Cath gets second volunteer award

VOLUNTEER Cath Nunn who received an award for her team work at Tuel Hill Flight has bagged a further award from Canal & River Trust.

Cath has been recognised with a second national volunteer award within just a few months, for her outstanding contribution in looking after the trust's waterways in its Yorkshire & North East region.

Annual Volunteer awards

Canal & River Trust and Marsh Charitable Trust tell that they are delighted to announce that Cath has been recognised in its annual volunteer awards which celebrate volunteer excellence along the nation’s waterways. The awards are being given to teams and individuals across the  waterways in England and Wales over the coming weeks, reflecting the range of volunteering that takes place. 

Cath co-delivered new, interactive online workshops to 5,000 schoolchildren between April and July 2021, sometimes delivering up to four workshops a day. She embraced the unknown and excelled with the challenge, even delivering some sessions while on holiday.

Unexpected surprise

The award was presented at a ceremony at Standedge Tunnel’s Visitor Centre on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, with Cath enthusing:

 “This is such an unexpected surprise, I’m in shock! It’s a real honour especially as there are so many wonderful volunteers and hearing what each of the shortlisted nominees does was really inspiring.

 “I get so much from volunteering, I don’t do it for the accolades, I get a real buzz from what I do, being outdoors is such a boost. I’d definitely encourage others to get in touch, there’s lots of opportunities and lots of brilliant people to meet.”

Having lived on narrowboats with her husband Iain, a civil engineer, for more than a decade, Cath missed being by water after returning to living in a house. She first volunteered for the Canal & River Trust as part of its towpath taskforce eight years ago, helping with activities such as painting and planting bulbs for several years, before moving on to lock keeping—which has helped her to reconnect with her love of being by water.

Tremendous contribution

Sean McGinley, Regional Director Yorkshire & North East at Canal & River Trust, explained:

“Our volunteers make a tremendous contribution to our waterways, bringing their skills and experience to a vast array of activities and tasks and enabling us to accomplish so much more. These national awards showcase the range of their talents and celebrate their enthusiasm, passion and sheer hard work.

"They are an inspiration and I offer my congratulations to them all. While this award recognises her contribution to our education programme, Cath has helped us in many ways over the last eight years, attending her local towpath taskforce, becoming a qualified boat master, plus a guide and chaperone at Standedge Tunnel."

Award ceremonies will be taking place in each of the Canal & River Trust’s six regions in the coming weeks.