Waterfront Issue 13 Spring/Summer 2021

Issue 13, Spring/Summer 2021

Waterfront The Canal & River Trust Magazine

Sustaining our future Hear how you’re helping us make our canals and rivers as green as they are blue

Water wonder woman How Jo Moseley’s love of water transformed her life

Getting active How we kept moving even in lockdown

Welcome A warm welcome to Waterfront. As we put the dark days of winter behind us, this issue looks forward to a brighter, more active, more sustainable future.

We hear about our exciting plans for a greener future. exciting plans for a greener future. Find out how we helped people in Cheshire stay active during lockdown. You can learn about an amazing floating garden at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port, and see why life is better by water for paddle-boarding wonder woman Jo Moseley.

But first, we start by sharing some stories and pictures from fellow readers. Waterfront would be nothing without our community. So please keep on sharing over the summer. Tell us how you’re still enjoying your local canal at supportercare@canalrivertrust.org.uk.

“ Being able to take my daily walk exploring the Weaver Navigation and other local waterways brought me much joy and peace during lockdown. Thanks for all the work to keep canals and rivers as places for us all to enjoy.”

Rosie Lyus Created by the Canal & River Trust and Cherry Tiger Ltd. All content is owned by the Canal & River Trust and may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

Contact: William Coffin. Canal & River Trust, First Floor North, Station House, 500 Elder Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 1BB. UK registered charity: 1146792. Printed at Seacourt Limited, a net-positive company powered by 100% renewable energy, using no water or chemicals and generating zero landfill.

All the materials used in products bearing this label are sourced from forests that have been audited by an independent third party to confirm that they are managed according to FSC’s rigorous social and environmental standards. Of all the FSC labels, FSC 100% contributes most directly to FSC’s objective, forests for all, forever and is therefore the highest mark of distinction for certified products.

2

“ Here’s a shot I took one wintry morning on the Kennet & Avon Canal near Bath, a beautiful stretch which I enjoy running along most weeks. The chill of winter but the warmth of a canal boat.”

Howard Jones

In this issue: 4-5 Getting active in Cheshire How the Over-55s kept moving even in lockdown

6-7 Rising to the Plastics Challenge Discover how our Plastics Challenge is inspiring people across the country

8-9 Far from idle women “ Big Track is an interesting and varied ten-mile cycling or walking route alongside the Nottingham & Beeston Canal and the River Trent. I’ve loved exploring it during lockdown, particularly on my new Nottingham-built Raleigh e-bike.”

Malcolm Nabarro www.malcolmnabarro.com/big-track

Learn how the land girls of the inland waterways overcame an unfair nickname

10-11 Brave newt world How your support is protecting amazing amphibians

12-13 Our vital volunteers Why everyone is welcome to give their time to the waterways

14-15 Sustaining our future Hear how we’re making our canals and rivers as green as they are blue

16-17 Living aboard in London Why two young couples choose the canal as their home in the capital

18-19 Water wonder woman How Jo Moseley’s love of water transformed her life “ This is a walk I did with a friend along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal from Bridge 25, Tibberton, to Dunhampstead Wharf on a beautiful frosty morning.”

20-21 Flora and fauna afloat The new floating garden bringing wild days out to Ellesmere Port “ Is this digitally enhanced image a photograph or art? You decide.”

Roger Distill

22-23 Battling the elements How your gifts have helped our winter works keep going

24 Shaping the future We celebrate the many ways we can secure the future of our canals

Geraldine Young

“ An uplifting thought from the Macclesfield Canal.”

“ We live near the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and know how wonderful it is to live by water. It is amazing that around another bend there is always another beautiful and interesting landscape.”

Janet & Robert Pemberton

Colin Hughes 3

Faster further stronger Active Waterways Cheshire: Project lead, Anika (left) and project coordinator, Emma (right)

One of the many ways that the Canal & River Trust makes life better by water is by encouraging more of us to get active along our 2,000 miles of towpaths. Active Waterways Cheshire does just that. Project lead, Anika Neill, explains:

“ We wanted to attract more over-55s down to our canals so they could relax, get fit and improve their physical and mental health.”

Getting Anne active Anne, a 68-year-old retired teacher, joined the programme last year. Being diabetic, Anne was looking for an outdoor activity that catered for people of all levels of fitness. Active Waterways Cheshire was the ideal fit. She was able to get outdoors, meet like-minded people and improve her health too:

“ The towpaths are flat and accessible, a good nonstrenuous starting point for people who are less active.”

