Communications Update
12 August 2016
News Round Up
Sunshine and the silly season... read all about it here
Page Content
· Canal Laureate Luke Kennard was featured discussing his role on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row. Luke joined waterways journalist Andrew Denny on a trip along Birmingham’s canals for the broadcast
·The Telegraph(07/08/16) features some of ‘the prettiest journeys on UK waterways’ including the Avon Ring, Mon & Brec, Llangollen, South Pennine Ring, Gloucester Docks, Lancaster Canal and Kennet & Avon Canal
· National fisheries and angling manager John Ellis spoke to BBC Radio Leicester about our campaign to get more people fishing
· Development & engagement manager Liz Fleuty gave an excellent interview to BBC Radio Leicester about water safety. Mel Goodship, whose son James died in a reservoir and who is supporting our water safety campaign, spoke to BBC Radio 5Live.
· Enterprise manager Simon Papprill spoke to BBC Radio Stoke about the planned £1m investment in the city’s canals. The story was repeated across news headlines on the radio as well as on BBC Breakfast TV
·The Times (06/08/16) ran a feature on the Coast to Coast canoe trail. Painting a lovely picture of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal it describes how the trail is ‘being powered by some 2,000 people from youth groups in disadvantaged areas who are now pulling shopping trolleys out, rather than chucking them in’
·BBC Radio Stoke (5 & 6/8/16) promoted the Trust’s Doggy Do Dah event which took place at the weekend on the Shropshire Union Canal
· Boating manager Matthew Symonds gave a clear interview to BBC Radio Wiltshire (06/08/16) ahead of a protest taking place on the Kennet & Avon Canal by boaters without a home mooring
·House & Garden (01/09/16) takes a trip along the Kennet & Avon Canal with Drifters Waterways Holidays
·BBC Radio Leeds (08/08/16) gave an update on the works to rebuild Elland Bridge following the damage caused during the Boxing Day floods
In social media:
· We shared the story of the monster catfish found during a fish survey. This did very well on Facebook, the story was shared 31 times and reached 16,583 people
· The second #BeWaterSafe video, James’ Story, was well received on both Twitter and Facebook. On Facebook the video has been shared 114 times, reached 14,571 people and has been viewed 4,809 times
Coming up next week:
· It’s the open day at the Tees Barrage this Saturday.Visitors will be able to descend 40 feet into one of the drained gate wells to see the inner workings of the Barrage
· We’ll be celebrating the 200th anniversary of a stretch of the Regent’s Canal
· A PR push for the Great Nature Watch will focus on the important, but much maligned, wasp
· BBC’s Escape to the Country will be filming with one of our lock keepers at Foxton Locks
· We’ll be promoting a week of activities in Leicester to help engage the Somali community with their local canal
· BBC Midlands Today are planning to come and see our work to help protect water voles – part of the dredging project on the Staffs & Worcs Canal
· We’ll be promoting a couple of upcoming events taking place at Fradley Junction and a dragon boat race taking place in the West Midlands at the end of the month
What’s on this weekend?
Tees Barrage Open Day 10am to 4pm Saturday. Stockton-on-Tees TS18 2QW. The Trust is hosting free tours and presentations around the welcome station, control room and new dipping pond plus displays and demonstrations by Tees Active, Groundworks, Watersport Centre and Rivershack.
Blisworth Canal Festival Grand Union Canal, Northampton NN7 3BU, Saturday and Sunday 11am – 5pm. The SE Waterway will be present with a marquee providing information and raising awareness of the Trust, supported by fundraisers and the Angling & Fishing team with a 5 foot fish tank and offering angling taster sessions.
Long Eaton Canal Festival, Trent Lock, Erewash Canal, Long Eaton NG10 2FY, Saturday and Sunday 10am – 4pm. Organised by the Long Eaton Civic Society, Erewash Canal Preservation & Development Association and the Trust, there will be a range of fun activities along the canalside including boat trips and opportunities to have a go at fishing, canoeing, sailing and rowing, together with historic boats, kids rides and model boat displays and Shreck the workhouse who keeps the tradition of boat pulling alive.
