great day at a really inclusive community event.’

Prior to the event there had been concern that the withdrawal of financial support

by Three Rivers Council might jeopardise the future of the festival. However, the good weather drew in the crowds who responded generously to the bucket col-

The tombola and Treasure Island game proved to be very popular

lections. The final outcome was a profit of over £25,000 that will ensure that RWT’s education programme can continue to benefit children across the area.

Chiltern Branch had its marquee canalside just below Batchworth Lock and we were pleased to welcome visits from the Mayor of Rickmansworth, C&RT managers and members of the IWA Festivals team.

Carolyn Leonard organised a tombola and Treasure Island game, which proved very popular especially with the younger generation.

Next year’s event will be on the 17th and 18th May 2014. Put it in Chiltern Branch Marquee canalside by the working boats your diary.

S UM ME R 20 13 I S S UE

Page 5

The National at Cassiobury

Photo: John Brice

The London Region Village at the National

Memories of vehicles and visitors being bogged down in the mud (as at St. Ives) were a far cry from this year’s National at Cassiobury Park, Watford, which was bathed in continuous sunshine. The fantastic blue and redshirt teams had to work through the heat wave during the entire run-up to the event and as a result the festival site was in great shape by the time of the opening by the Mayor of Watford Borough Council, Dorothy Thornhill, on Friday 19th July.

Due to the nature of the park, the main festival site was situated some distance from the canal where over 200 boats were moored either side of Iron Bridge Lock together with a number display craft. The main arena featured stands from a wide variety of boat and marine companies and traders of all sorts. There was also a good line up of entertainers performing throughout each day, and of course a wellstocked real ale bar.

Page 6

A particularly successful feature of the Festival was the Wild over Waterways (WoW) Trail, which involved over 300 children undertaking various activities at locations around the site. We ran one of the activities on the Region stand. You can

Photo: John Brice

WoW was a great hit C HI L T E R N G R A PE V I NE

see from the picture just how enthralled with members of other branches and the children were in this simple task. societies.

Children (and even adults) also had the The National provided a welcome opportunity to spend 15 minutes opportunity to restage the Chiltern Boat developing their skills as a digger Jumble for the first time in several years, operator, so there should be plenty of and this was organised by Liz Norris and qualified volunteers for the Wendover Carolyn Leonard. A vast amount of Arm restoration in future years. material was on offer and most was sold There was great anticipation for the fly- raising over £1700 for Branch funds. past by a World War II Spitfire on Saturday afternoon and the pilot didn’t disappoint the s pe c ta t or s ma ki n g several runs over the site.

Since the Festival was being held in Chiltern Branch territory, we took the initiative to organise a London Region Village with displays and activities from several branches and organisations all Carolyn and Liz sold an amazing amount of jumble grouped together.

Middlesex Branch, South London Branch and the Wendover While the sun shone and the event had Arm Trust joined us in the village, whose plenty to offer, it has to be said that the centrepiece was a display showcasing the overall attendance was disappointing, diversity of activities undertaken by the especially given the hard work by all the various branches in the London Region. A volunteers. For Chiltern Branch itself, we late addition to the exhibit, which attracted had a good presence and raised valuable much attention, was a display from a funds thanks to the excellent efforts of our University of East London M.Sc. student, own team of volunteers, led valiantly by Kiesse Andre, that presented plans for the John Brice who sported three broken ribs Slough – Thames Link. We were pleased for his efforts! to see many of IWA’s Trustees and CRT Next year’s National will be a free entry managers on the stand, which provided a event at Stratford-upon-Avon on 5th & 6th forum for discussions with the public and July.

S U M M E R 20 1 3 I S S U E

Page 7

Wendover Arm Open Day Jenny Brice looks back on a successful event Following on from the success of last year’s “Walk an Arm’s Length”, it was decided to arrange days when the public would be encouraged to visit the canal and view the the current state of the restoration workings.

Luckily for the volunteers we decided on June 2nd and the sun shone for us. The event was held in and around St. Mary the Virgin Church in Drayton Beauchamp. The Reverend Elizabeth Moxley kindly offered the use of the church and its facilities. We were also allowed to use the adjacent privately owned field for the car parking. The open day was advertised locally and flyers distributed at previous waterways events.

We are lucky to have a good team of tea ladies who also make extremely good homemade cakes and they duly assembled at 12 o’clock to be shown the facilities and to arrange their supplies on a large table near the church entrance.

The members of this small church had installed a complete mini kitchen for our use. This was most impressive, with tea urn, kettles and a large butler sink for clearing up. We had access to it all and it was so convenient.

We set up small tables for groups to enjoy their refreshments. There was a main marquee for membership and Wendover Arm Trust sales, with Mike and Greta Wright on hand in full costume to sell Grand Draw Tickets.

