More Volunteers?

British Waterways is planning to increase the number of days worked by volunteers on its network from 5,000 to 10,000 a year. A national volunteering manager has been appointed to help this to happen. The volunteers would assisting with projects such as heritage work, vegetation management and clearance of towpaths. [report]

This sounds like an excellent plan. There must be a good number of people who care enough about their local waterway to give some of their time in this way.

However, the volunteers must not replace paid staff! The work they do should be additional to what can be achieved now. Used imaginatively, voluntary work can enhance the work of BW, but we are still going to need experienced, multi-skilled bank staff who can turn their hands to anything from water management to emergency lock gate repairs.

Overgrown vegetation and crumbling heritage are symptoms of inadequate waterway funding. The ultimate solution is more money! Bring on the volunteers, but bring on better funding, too!

Blogging On

It has been necessary to move the "blog" feature across to "Blogger" as the old blog was receiving the attention of spammers! We have copied as many of the entries and comments from the old blog as we could. We hope you find the new version easy to use and look forward to your comments.

We apologise for the technical problems with the Save Our Waterways website over Easter.

Waterways Parliamentarian of the Year

The IWA has awarded its first title of "Waterways Parliamentarian of the Year" to Charlotte Atkins, MP for Staffordshire Moorlands.

Charlotte has secured two adjournment debates on waterway funding, tabled many questions on waterway matters, met with the minister on many occasions and given her time in other ways for the benefit of the waterways.

The award was made at the House of Commons on 1st April at a dinner by Bob Laxton MP and attended by leading waterway figures including the Waterways Minister, Jonathan Shaw MP; the Speaker of the House of Commons, and other distinguished guests.

The twenty MPs present, from all the major parties, had made significant contributions to the well-being of the waterways during the past year, and were contenders for the award.

This most welcome initiative of the IWA's shows appreciation to MPs for their efforts in their key role in helping to fight for improved funding for the waterways.

It is vital that the underfunding of the waterways remains high on MPs' agendas, and it is to be hoped that this event will achieve this. To that end, SOW continues to encourage supporters to write to their MPs, especially with concerns about the effect on their local canals and rivers.