Fenny Stratford Boat Festival Grand Union Canal Saturday and Sunday. An offshoot of the annual Fenny Poppers event near Milton Keynes The Canal Festival, organised by IWA, is centred around Fenny Lock and the towpath south of Watling Street featuring trading and historic boats as well as local decorated boats and owners in traditional dress.
Horses at War and Work,National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port Sunday 10am to 5pm CH65 4FW. Working horses demonstrations of horse-drawn canal boats, horses being shod and wagonette rides around the docks and an opportunity to see ‘The Horse’s Tale’ showcasing the role and experiences of women on the homefront.
Ellesmere historic yard open weekend, part of Ellesmere summer festival, Llangollen Canal/Shropshire Union Canal Friday – Saturday 10am – 3pm, Ellesmere SY12 9AA. The Trust will be operating a regular narrow boat ferry service along the Ellesmere arm of the Llangollen Canal from the wharf to our historic workshops where Thomas Telford occupied an office and which contains a working forge and a pattern making shop as well as the historic covered dry dock.
Other Events coming up
- Top of the World Tours at Anderton Boat Lift
6 August to 27August 2016
10:30am - 4:00pm
Anderton Boat Lift
Weaver Navigation, Trent & Mersey Canal
On special dates we will be giving you the chance to get up close and personal with the Anderton Boat Lift. This unique behind the scenes tour is not for the faint hearted, the tour starts in the Visitor Centre with one of our experienced guides and then you are escorted out on to the Lift along the aqueduct, taken into the previously unseen control room and machine deck.
Booking is advisable as the space on each tour is limited.
Tours last approximately one hour and run at:
11:00am
12:15pm
1:45pm
3:00pm
The tour is priced at £10 per person.
Please call the booking line on 01606 786 777
Please note, the tour is on the top of the lift so is not suitable for people with a fear of heights. Please wear suitable footwear and clothing; the walkway on the Lift is steel grating and it may be windy at the top. This is a walking tour and there is a need to climb steps. A minimum age policy applies.
Go Fish!
We want to get more people hooked on fishing. It’s a great way to unwind and spend time outside in the fresh air. Come and have a go for free at one of our taster sessions this summer.
Fishing is fun! It’s good for your mind and body, and something the whole family can get involved with. Who can ever forget the thrill of catching their first fish?
This summer, we’re celebrating National Fishing Month with a host of events up and down the country where you can try fishing for free. And that's not all. We're also giving away a number of fishing starter kits completely free of charge.
To receive a free fishing starter kit you need to find your nearest taster session from the list below and then register for your kit in advance.All Go Fish events are free and not ticketed, noneed to register for the event itself, just turn up on the day.
15th AugustBlacon
15th AugustBlisworth
16th AugustBanbury
18th AugustStoke Bruerne
19th AugustTame Valley Canal
Summer water safety campaign launched
As temperatures soar, the temptation to cool off in a local waterway increases, but so do the dangers. It doesn’t matter how strong a swimmer you are, you can’t train for cold water shock and other hidden dangers. The mother of teenager who drowned while swimming with friends is supporting our campaign urging people to stay out of the water.
To find out more about staying safe near the canals and rivers, go to:
Have you met our Selima ‘Champions’ yet?
Our Selima Champions are here to support you over the ‘phone or by email and will happily answer any questions you may have about the Selima online expenses system. The Champions can provide support by; talking you through setting up your profile, guidance on entering your first claim and attaching a receipt, saving favourites and duplicating regular journeys or troubleshooting any teething problems you may be experiencing. Please get in touch with them directly using the emails below, or if you’re not sure which Champion to contact get in touch with us at and we’ll find the most appropriate person to support you.
Gordon Robbins - Gordon is a Volunteer Lock Keeper and Boat Mover, based at Hatton but travelling across the Midlands and into the South East.
Chris Littler - Chris is a Volunteer Lock Keeper at Marple, he can travel across our Manchester & Pennine and North West waterway regions.
Mike Groves - Mike is a Volunteer Lock Keeper at Fradley and can travel across the Central Shires waterway and over the boundary into the South East.
John Inman - John is a member of the Kennet & Avon partnership and Volunteer Lock Keeper at Bradford on Avon and undertakes training and qualification for the volunteer operation of vessels on both the Kennet and Avon and Bridgwater and Taunton Canals.