Press Release: Monday 8th April 2013
Cold weather doesn’t stop WRG volunteers from restoring the canals!
Over 50 Waterway Recovery Group volunteers braved the wintery April conditions and carried out restoration work on the Lancaster and Cotswold Canals over the Easter holidays.
From the 29th March-6th April 18 hardy volunteers undertook restoration work on the Lancaster Canal. The camp had three main tasks – to reinstate coping stones on wing walls and repair the adjacent transition walls (in dry stone walling) at Stainton Crossing Bridge; underpin a wing wall at Stainton aqueduct and divert the stream to prevent future scouring; install drainage in the newly profiled area adjacent to the channel that was dug out during last year’s camps. In very dry weather, spoiled only by a biting cold wind, they were able to achieve all their objectives which have assisted immensely in preparing the next section of the canal to be returned to navigable condition.
Originally WRG had also planned to work on the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals but due to the unseasonal cold weather conditions, the planned work for the working holiday (concrete-laying) could not go ahead and no alternative work that could be arranged in time for the start of the camp. Luckily we were able to find an alternative site at short notice on the Cotswold Canals! From the 29th March volunteers have been working on two locks near Stroud – Griffin Mill and Ham Mill – carrying out activities such as lock clearance work, demolition and bricklaying.
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