It seems to be working. Since its inception in 2018, dozens of local people have benefitted from the project, getting fitter and healthier, making new friends and forging tight-knit support groups. Funded by The National Lottery, distributed via Sport England and entirely led by Canal & River Trust volunteers, Active Waterways Cheshire is open to all over-55s in Cheshire seeking fresh air, fitness and friendship.

On the right path: Getting fit on Cheshire’s canals and waterways

4

Getting active

Staying connected

Improving health

Feeling good

“ Attending Active Waterways Cheshire was wonderful for my quality of life, when my confidence was low and I was feeling sad about not meeting up as frequently with friends.

Given my visual impairment, the volunteers were absolutely brilliant at keeping me safe.”

AnneMarie

Keeping in step

Going the distance

In lockdown, the programme has been even more important in bringing people together who are battling loneliness. As Anika explains: “A lot of people on the programme are socially isolated.

Active Waterways Cheshire provided support and gave people access to local community sessions at a time when similar programmes were shutting down due to the pandemic.”

The social impact of Active Waterways Cheshire can’t be overstated. Since the project began three years ago, it has helped people tackle issues like obesity, ill health, loneliness and depression. Paul joined the programme after moving to Cheshire several years ago. Following retirement, he’d found himself becoming increasingly inactive.

Take AnneMarie, a 74-year-old grandmother from Northwich. Shielding due to a visual impairment had left her particularly isolated. Active Waterways Cheshire gave her the chance to get outdoors, get fit and meet new people.

As restrictions tightened over the winter period, the team at Active Waterways Cheshire had to get creative to ensure their walkers stayed healthy and connected. As Anika explains: “Since lockdown, the programme has been run entirely online to maintain weekly contact and support.”

The group keep in touch via WhatsApp, take part in virtual fitness sessions and are encouraged to keep up their walking (albeit a little closer to home) as part of their daily exercise. The aim is to go a little faster, a little further; to feel a little stronger each day.

With a heart problem, type 2 diabetes and mental health issues compounded by lockdown, Active Waterways Cheshire has been a real lifeline.

“ It’s been absolutely fantastic.

With some fresh air in your lungs, you just feel better about yourself.”

To get involved, contact the team at canalrivertrust.org.uk/activewaterways Stronger together: Making new friends on the towpath.

(L to R) Anne, Paul, AnneMarie.

5

© Nicky Johnston

Since the first lockdown last year, incidents of littering are

up by 83%

Will you rise to the Plastics Challenge?

6

Each year, more than 14 million pieces of discarded plastic end up in our rivers and canals, spoiling the landscape and damaging habitat vital for wildlife.

Much of it eventually finds its way into our seas and oceans, decimating marine life. The current pandemic and the proliferation of throwaway face masks has only compounded the problem.

Jonathan with his son and grandchildren on the Kennet & Avon Canal

As you may know, we launched our very own Plastics Challenge last year in a bid to halt this alarming trend and stop plastics polluting our waterways. So far, thousands of people across the country have pledged their support, joining the fight to help us rid our canals and rivers of unsightly and harmful litter.

Taking a stand against plastic pollution Jonathan took up the challenge last year. As he explains: “On my regular dog walks along the Kennet & Avon Canal near Fobney Lock, I’d noticed an increase in litter. Getting bored of grumbling about it to myself, I decided to do something.” Jonathan pledged to collect 52 bags of rubbish, one for each week of the year. Now, whenever he visits his local canal, he takes a bag and his trusty litter picker with him.

Jonathan’s not alone. Since we launched our latest campaign at the beginning of January, pledges have gone up by a third. That’s more than 1,800 people across the UK who have taken up our Plastics Challenge. But we still need to do more.

The hidden cost of the pandemic Coronavirus has had a devastating human cost over the last year, but also an unexpected and largely unreported toll on the environment. Along with the usual shopping bags and plastic bottles, personal protective equipment (PPE), such as disposable masks and gloves, is finding its way onto our towpaths and into our canals and rivers.

Jonathan has witnessed the problem first-hand.

As he tells us: “During lockdown I watched our wonderful green spaces becoming even more clogged with rubbish, especially cans and bottles, and, sadly, increasing amounts of discarded masks and PPE.”

Recent reports confirm even more PPE is ending up in the natural environment every month, contaminating the world’s rivers and oceans.