During theflows afternoon scheduled four Forceful on the we Leeds & Liverpool Page 8

guided tours to the current restoration site a short walk along the towpath. At the site Restoration Director, Roger Leishman, gave in depth explanations on the methods used, while the diggers and dumpers were working furiously below moving the spoil in the canal bed. These talks proved so interesting he found he was still answering questions to one group when the next arrived.

Consequently Roger didn’t get his lunch till 4pm.

Photo: David Lonsdale

Visitors are taken on a towpath tour

During the afternoon “The Knights of Harmony” barber shop singers from Chesham put on two performances in the church. These performances were donated free of charge to the Trust and greatly enhanced the afternoon for many C HI L T E R N G R A PE V I NE

Photo: Nigel Williams

Roger Leishman explains all to the tour groups

visitors. We also had Chris Sargeant who volunteered on the microphone to keep the visitors informed and also provided background music in between.

The visitors were comprised of locals keen to get more information on the restoration, members of the Trust who came to see how the work was progressing, and walkers and cyclists who were out for the day and found to their surprise and delight, superb tea and cakes along their route.

The day was a great success in so many ways. It was interesting for visitors to see the work site and get an informative update on current progress, it raised funds for the restoration by sales of merchandise, draw tickets and especially the refreshments provided, and it gave the public S U M M E R 20 1 3 I S S U E

the opportunity to either become a member of the Trust, or become a member of the restoration team.

It is planned for a similar event to be arranged on September the 8th when the Grand Draw winners will be picked. Put a note in your diary and join us for an informative and enjoyable afternoon.

Page 9

Roving the River Rother

Photo: John Brice

Picturesque Bodiam Castle

miles from the Sluice Lock to Bodiam are kept navigable, and also enshrine the principal that it is a free river with no tolls.

The IWA provides ÂŁ1,000 towards the cost of the Trailboat Festival to cover publicity and other requirements such as slipway access. Temporary slipways vary greatly as the slope has to be a certain ratio and also a large turning circle is required on the bank for backing the trailers down. There are usually a number of club members at the slipway to help launch and retrieve, so problems are always overcome. The organizing IWA branch or local Trust arranges trailer storage with local enthusiasts who have land available.

On this occasion we arrived in driving rain at Scots Float Sluice Slipway (a permanent slipway) on Friday night, having travelled very slowly around the M25 in the Bank Holiday traffic. By this time it was 5.30pm and Barry Green, the Lock Keeper, arrived to say he must raise the sluice gates to reduce the level

The purpose of the IWA Trailboat Festival is to publicise the less well known waterways, and often these have no access to the main network. This year’s festival was at Bodiam Castle on the River Rother in East Sussex on the 25-27 May. The River Rother flows for 35 miles through East Sussex and Kent, and at Bodiam to Rye the river bed level is below high tide height, so the Scots Float Sluice is used to control levels. It prevents salt water entering the river system and r etains r iver water in the summer months to ensure the health of the surrounding marsh habitat.

The Rother Level A c t s o f Parliament dated 1826 and 1830 ensure that the 12 Cruising the River Rother Page 10

Photo: John Brice

C HI L T E R N G R A PE V I NE

of the river and that we could not launch till after 7pm. He then disappeared for his evening meal and so did we.

At 7pm he duly returned and we were given the go ahead to launch. Bernard Snell, a fellow Wilderness owner, came up to help. The slipway was steep and long with no pontoon to use when taking the ropes but Bernard, having helped a number of boats, had worked out the best way to proceed. Once launched it was impossible to drop the engine due to the shallow water over the slipway, so the boat had to be turned 180 degrees.

Then by standing on the roadway a good 10 feet above us, Bernard lowered a rope to be attached to the stern cleat and with help from another person on the grass the boat was swung round. This is a river, so all the time we were hampered by the flow.

We were now in business with the engine started, but waited to tow a steam launch along to the moorings. While we gracefully did pirouettes, the steam launch was pushed into the river, a rope thrown and then we unsteadily made our progress up to the moorings by the lock keepers cottage.

I now sorted out the interior of Beehive while John drove the trailer to a local farmer’s barn. Two other boats from the club arrived after 9pm and decided it was too late to launch. As the opening ceremony was at lunchtime next day, they launched very early to be ready for the 3 hour cruise to Bodiam.

The river has high flood banks, which were raised after the 1960 floods and 20 S UM ME R 20 13 I S S UE

Archimedes Screw Pumps were installed along the river’s route. Its meandering course takes it through the drained marsh, so it was impossible to see any views, although the cow parsley growing on these banks looked amazing. Along the way we encountered many bird

Photo: John Brice

Festival Opening Ceremony

houses up high on long stakes; these were installed in 2008 to encourage Barn Owls. Any moorings along the river needed gang planks due to the reeds and foliage at the water’s edge. There was only one village Newenden along the way, which had a boat club nearby.

