Lock volunteers

I have had to read your post about the volunteer lock keepers a few times to ensure I had not unfairly misunderstood the sentiment behind your choosing to go to press with it, writes Roger Baker of Willington.

I travel through Fradley and Atherstone myself a handful of times each year, and whilst their presence and assistance is welcome, it is my fear that what they offer is very easy to take for granted. I have followed many boats through the Atherstone locks, as following is usually the case, and noted that some solo skippers don’t often so much as get off their boats, and even sit there swigging tinnies listening to something on their headphones.

Probably wouldn't bother

From our observations, a lot of single handers make that journey with the apparent expectation of getting assistance, and probably wouldn’t bother going that way at all if it were not so.

The majority of the volunteers are themselves elderly, not without afflictions and impairments of their own, and not without a limit to what they can physically endure in a day as I imagine you can empathise with. They are good natured people, who enjoy the interactions with boaters as much as they do belonging to a team.

They give up their time as their own circumstances allow. Without their presence, we all have to admit passage times would be longer and involve more delays.

Engage with others

For us, chatting and interacting with these volunteers is always a pleasure, and in our own way showing gratitude. Locking through anywhere provides at least the opportunity to engage with others, as opposed to merely smiling and waving to those we pass.

Chugging along all day can actually get quite tedious without the interruptions at locks which at least offer the chance of sharing news and exchanging short stories, as well as some humour. They also present repeated tests of our boat handling and gate management abilities from which we all acquire satisfaction when we get it right!