Change the world from your own backyard While ridding the planet of plastic pollution might seem like a tall task, people can affect change at a local level. In fact, if everyone who visited our rivers and canals picked up just one piece of rubbish, we could clean up our country’s waterways within a year.

Just ask Bill Bailey, who pledged his support for our Plastics Challenge several months ago: “Plastic is a huge issue and it’s only going to take a massive effort of will to make an impact. If everyone gets involved by doing a little bit when they are out on the towpath, we can make a significant difference, catching it at source before it floats out to sea. By joining the Canal & River Trust’s Plastics Challenge you can help make your local canal a place all of us can enjoy.”

Getting involved with our Plastics Challenge couldn’t be easier. Like Jonathan, you could pick up rubbish while walking your dog, or maybe combine your litter pick with your daily run, cycle or paddleboard session. However you want to contribute, we welcome your support.

Plastic waste is a global problem, but you can make a real difference right on your own doorstep.

Show your support today.

Visit canalrivertrust.org.uk/plasticschallenge 7

The unsung heroes of England’s waterways At the height of the Second World War, a group of pioneering women stepped forward to transport cargo along the Grand Union Canal.

Their work was vital to the war effort yet, over the years, their stories have been largely forgotten. A Friend of the Canal & River Trust and poet, Heather Wastie got in touch to explain how she is helping to bring their lives back into sharp focus.

As war broke out, scores of young boatmen abandoned their vessels to go and fight overseas.

Just as in the fields and factories, it was left to the women to take up the slack.

One such woman was Daphne March. She was working on her family-owned narrowboat ‘Heather Bell’ transporting flour and coal between Worcester, Tipton and Cannock.

In 1941, when Daphne advertised for crew, it gave the Minister of War Transport the idea of recruiting more women to take over this challenging job. Two of the women Daphne recruited, Eily (Kit) Gayford and Molly Traill, were brought in to train others when the government introduced the Women’s Training Scheme in 1942.

Keeping up the home front Years later, those who joined up would be jokingly dubbed the ‘Idle Women’, a play on the initials IW on the blue plastic National Service badges they were awarded. But these women were far from idle. Life on board was tough. The women worked long days, hauling cargoes such as steel, coal and cement along the Grand Union Canal, between London and the Midlands. Operating in teams of three, each crew 8

handled a diesel-powered narrowboat and towed a butty between them laden with up to 55 tons of cargo. Each regular trip was three weeks. The pay was meagre, rations were scarce, and the quarters were small and cramped. Unsurprisingly, not all of the women stuck it out. Those that did played a pivotal role in defending Britain’s shores.

History or her story?

When hostilities ended in 1945, the Boatwomen’s Training Scheme was scrapped. The women were discharged to make way for servicemen returning from the War. Some wrote about their experiences on the canals in books, articles and diaries.

In 2014, the Canal & River Trust commissioned Heather Wastie, the 2015 Worcestershire Poet Laureate, to give these pioneering women a new voice by creating an audio poem, ‘Idle Women and Judies’. Two years later, Heather teamed up with writer Kate Saffin and began touring a full length show of theatre, poetry and song, ‘Idle Women of the Wartime Waterways’. In 2017 they recreated the original journey, taking their unique show to 50 venues in 15 weeks.

As Heather explains: “The stories of these women are very empowering and their work was vital to the war effort. We wanted to bring those stories to life.”

Heather describes her songs and poems as ‘found’ pieces, the words and inspiration taken from the writings of the women themselves. As Heather tells us: “Without these women, we wouldn’t know a lot of things that were happening on the canals during the Second World War. A lot of history is told from the male perspective, the women do get forgotten. The stories get told differently when they’re from the women’s point of view. When I hear about women’s history, it resonates a lot more.”

Indeed, their story reminds us of the generations of hard-working boatwomen who worked alongside their husbands, bringing up their families on board, always on the move, always keeping the boats ahead. With little or no schooling, they didn’t leave us their stories in writing. It’s only right that we should celebrate the memory of all these remarkable women, who served their country so well.

Learn more at canalrivertrust.org.uk/idle

9

Brave newt world Right now, an amazing transformation is going on around ponds, pools and currently unused canal branches. These tranquil waters are the home of the great crested newt, our largest and rarest newt. Waterfront caught up with two of the Canal & River Trust’s ecologists, Paul Wilkinson and Laura Mullholland, to find out a little more about these remarkable creatures.

