An orange sunset glows over a flat view of Caen Hill Locks, with a lock in the foreground and more further away.

Postcode Lottery

This year we are celebrating 15 years of Keeping Canals Alive thanks to Postcode Lottery players.

Since 2012, players of the Postcode Lottery have been instrumental in helping us care for and enhance 2,000 miles of canals and rivers across England and Wales.

Thanks to this fantastic support, we’ve been able to deliver vital work that helps us to preserve and transform our historic canals into places where people can spend time, connect with nature and take a break from the everyday.

15 locks for 15 years

We are celebrating 15 years of vital support from Postcode Lottery players by announcing “15 locks for 15 years”

With over £26 million in funding awarded to date, players of the Postcode Lottery have supported a variety of important projects, with 250 projects and 40 programmes delivered. Funds are awarded by the Postcode Earth Trust.

Some of these include:

Heritage infrastructure works on the Cathedral of the Canals, Anderton Boat Lift and Tees Barrage, as well as vital lock gate replacements, bridge repairs, and reservoir maintenance.
Our Explorer's educational programme
Let's! participation programmes including Let’s Fish
Community Roots - our national community outreach programme
Nature projects
Water Safety
Waterways art
Digitising historic artefacts in our collection at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port

Campbell Robb, our chief executive, said: "This year marks the 15th year of support from Postcode Lottery players, and we're proud to celebrate everything that support has helped achieve. From regenerating historic canals and helping nature thrive to creating more opportunities for people to enjoy and connect with their local waterways, players have made a lasting difference. Together, these achievements are helping us create living waterways that transform places and enrich lives.”

Two men in blue walk away from the camera along the towpath, looking down at geese on the canal to their right

A bridge with a lock attached to it crosses over a small stretch of canal, with grass verges either side

A mother and two young children look at a booklet alongside a Canal & River Trust volunteer, under a gazebo next to the canal

A Let's Walk! activity along the towpath

The Waterway Community Fund

The Waterway Community Fund supports community and volunteer‑led projects that care for canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs across England and Wales.

Local groups, charities, volunteers and partners play a vital role in keeping waterways well cared for and welcoming, and this Fund provides practical support to help deliver local projects.

This has been made possible thanks to players of the Postcode Lottery.