"This place brings back lots of great memories, as a child, my mum would bring me here. We'd sit for hours making daisy chains longer than my arms, running after the butterflies and trying to catch sight of a fish or frog. Now, not only do I walk across the same stretch of canal to get to work, I help to transform it too.
I was the youngest person ever to adopt a stretch of canal and it's been such a great experience. Leading a Towpath Action Team has provided me with an appreciation and understanding of the environment and volunteering for the Canal and River Trust is such a rewarding way of giving back to the local community. So I jumped at the chance to be involved in Coast to Coast.
Coast to Coast is a brilliant opportunity for people my age to play an active part in improving their local communities for both people and wildlife. In my area it's hard for young people to get jobs; this project gives us the opportunity to do something positive and have our voices heard. And as well as learning a new sport, volunteers like me will get real hands on experience and will be learning new skills. The skills we'll be learning won't just be about the canal, we'll be learning about enterprise, leadership and communication and we'll have those skills for life.
Seeing the improvement in ‘My Stretch' already, gives me a real sense of pride and it's built up community spirit. I loved it here as a child and I want to help preserve it for future generations. So I'm looking forward to meeting other young people on the Coast to Coast trail, sharing experiences and making a difference together."
Amy, coast to coast volunteer, Leeds & Liverpool Canal