A very cold start

Published: Monday, 08 February 2010

Despite very mixed weather over the weekend of 30th/31st January the Shropshire Union Canal Society had a good turnout of volunteers to  its first work party of the year, writes Paul Mills.

This was on the Montgomery Canal at the Redwith to Pryces Bridge section of the waterway, with the work including hedge layers and construction teams, and both made good progress.

The continuation of stump removal was almost completed with those involved in the burning being able to keep warm, and at the same time clear and burn the brush from the hedge layers who had completed about half of the length by end of work on the Sunday.

Meanwhile the Big Boys Toys were very busy in the excavation of the channel under Pryces Bridge in order to allow the shuttering to be installed shortly in readiness for a concrete pour at the earliest practical time which then allows for channel profiling to commence from the bridge towards Redwith Bridge.

With the frost, sleet, snow and their by-product mud being in abundance, the team were dirty but happy, and satisfied with the progress they had made during the weekend.

The society volunteers meet every month (normally the first weekend), and in March they hope to complete hedging for the season, and prepare for the arrival of concrete.

Also at the end of March there will be an enhancement work party on the Shroppie at Nantwich refurbishing facilities etc, including the leisure area at Bridge 92.

Volunteers welcome

Volunteers are always welcome and the society is able to use all levels of skills, and provide training where appropriate. Please visit our website at www.shropshireunion.org.uk to see the restoration and enhancement work recently undertaken by the society, and  the dates of this year's work parties.

Our current fund raising initiative, Buy a Barrow of Boulders, has started well and the money raised by the appeal will all be used to purchase the overburden to the Bentonite liner, which will be installed into the channel between Redwith and Pryces Bridge. A donation form can be found on our website.

Photos courtesy of Hywell Mallett.