Leicestershire Branch Committee Branch Chairman (Acting): John Evans Highfields Farm, Woodhouse Road, Quorn, Loughborough, LE12 8AL Tel: 01509 416647 jandwevans@quornvillage.com Vice Chairman & Membership Secretary: David Stevenson Tel. 01530-458257 dj.stevenson7@ntlworld.com Secretary :
Situation vacant
Treasurer: David Brewer Tel. 0116-2303144 dandlbrewer@talktalk.net Social Secretary: Beryl McDowall Tel. 07710-029247 beryl@nbwasp.co.uk Planning Officer and Volunteer Co-ordinator: Ian McDonald Tel. 07932 156539 ianmcdonald@uwclub.net MOWS & Restoration: Mick Clowes Tel. 01509-414140, M.S.Clowes@Lboro.ac.uk Archivist: Jim Evans Tel. 0116 273 9838 Maggie Young Tel. 0116 224 8755 maggie3751@hotmail.com Newsletter Editor (Non Committee): Andrew Shephard T: 0116 267 2630 M: 07710 362 952 M: 07794 067 619 E: andrewshephard@madasafish.com Website Editor: Herbert Eppel HerbEppel@gmail.com
Winding Ways Winding Ways is the newsletter of the Leicester Branch of the Inland Waterways. The next issue will be out in 2012. All contributions are welcome. Please send to: Andrew Shephard, 41 Roman Road, Birstall, Leicester, LE4 4BB, or email to: andrewshephard@madasafish.com
Opinions expressed in Winding Ways are not necessarily those of the Association, and the Editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish material submitted for inclusion.
Welcome to New Members The Committee would like to extend a very warm welcome to the following new members who have signed up since the last newsletter: July 2011 Mr R. Francis, Lutterworth Mr P.S. Green, Barrow-on-Soar. Mr C.J. Parker, Market Harborough. Mr & Mrs J.F.R. Smith, Rothley. Mr & Mrs D. Wade, Kirby Muxloe. August 2011 Mr M. Chell, Thurmaston. Mr R. Dixon, Melton Mowbray. Mr R. Harrison, Sileby. October 2011 Mr & Mrs T. Chapman, Market Harborough. Mr J. Cherry, Leicester. Mr K. Govier, Leicester. Mr & Mrs A. Jervis, Loughborough. Mr & Mrs J. Odley, Newbold Verdun. Mr P. Phillips, Leicester. Mr J. Oliver, Leicester. Mr S. Rice & Mrs C. Taylor, Leicester. Mr G. Robertson & Mrs J. Clark, Lutterworth. Mr R. Woods & Ms L. Pound, Syston. November 2011 Mr & Mrs H. Buckley, Ravenstone. *Miss H. Flookes, Mountsorrel. *Mr N. Kim, Leicester. *Mr J. Park, Oadby. *Miss K. Warwick, Great Bowden. *Miss J. Williams, East Shilton. * These persons were awarded One Year membership for their work with the Waterway Recovery Group.
(HOW) ARE YOU RECEIVING ME? As stated in the previous two issues of Winding Ways if you are able to receive electronic communications and have not specifically requested a paper copy of our newsletter, you will only be able to access it on the website. With ever increasing postage costs this allows us to make significant savings. If you would prefer a paper version please let a committee member know and we can still make the necessary arrangements. Similarly, if you use e-mail but have received a hard copy of WW, it means that Head Office does not have a note of your e-mail address. It would aid communication and cut our costs if you would send a message to iwa@waterways.org asking the membership department to record your e-address. Thank you!
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Volunteering By Ian McDonald In these uncertain times with just when & how the transition from British Waterways into the new Canals & Rivers Trust will happen, what is certain is that funding will continue to be the major issue for our beloved waterways. Everyone can help on this by giving up a bit of time to do something to help maintain the infrastructure that will otherwise either cost BW / CRT money or if left undone will lead to their deterioration. Last year we organised a few working parties & it was generally considered that what we achieved was worth the effort, and I think that people actually enjoyed the time they spent helping. So can you help? I‟m sure we will be needed somewhere soon. Our efforts previously have been intermittent, but would members find it better if we had a scheduled series of outings so that diaries can have dates listed? Last year we undertook work on and around Mountsorrel Lock and also clearing Pennywort. We had scheduled a work party at Lime Kiln Lock alongside Abbey Park but had to cancel it as there was an insufficient number of available volunteers. This was a great pity as there is a plaque on the wall alongside commemorating the National Rally held there in 1967 & our Chairman was most upset at the condition of it and its surroundings when he passed through on the way to the Riverside Festival. John would like us to be able to adopt the lock formally so that, on a regular basis, one or more of us would go there and spruce things up. A similar scheme is currently being set up at Mountsorrel Lock. Last summer when cruising out of Liverpool I noticed a stream of cans and bottles flying into the air from behind a bank of reeds alongside the canal. As I reached the “fountain” I saw the source was a local resident who regularly goes along his stretch & clears the rubbish. It doesn‟t need any formal session, it doesn‟t need a full work party, it just needs someone to give some time on a regular basis, but only at times (& weather!!) to suit the volunteer. Stuart Collins, our local BW volunteers coordinator, has said that he has a procedure set up to facilitate such individual volunteer efforts in such a way as to give full BW/CRT Health & Safety compliance. So I would encourage everyone to get enthused by the prospect of more time by the water and get in touch with me to say what you can do and when you prefer to do it. Best way is by email as this is how I manage to keep in touch whilst away cruising. ianmcdonald@uwclub.net or 07950 003383, I‟d love to hear from you. Thanks. Ian Volunteers in the Melton area are always welcomed by MOWS. See P. 2. Ed.