On arrival at Bodiam, we joined the other boats at our moorings on the Castle bank side. We all received a National Trust carrier bag with leaflets about the local area. The official opening was by the Mayor of Rye, who along with many other local dignitaries had been invited for the ceremony. Along the banks were three Associations; the Kent and East Sussex IWA (who organized the event), the River Wey which is owned and run Page 11

Bodiam Festival (continued) lined with pill-boxes.

On Saturday evening a BBQ was laid on by the NT with music provided. The weather was so good that we all took our food and drink and sat together along the river bank, a really good Wilderness gathering. As usual we put on an illuminated boat display, although due to the narrowness of the river, this was a static display.

On Sunday evening we all attended the Wilderness Boat Owners AGM, which was followed by an outstanding projector presentation using photos of past events; all accompanied by an appropriate m u s i c a l background.

On Tuesday we cruised back to Scots Float Sluice Lock.

It was Photo: John Brice drizzling but we Delightful moorings by the lock keepers cottage could not complain after presentation on its history as a ship such lovely bank holiday weather. A building village. This was when the number of us stayed for a few days River Rother and other waterways moored by the lock keepers cottage and covered a much greater area inland. Our we used the days for visits around the 3½ mile walk along the Royal Military local area.

Canal allowed us to see the kinks along The total cost for the time spent at the its length which had been planned to festival and on the River Rother was improve firepower if the enemy tried to only ÂŁ20, a bargain for these days. All in cross it. Fortunately by the time the all this was a superb festival, which will canal was completed in 1809 the threat be hard to beat. of war from Napoleon had passed.

Jenny Brice Nevertheless it was requisitioned by the War Department in 1935 and the banks by the National Trust and The Wey and Arun Trust. As this was National Trust Land no commercial stands were allowed.

The organizers laid on a minibus for the festival users and we had many trips to choose from including Smallhythe a NT property nearby, the towns of Rye and Battle, and a walk along The Royal Military Canal. They had also negotiated a 20% reduction on the local steam railway which ran from Bodiam to Tenterton.

At Smallhythe we were given a

Page 12

C HI L T E R N G R A PE V I NE

Shara’s Summer Boating Holiday Part II Shara Lewis-Campbell continues her tale of an eventful trip on the Leeds & Liverpool After the long journey from London, we eventually arrived at Gargrave where the boat was moored. This is a pretty little Yorkshire town, and its beauty was quite serene as we drove past its elegant bridge that somewhat appeared too large for the stream it bestrode. I thought we had definitely made the right decision in coming here for our holiday.

On our way to the moorings we passed the Pennine Way national trail and encountered groups of hikers and bikers making their way through the charming countryside, overlooked by pristine whitewashed fronts of residential cottages, some covered with ivy and some with flowering shrubs. All was perfect and tranquil and the views certainly lived up to our expectations .

the notes from the previous tenants. There was mention of a leak situated near the kitchen sink that they were unable to find the source of. The leak they referred to appeared to be a small surface puddle on the carpet. Graeme and I exchanged glances and agreed it didn’t appear to be that serious. We decided that once we had left the moorings we would stop off at the nearest boatyard to get it seen to. As the boat was facing in the direction of Leeds that would be the route we would take.

With the preliminary checks completed we had a quick cuppa, and then Graeme left for the coach station to collect the rest of the travelling party, I remained behind and unpacked our luggage whilst waiting

We unlocked the boat in bright sunny conditions and proceeded to run through the boarding process, opening the doors and windows to let the sun and fresh air inside. The previous occupants had only left the night before so the atmosphere was not that stale. We turned on the gas and the electrics for the boat, fridge and other appliances, put all the poles and boarding planks that had been stored inside, on to the roof where they would remain for the duration of our time on board.

We were required to log the mileage daily and as we began to enter our notes in to the log book we began reading through Graeme gets to grips with the ropes S UM ME R 20 13 I S S UE

Page 13

Shara’s Holiday (continued) for the others to return. Whilst I waited I took a moment to reflect and stepped outside the boat and onto the deck, I unfolded a deck chair into the reclining position, put on my Ray Bans, placed my novel beside me and began to take in the scenery. It wasn’t long before I was greeting the occasional passers-by and fellow travellers on their boats, including those walking the towpaths. It never ceased to amaze me how friendly folks were on this side of the tracks in comparison to those who walked briskly by in London.

The peace was soon interrupted by the shrieking of the girls’ excitement in seeing me as they ran towards the boat laughing and squealing in delight. As I lifted them both on to the boat and welcomed Dan and Yvonne on board, events unfolded in the normal manner we were accustomed to. Once we were settled,

Graeme, Yvonne and I drove back to Skipton to the supermarket to get the week’s shopping supplies, leaving Dan and the girls fishing happily from the boat. The first night on the boat was truly wonderful, upon returning with the shopping we soon sat down for our evening meal, and stayed up late planning the events we wanted to partake in during the remainder of our time on the boat.