Paul has been fascinated by newts since childhood. As a boy, he would search for smooth newts with his father along his local canal. “I’ve loved newts since I was four,” he says. “When I was a bit older I found a huge great crested newt and thought my heart would stop. All my books told me they were so rare.”

Dressing to dance Britain is home to three native newts, including the smooth and palmate newts. But it’s the aptly named great crested newt which sees the most dramatic change. For much of the year, the male and female great crested newts are almost indistinguishable.

But as breeding season approaches something remarkable happens:

“ The transformation is astonishing,” Paul says.

“Within a few weeks, they get these elaborate crests that span their entire body.”

When held up in the water the magnificent, jagged crest stands proud, like a tiny dinosaur. In fact, they are modern survivors from that era. A distinctive silvery-white strip appears on either side of its tail too. With its beautiful black-spotted yellow, orange or even red belly on show, it sets about attracting a mate.

Fellow Canal & River Trust ecologist, Laura Mullholland, picks up the story: “When they’re in full breeding dress the male dances for the females,” she says.

“He seems to hover in the water, upright, flashing his tail and displaying his crest.

It’s one of the most elaborate mating rituals in nature.”

As a UK and European Protected Species the survival of great crested newts can’t be taken for granted. On the continent, populations have been devastated. Although Britain has been something of a haven, even here numbers are dwindling.

Learn how to spot a newt by your local canal.

Visit canalrivertrust.org.uk/newt

10

© Alamy

A change for the worse The great crested newt doesn’t do well in flowing bodies of water.

“ They can’t tolerate fish,” Paul explains. “Their tadpoles swim in the open and the fish simply pick them off.”

Great crested newts prefer still ponds, pools and some abandoned sections of canals still awaiting renovation. That’s why the Canal & River Trust protects these bodies of water too.

“We’ve got a few exciting things going on,” Laura and Paul tell us. “Whenever we do any work on a section of the canal, we appraise the local ecology and look for opportunities to help wildlife, including newts.”

This has led to the creation of new ponds every 50m over a six-kilometre corridor across Birmingham, the Black Country and South Staffordshire. Meanwhile, the restoration of the Montgomery Canal includes new reserves for great crested newts. As does our yard at Hatton Locks, where construction trainees dig ponds as they learn to operate mechanical diggers.

A new pond has also come to life just a stone’s throw from the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, thanks to funding from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery and a helping hand from local students.

“It’s looking really good,” Laura tells us.

“There’s some great plant life. That’s really important because the female will carefully wrap each one of the two-to-three hundred eggs she lays on the leaf of a plant like water mint.” With a bit of luck, the pond will be teeming with tadpoles this spring. Let’s hope this proves to be another haven for this remarkable amphibian.

11

Our vital volunteers With 2,000 miles of canals to look after, our volunteers help us look after every lock, bridge or towpath. In the year before the pandemic, they gave us an incredible 704,000 hours of their time. Their generosity and hard work are invaluable to our charity. Volunteering for the Canal & River Trust is a great opportunity to enjoy time by water, learn new skills and share expertise.

You meet other people, enjoy fresh air and the hours and roles you can perform are extremely flexible too. Perhaps you are one of them.

Or perhaps you might like to join in?

Ian McCarthy

Dave Newman

Laura Farrington

Ian has spent an amazing 50 years as a canal volunteer, playing a key part in restorations in the North West and elsewhere throughout the 1970s. He’s also a leading light on the Canal & River Trust’s Council and still works hard with the local community to restore, protect and celebrate the industrial heritage of his local Rochdale Canal.

Dave worked as a hydraulic engineer for a fork-lift truck manufacturer for over 30 years. After retirement, he volunteered for the Trust, joining the engineering team at our Newbury workshop.

He now uses his expertise to maintain and repair the hydraulic pumps that operate the lock paddles on the Kennet & Avon Canal, keeping it open and accessible to all.

Laura works as an education volunteer at our National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port. She provides tours and activities for children, covering everything from lock demonstrations to science experiments. Laura fits her volunteering around her job as a Historic Property Steward for English Heritage.

“ Volunteering has helped me and others to save and treasure the industrial heritage I’m passionate about. Now I want to involve young people worried about climate change and the big picture. Even tidying up a towpath is a step towards a sustainable future.”

12

“ I used to fish the Kennet & Avon when I was a boy, so I’ve known the canal all my life. I think when you retire, you miss the friendship and camaraderie of your colleagues. Since joining the Trust, I’ve made a whole new network of friends.”

