National Waterways Excellence Award for canal adoption scheme

26th Aug 2010

The team behind a project which has transformed a stretch of the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal has been awarded the National Waterways Excellence Award.

British Waterways volunteer coordinator, Steve Bicknell, and volunteer supervisor, Murray Woodward, picked up the accolade after ensuring the success of a pioneering canal adoption scheme which has seen HFC Bank adopt part of the city’s Birmingham & Fazeley Canal.

Steve and Murray have helped 200 volunteers from HFC Bank (part of the HSBC group) to realise the value of their liquid assets by mucking in to care for a the canal near the bank’s Birmingham city centre offices.

The enthusiastic group are involved in all aspects of canal maintenance including painting lock gates, cutting back vegetation, and removing litter and graffiti along their adopted stretch of canal.

A shining example

This project is heralded as a shining example of how local businesses and communities from across the country can get involved in looking after their local canal or river.

Volunteering is a corner stone of British Waterways’ ambitions to move out of state control to provide a more sustainable future for its 200-year old waterways as a ‘national trust’ for the waterways.

Steve says: “The HFC volunteers have shown a great sense of pride and ownership in their local canal and are really making a difference to how it’s perceived. We’ve had interest from other groups in the area who are keen to play their part too. There is no reason why this sort of thing couldn’t happen in Nottingham, Loughborough, London, Chester or any city centre canal location.”

The project isn’t only about hard, dirty work. There are also plans to coordinate a community arts project, as well as starting a canal warden scheme and carrying out environmental improvements.

Local residents love it

British Waterways chief executive, Robin Evans, said: “I was greatly impressed by the tremendous variety of projects entered into this year’s award but the winner had to be the canal adoption scheme. This urban patch of canal is now receiving the level of care and maintenance we have long wanted to give it but couldn’t afford to. Through the generosity and hard work of HFC Bank staff we have transformed the canal, and our bank staff and local residents love it!

“Congratulations to Steve and Murray for their infectious enthusiasm and very hard work that ensured the project’s success. They demonstrated true excellence in devising, planning and delivering this groundbreaking project.”

The Waterways Excellence Award scheme is open to all British Waterways staff and this year, 80 projects across Britain were entered, including examples of exceptional work in the areas of heritage, environment, engineering, efficiency, innovation and interpretation.

Ten projects were selected as national first round winners, with Steve and Murray going on to win the overall accolade.

Find out about more opportunities to volunteer with British Waterways

via National Waterways Excellence Award for canal adoption scheme | News | Waterscape.