April work parties

THE various branches of the Inland Waterways Association are organising a number of work parties during April, to 'brighten up' the waterways.

Saturday 6th April—IWA North Lancashire & Cumbria Branch. Litter pick along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in the Nelson area, 10am to 3pm. Meet at B&Q car park, Churchill Way, Nelson, Lancashire BB9 6RT (near Junction 12 M65). Canal & River Trust will provide black sacks and gloves. Volunteers are advised to wear stout shoes, old clothes and bring waterproofs and a packed lunch. Tea and coffee will be provided. Contact Tony Dunning 07730 113894 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information.

Sunday 7th April—IWA South Yorkshire & Dukeries Branch. Canal Clean Up at Tinsley, Sheffield. 10am to 1pm. All volunteers advised to wear suitable footwear and have waterproofs with them. Gloves, litter pickers and bags are provided by the Canal & River Trust. Work party will be followed by pie and peas for those who order in advance. Details from Mavis Paul, by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phoning 07725 464611.

Thursday 11th April—IWA Stoke-on-Trent Branch and the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust. Milepost painting on the Caldon Canal. 10am to 2pm. Meet at Etruria Junction. Wear old clothes and bring waterproofs and a packed lunch. Contact Bob Luscombe on 07710 054848 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Saturday 13th April—Worcester Birmingham & Droitwich Canals Society supported by IWA Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire Branch. Monthly work party at Tardebigge Lime Kilns. 10am to 3pm. Continuing the work recently started clearing vegetation and rubbish at the lime kilns at Tardebigge, there will now be a monthly work party on the second Saturday of each month. The work on these days will be to continue ground clearance, removal of waste and to recover materials for future use. Meet at Canal & River Trust depot at Tardebigge, Worcester & Birmingham Canal (New Wharf, Alcester Road, Tardebigge, Bromsgrove, B60 1NF). Further information from Bill Lambert This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th April—BCN Clean Up. The big annual clean up organised by the BCN Society, IWA Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire Branch and Waterway Recovery Group, working in partnership with the Canal & River Trust, and supported by Dudley Canals Trust and Coombeswood Canal Trust, will this year take place just off the BCN on the Stourbridge Canal (from Stourbridge Locks to Delph Locks and including the Fens Branch and the Stourbridge Extension Canal). Accommodation and catering is available for those wishing to make a weekend of it (book at www.wrg.org.uk). The meeting point for those wishing to turn up for the day will be at the third lock down of the Stourbridge flight, with parking available on Bevan Road. Signing in point will be by Bevan Industrial Estate, DY5 3TN. All tools and equipment will be provided. Volunteers are advised to wear stout footwear and old clothes and to bring waterproofs.

Tuesday 16th April—IWA Stoke-on-Trent Branch and Trent & Mersey Canal Society. Cheshire Locks, Trent & Mersey Canal. Painting and vegetation clearance at Lock 52, Church Lawton, Cheshire. 10am to 4pm. Contact Bob Luscombe on 07710 054848 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thursday 18th April— IWA Warwickshire Branch. Lapworth Tasks include lock painting, litter picking, vegetation clearance and path work. Meet at Kingswood Lock, Lapworth, Solihull, B94 5RB. 10am to approx. 3pm. Contact Alison Smedley on 01538 385388 for further details or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Saturday 20th April— IWA Warwickshire Branch supporting Canal & River Trust Towpath Taskforce. Lapworth Tasks include lock painting, litter picking, vegetation clearance and path work. Meet at Kingswood Lock, Lapworth, Solihull, B94 5RB. Contact Alison Smedley on 01538 385388 for further details or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st April—IWA London Region supporting Canal & River Trust Towpath Taskforce. Little Venice  tidy up of the area around Little Venice in advance of Canalway Cavalcade event taking place over the May Bank Holiday weekend. Litter picking, vegetation clearance and painting coping stones. Contact Becky Williams, Volunteer Team Leader. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 07799 436816

Saturday 27thApril—IWA Manchester Branch supporting Canal & River Trust Towpath Taskforce. Location varies in the Greater Manchester area. Tasks include painting, vegetation clearance, pulling rubbish out of the canal and litter picking. Contact Ian Price This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 07971 444258.

Sunday 28th April—IWA Northampton Branch. Annual clean up on the Westbridge Arm, Northampton, in preparation for the Boat Gathering being held 3rd to 5th May. Meet at 10am in the car park at St. James Retail Park, Northampton. All equipment will be provided. Dress appropriately as you could get muddy! Further details from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.