“ I love inspiring children and encouraging them to be active and get outdoors.

The Trust does a great job of reaching out to younger people and they have an excellent message about being safe near water, keeping our canals clean and caring for the environment.”

To see what’s available this summer simply visit canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer

facilitate the work of our local leadership team as they implement our national strategy at a local level. As a volunteer he helps forge connections with local community groups to improve the health, wellbeing and safety of 80,000 people who live by local canals.

Anil Majithia As chair of the East Midlands Regional Advisory Board, Anil and his fellow board members help to guide, support and

“ I’m really passionate about how canals can help local people with their well-being and I’m keen to improve both the numbers and the diversity of people who use this wonderful local asset.”

Dave Lee

Sarah Carlile

Simon Barton

Retiree Dave now spends as much time as possible on the canals. He regularly puts in five days a week volunteering in a wide variety of roles across the East Midlands. He started out as a volunteer lock keeper on the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal. Since then, he’s tried his hand at boat moving, bank repair and admin too.

After sadly losing her job during the pandemic, Sarah decided to use her time productively. She’s always enjoyed being outdoors by the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, so volunteering seemed like a perfect fit.

Sarah found a volunteer role as a bridge support ranger, helping canal users in the South West use a local lift bridge safely.

Simon is studying for his postgraduate certificate in Geographic Information Systems. In his spare time, he volunteers using this state-ofthe-art digital technology to map some of our canals.

His work helps us better understand the topography of our canals so that development and maintenance projects can be carried out safely and efficiently.

“ I’ve always worked in an office so it’s nice to be outside. There are lots of different ways you can volunteer. If it’s not something you’ve done before, don’t worry: training is available and everyone’s friendly and supportive.”

“ It’s important to preserve our heritage and canals are a big part of that…. It’s great to get involved in such a worthwhile charity, knowing you’re doing something positive for your community, the environment and our shared heritage.”

“ What I’ve enjoyed most is meeting other people and being out in the fresh air, getting some exercise.

That’s the great thing about it; you can do as much or as little as you like. And there’s so much we can do, to help the full-time staff get on with more difficult jobs.”

13

Sustaining our future In a world shifting towards a renewable, net-zero carbon future, our canals must be part of the solution. Although there’s still a long way to go before our canals are truly sustainable, the first steps of the journey are being taken right across the Canal & River Trust, as Waterfront has been finding out. “ I said I wouldn’t rant, but I feel there’s too much emphasis on things like planting trees. We need to stop putting carbon into the atmosphere in the first place.”

Ecologist, Laura Mullholland, is getting a little hot under the collar, but right to the heart of the matter.

Of course, planting new woodlands at places like Jubilee Wood, next to Caen Hill Locks, or helping hedgerows grow back along 2,000 miles of the canal network are important, not least to help fight a biodiversity crisis. Yet for Laura, tackling climate change is more about stopping the damage, rather than asking nature to clear it up for us.

14

Reducing emissions Electric vehicles are just one way the Canal & River Trust is making changes. This year, with help from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, we’re adding ten mild hybrid and two plug-in hybrid Transit vans to our fleet.

Capable of covering longer distances and being recharged away from their local depot, this new generation of vans are precursors to plans to roll out a fully electric fleet from 2023.

What about electric boats? As boats have a much longer lifecycle than vans, this will be a longer-term change. Yet just as with vans and cars, all new boats built by 2030 will have to be zero-emission. Enterprising boat builders such as Worcestershire-based Ortomarine now only offer fully electric or hybrid boats that can silently cruise for miles.

© Iwan Baan

Understandably, concerns remain among around 30,000 existing boat owners. Some will want to go electric. The considerable cost of conversion will be a barrier to many. Even then there’s infrastructure to consider. Without charging points along the canal network, fully electric boating is still a distant dream. However, on our Islington eco-moorings we’re learning how it could work.

Improving air quality In places like Islington, air quality is a key concern. We’re trying to reduce the emissions of boats tied up right next to canalside homes.

Many boats need to run their diesel engines while stationary to generate electricity for onboard lighting, heating, cooking or refrigeration.

By installing mooring-side electric charging points, we hope to help boaters live in a more sustainable way.

Cutting fossil fuels Could canals themselves help to power a greener future? Water-sourced heat-pump technology can already cleanly extract energy from our water to heat buildings in winter or cool them in summer. It has provided the

Hepworth Wakefield with energy from the River Calder for some years now. With 95% of the UK’s buildings still using fossil fuel for heating, this technology could, in time, help make waterfront properties carbon neutral.

