NEWS
Hugh Potter
SUCCESSFUL TRAIL BOAT FESTIVAL AT MOIRA
A BRIGHT, colourful and busy weekend resulted from the inclusion of IWA’s National Trail Boat Festival within the annual Moira Festival, held on the isolated restored section of the
Ashby Canal. A dozen or so trail boats made a colourful display on the usually quiet canal and brought life to the waterway that normally sees only the local trip boat moving. Thousands
overfly by a Spitfire, Morris dancing in many varied forms, live music, falconry displays, and a good selection of stalls including a small number of canal-related organisations.
CAMPAIGN FESTIVAL AT KIVETON PARK
JOIN THE RESTORATION COMMITTEE
OVER 40 BOATS attended IWA’s National Campaign Festival held at Kiveton Park, the current head of navigation of the Chesterfield Canal. Most of these had arrived via the tidal River Trent from the main waterway system. Even moored two abreast, the boats stretched from close to the main rally site at Dog Kennel Bridge almost to the bricked up portal of Norwood Tunnel, taking advantage of the dredging and bank improvement work that had been specially carried out by British Waterways. The small land-based event on nearby hardstanding comprised stands from waterway societies (including the distant Wilts & Berks), catering stalls and displays of local metal and wood crafts. Displays showed the proposed route of the Chesterfield Canal along the as yet to be restored length between the head of navigation and Staveley.
WHETHER YOU are currently an active member of IWA at branch, region or national level or an armchair member who thinks ‘I really should be doing something more’, we would like to hear from you. We meet six times a year throughout England and Wales, and communicate largely through email in the interim. A couple of hours of your time each week is all we are likely to ask of you - but you can volunteer for much more! We are seeking new Committee members from around the country, especially those with the ability to find funding sources, manage and update technical information, collate and publish information either electronically or by more traditional means, website management skills, planning, engineering, heritage or ecology. At least one member from
Hugh Potter
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of local visitors turned out in the sunny weather to enjoy the excellent site adjacent to the restored Moira Furnace and to witness World War II battle re-enactments, complete with
the North West of England would be especially welcome, as would any members who are willing and able to attend occasional weekday meetings. Depending upon the number, those members expressing an interest are likely to be invited to the Committee’s 24th October meeting that is scheduled to be held along the route of the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal. If you are interested in being considered for this vital work please contact the chairman of Restoration Committee, Vaughan Welch, on 0121 477 9782 or write to him at 29 Dice Pleck, Northfield, Birmingham, B31 3XW. Whatever your background, if you can help us to be a representative of our membership we encourage you to apply.
14 / IWA WATERWAYS / autumn 2009
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