Graeme and I awoke early the next morning and due to the boat’s limited space, we wandered along the towpath, allowing the others to get up ready for the day’s events. We stopped to look at a herd of cows that had become trapped in the woods next to the fields, and witnessed one of the cows falling over the fence in an attempt to break free. Was this a premonition of the events that were about to overtake our boating adventure?

Part III in the next issue.

Chiltern Branch Meeting Venue From September 2013 Chiltern Branch evening meetings will be held at Little Chalfont Village Hall, Cokes Lane, Little Chalfont, Bucks HP8 4UD. Directions: Little Chalfont Village Hall is in Cokes Lane which runs south from a mini-roundabout junction with the main A404 road between Rickmansworth and Amersham. The hall is located by the Library and there is a Car Park. It is approximately 600m from Chalfont & Latimer railway/tube station.

Access to the hall is on the flat and so offers easy access. There are also toilet facilities for disabled members.

Page 14

C HI L T E R N G R A PE V I NE

Diary 17th & 18th August

23rd October at 8.00pm

Marsworth Lock Ransom

Evelyn’s War, the Life of an Idle Woman

This is the fun weekend, when we help boaters through Marsworth bottom lock and talk to visitors about the IWA and the waterways. We’ll have windlasses at the ready from 10am to 6pm each day, so why not join in. You are also invited to join the team for a meal at the Angler’s Retreat on the Saturday evening.

20th to 22nd September

Weekend Away to Essex and Suffolk 25th September at 8.00pm

A Cruise along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal Christopher Dyche The Staffs and Worcester was part of Brindley’s Grand Cross of canals and carried commercial business from its opening in 1772 to the 1950s. Now it is one of the most attractive waterways for narrowboating. Chris Dyche, assisted by Ann Pollard, will take us on a cruise along its length. Chris is President of the Staffordshire & Worcetsershire Canal Society.

The IWA is a registered charity (No. 212342) whose work is supported by member's subscriptions. The IWA campaigns for development of Britain's waterways for use by all.

The IWA may not agree with the opinions expressed in this Newsletter but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless stated, otherwise the IWA accepts no liability for any matter in this Newsletter.

S UM ME R 20 13 I S S UE

Tim Coghlan Evelyn Hunt, Audrey Williams and Ann Blake crewed a pair of boats on the Grand Union travelling to and from Brentford and the Warwickshire coalfields from 1942 to 1945. Tim will tell us about their life and times on the canal. Tim is well-known as the owner and Managing Director of Braunston Marina and he is also a regular contributor to magazines and newspapers.

27th November at 8.00pm

The Waterways of Northern France and Belgium Roger Squires While most cruise scenic favourites such as the Midi, Nivernais or Bourgogne, Roger’s path takes a look at the less visited canals from Dunkirk to Ostend. So this travelogue may tempt you to go north.

Roger has been a life-long supporter of the canals and waterways in the UK and internationally. He has been an IWA Trustee and London Region Chairman. He was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2012.

Advertising Donation Rates One Issue

Four Issues

Full Page

£50

£160

Half Page

£30

£100

Quarter Page

£20

£70

Back cover 50% extra

Members small ads £1 for12 words. Extra words 10p. Send payment with the advertisement to the Editor.

Page 15

The Back Page

Get Here: By Boat: Just pull up outside! By Foot: On the towpath opposite Bourne End Marina.

By Car: Park near Bourne End train station and cross over the railway bridge, then turn right along the towpath, The Bounty can be found about 300 metres away.

Your Committee Chairman

Dave Chapman

01628 850842 07808 720555

dave.chapman@waterways.org.uk

Secretary

Liz Norris

01438 238187 07977 374116

liz.norris@waterways.org.uk

Treasurer

Ken Aylmer

01923 232515

ken.aylmer@waterways.org.uk

Programme Secretary

Colin Bird

01932 248178

colin.bird@waterways.org.uk

Fundraising & Waterway Events

John Brice

01494 873298 07740 733241

john.brice@waterways.org.uk

Planning Officer & Membership Secretary

Carolyn Leonard

01628 526512

carolyn.leonard@waterways.org.uk

Publicity Officer

Judy Clegg

01442 875818

judy.clegg@waterways.org.uk

Newsletter Editor

Peter Winter

07722 184117

peter.winter@waterways.org.uk

Assistant Newsletter Editor (non-committee post)

Shara Lewis-Campbell

07951 483836

shara.lewiscampbell@waterways.org.uk

IWA representative to WAT (non-committee post)

Jenny Brice

01494 873298

jenny@johnbrice.co.uk

www.waterways.org.uk/chiltern