At Anderton Boat Lift we’re also exploring if hydropower could produce enough electricity to support the entire site. With 10 hydropower projects already running on our canals and rivers, we’re looking into many more, but still need government support to make them economically viable. Meanwhile, other renewables like solar could help us all save money, while saving the planet too. The Canal & River Trust’s office at Fearns Wharf in Leeds uses solar to cover 22% of the building’s electricity needs.

We are taking opportunities to build a more sustainable canal network wherever we can, and momentum will build as technology develops, costs fall and incentives improve.

The future is bright.

The Hepworth Wakefield uses water from the River Calder to heat and cool the art gallery throughout the year. Sustainable water-sourced heat pumps mean the building needs no fossil fuel energy for heating or air-conditioning.

15

Living aboard in London More and more people are choosing to live on our capital’s canals. We caught up with two canal neighbours who recently traded bricks and mortar for life on the canal.

“ I always wanted to live on a narrowboat,” Kim tells us. Kim lives with husband Adam and young daughter, Iris, at a permanent mooring in West London. “I wanted a bit of adventure,” she continues.

“I didn’t want to be tied down.”

Could you take to the water?

Read our guide to taking the first steps.

Visit canalrivertrust.org.uk/living-on-a-boat

16

Kim, Adam and Iris.

For Joanna and Dave too, the lure of living aboard was about much more than simple cost savings. They live on a widebeam boat with their daughter, Eliza. “We just wanted to be on the water,” Joanna tells us, “The lifestyle and the freedom. Anytime you want to go somewhere, you just put the engine on and go.”

So how does life on London’s canals differ from more traditional accommodation?

According to our two couples, it’s almost like being in a different city. “The canal is this kind of green artery that runs through London,” Kim tells us. “Until you’re living on the water, you don’t realise what an incredibly green city it is.”

Dave agrees: “Sometimes you really don’t believe you’re still in London; it’s so peaceful.”

Not all plain sailing Living aboard is not without its challenges and our couples have had their fair share. Dave tells us: “Living on a boat, there’s always something that needs doing.” Joanna agrees: “The paintwork needs a lot of TLC, batteries need replacing, it’s never-ending. You complete one job and then something else comes up.” For Kim too, it sometimes feels like a labour of love. “You’ve got a moving vessel that’s your home,” she says, “so you’ve got to keep it in good working order.”

On the plus side, our couples can always rely on their neighbours to pitch in and lend a hand. As Kim tells us, “Boaters are some of the nicest, most helpful people I’ve ever met. There’s a lot of lending of things, borrowing tools. The community here’s really great.”

Joanna comes from a small village. When she moved to London, she was struck by the

Dave enjoying a morning cuppa.

apparent lack of community spirit. “When we got a boat, it all changed,” she says. “The people are very friendly on boats. You don’t really get that anywhere else.”

Water babies Both our couples have had a welcome addition to their families since taking to the water, Kim and Adam with Iris, and Joanna and Dave with Eliza. So what’s it like raising a child on board?

“She loves the boat,” Kim says of daughter, Iris. “Whenever we’re walking towards it, she sees it and waves. It’s such an idyllic lifestyle. You can show them the ducks outside and there’s always somewhere green you can go.”

Joanna and Dave’s young daughter, Eliza, is similarly at home on the canal. “She absolutely loves the water,” Joanna says, “She went kayaking for the first time when she was seven months old… It’s a very different lifestyle for her.”

What would our couples say to young families considering giving up the rental market for a life on the water? “There is this real sense of freedom,” Kim says. “Living on the canal gives you so much space in a city that’s so packed and so busy and frenetic.”

“ During the first lockdown, I just thought how lucky I was to be in such a location,” Dave says.

“I’m really grateful for what we’ve got.”

Joanna, Dave and Eliza.

17

© Charlotte Graham Photography

“ For the first time in months, I felt like a warrior, not a worrier.”

Water wonder woman You might remember briefly meeting Jo Moseley when she spoke to the ‘Bald Hiker’, Paul Steele, in the last edition of Waterfront. We caught up with her again to mark the release of her new film, ‘Brave Enough: A Journey Home to Joy’ by filmmaker Frit Sarita Tam of Passion Fruit Pictures.

18

The film documents how Jo became the first woman to paddleboard coast to coast back in the summer of 2019. Yet it also records one woman’s amazing journey of self-discovery too. Getting out on the water has transformed her outlook on life.

What inspired you to take up paddleboarding in the first place?

“After recovering from a knee injury in 2016, I set myself the challenge of doing something outside every day. I’d read that paddleboarding was good for your core strength and your balance and I knew it wouldn’t put too much strain on my knee. The minute I stood up on that paddleboard I just knew that it was something special. I just felt like my spirits were lifted again. For the first time in months, I felt like a warrior, not a worrier. A couple of months later I decided to do the coast-to-coast challenge.”

What would you say to other women who are thinking of getting active on our canals?

“Take the first step and do it for you.

If you can get a lesson that would be great for your confidence and technique. You’re outside, you’ve got the benefit of being in nature. Anyone can paddleboard. You see women of all ages, shapes and sizes. It’s very welcoming, very inclusive. I feel so much more confident and positive afterwards.”

Does that sense of confidence and empowerment spill over into your daily life?

“Definitely. Being out on the water has helped me realise that I’m much braver than I thought I was. It’s both uplifting and calming at the same time.

There’s just a sense of, ‘I went on a little adventure that was mine’. It’s lovely that the water allows you to do that.”

What do you remember most about your remarkable journey from Liverpool to Goole?

“On the morning of 2 August I set off from just outside Burnley. I was behind schedule and needed to catch up. By the time I arrived in Skipton, I’d paddled 24 miles that day. It was late and some of the narrowboats had little fairy lights on them, which lit up the canal. It was genuinely one of the most magical evenings of my life. It’s one of those moments that I’ll never forget. I never imagined it could be that amazing until I started my trip. I wish I’d realised sooner how beautiful our canals are.”

What would you say to other women who may be thinking about taking on a new challenge?

“As I say in the film, I’ve never really felt brave. Now I know I just need to be brave enough to take the first tiny step, then the next and then another.

Often the first step is the hardest. If we keep taking one more step, we will be surprised by how far we have come.

Life’s really short and very precious.

Believe in you.”

What is it about being out on the water that you find so exhilarating?

“There’s something incredibly empowering about paddleboarding.

Standing on a board, moving under your own steam, looking at the world and thinking, ‘Wow, I’m doing this,’ in that moment I feel like I’m Wonder Woman.”

“Being out on the water has helped me realise that I’m much braver than I thought I was. It’s both uplifting and calming at the same time.”

Inspired by Jo’s Story?

Visit jomoseley.com or search for her by name on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram to find links to her film screenings 19

Flora and fauna afloat

By Michelle Kozomara

Michelle Kozomara is the Trust’s marketing & communications manager for the North West Region, responsible for Anderton Boat Lift and the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port.

At this time of year, we’d normally start the summer season with our 80-vesselstrong Easter Boat Gathering at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port. While sadly the festival isn’t going ahead this year, the Easter launch of an amazing floating garden will still bring the museum to life.

20

Flora for dragonflies, pollinators and water insects By attracting the smallest life on the water, the floating garden will help to build a whole ecosystem above it.

© Alamy

Including angelica, marsh marigold, yellow flag iris, purple loosestrife, water mint, water forget-me-nots, lesser pond sedge and bulrush.

© Jack Perks

© Alamy

Beautiful water planting

Improved water quality Submerged roots attract microorganisms which feed on algae, carbon and excess nutrients.

These tiny creatures purify the water and pull in fish that feed on them.

© Jack Perks

It’s an idea that has stuck with me for many years, but lockdown created the chance to make it happen. Our garden will be built on a 60-foot oak structure, shaped just like a narrowboat. Onboard will be water plants bedded in coconut matting, attracting both waterway wildlife and visitors in the safety of the outdoors.

It’s been designed and built by environmental consultants, Biomatrix, who are building similar ‘cityspace to greenspace’ features around the canals of Manchester. The idea is that we can tow the floating garden down the Shropshire Union Canal to tour the region and change the planting with the seasons.

It’s a wonderful way to mark the 45th anniversary of the museum and to thank and celebrate our wonderful volunteers, whose society helped to rescue this site and build the museum’s wonderful collection of waterway heritage, long before the Canal & River Trust became involved.

Many of those volunteers will be involved in helping plant the floating garden and a heritage garden. These will reflect the different aspects of a late 1800s garden behind the Porters Row cottages. So once again our volunteers will leave another wonderful legacy to the museum.

Stronger fish stocks A subsurface forest of plant roots provides the perfect shelter for fish to feed, breed and lay their eggs, helping to raise overall fish numbers in the canal.

Safe haven for birds The floating platforms are ideal resting and nesting sites for a range of birds including coots, moorhens and herons fishing for food.

Find out how to see the floating garden in bloom for yourself Visit canalrivertrust.org.uk/nwm 21

Battling the elements Every year, the Canal & River Trust invests millions of pounds keeping our canals and towpaths open. Most of the heavy lifting is done during the winter when traffic is quieter and it’s a little easier to close sections of the canal if needed. Here we explore just a handful of the hundreds of incidents and repairs our operations team have responded to recently.

Flooding at Figure of Three locks Last year, a key section of the Calder & Hebble Navigation at the Figure of Three Locks was hit by devastating storms Ciara and Dennis. The persistent heavy rain led the nearby River Calder to burst its banks, causing considerable damage to the lock and towpath. Our maintenance team was quickly on-site to assess the situation. The Canal & River Trust’s Yorkshire director, Sean McGinley, painted a grim picture: “At present, the Figure of Three Locks are the most damaged single structure on the Trust’s entire 2,000-mile network,” he told the press. Initial estimates indicated the Figure of Three Locks would be closed for up to 12 months and cost a huge £2m to repair. Almost a year on, work is progressing well and it looks like the canal will be open to boats again very soon.

Winter works at Bolton-le-Sands The Lancaster Canal is one of just a few coastal canals in the country. For several years now, on a mile-long stretch near Bolton-le-Sands, the side of the canal known as the wash wall, has been leaking. Water began seeping through the bank, threatening nearby housing. The project manager, David Hennessey, was in no doubt as to the severity of the situation: “There are a lot of houses just below the canal, as well as the main road and the West Coast Main Line,” he tells us, “so this was a crucial one.” David and his team drained the canal to prevent any further flooding and carried out a thorough inspection. They decided to close the canal for the winter and reline the wash wall with clay. Thanks to David and his team’s systematic approach and quick thinking, the canal should be operational again this spring.

22

Aire & Calder Navigation As well as a planned programme of works, our maintenance and civil engineering teams have to deal with the unexpected, including breaches, landslips and floods. Events like these can stretch our budgets and resources to the limit.

On 20 December last year, part of the canal wall gave way on the Aire & Calder Navigation, near East Cowick in East Yorkshire. What caused the collapse is unknown, but the damage was significant, breaching the embankment, flooding nearby fields and threatening to overwhelm the M62 motorway and nearby houses. Acting quickly, our repair team procured a helicopter and plugged the gap using bags of stone. We quickly brought the flood under control and lowered the water level in the canal over the following days, using stone and clay to reinforce the repair. Work is ongoing, but thanks to the swift response of our team and the local emergency services, no one was harmed and no property damaged.

Each winter, our dedicated teams perform an incredible balancing act, carrying out essential scheduled projects and answering the call when incidents occur. Thanks to their commitment and ingenuity, our canals can remain open, safe and accessible to all.

Emergency helicopter air drops bags of stones to plug the gap

The breach is plugged with rocks and clay to protect nearby property and motorway

Bags deployed

23

Shaping the future When you’ve spent your life by water, it’s only natural to share its joys with others. After all, we’re only custodians of the canals for a short time. Every generation passes them onto the next. At Waterfront our aim is to show every one of our readers how the Canal & River Trust is using your support to shape the canals of the future.

Just in this issue we’ve shared how we’re making the canals more sustainable and resilient in the face of a rapidly changing climate. We’ve shown how we can protect wildlife like newts on our doorstep or protect marine life around the world from the scourge of plastic pollution. There are inspiring stories from Cheshire and Jo Moseley about how spending time on or beside the canals

can help improve physical and mental health.

And as our volunteer stories show, everyone in our community can play a part in helping protect the heritage of the canals they love.

All the people you’ve met in Waterfront today are giving their own gift to the canals, just like you. If our canals have meant a lot to you in your lifetime, you could also consider leaving our charity a gift in your will. It’s a wonderful way to help us shape and secure their future. Your support could help us care for your canals and rivers, the places that enrich our lives for future generations to experience and enjoy.

See how you can continue to make life better by water by emailing William at gifts.inwills@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Email William at gifts.inwills@canalrivertrust.org.uk