Living Waterways Awards 2018

The Living Waterways Awards, sponsored by Kier, Amco Geffen, Arcadis, CPC Civils, Fountains, Land & Water and Vinci, seek to recognise the most exciting and inspiring waterway-based projects across the UK, which are transforming where we live and enriching our lives.

Sue Wilkinson, Canal & River Trust trustee and chair of the Awards assessment panel, said: “Our inland waterways have been part of our island history for hundreds, if not thousands of years. That they are still being used and enjoyed today, making our lives richer and happier is down to a lot of effort by many unsung heroes and these awards exist to celebrate their efforts.

“This is the fifteenth year of the Awards and, as ever, the assessment panel faced a tremendous challenge in selecting which projects to recognise; we congratulate all finalists.”

A rigorous assessment process saw the expert judges travel across the country from Powys to Glasgow and from London to Burnley before selecting the finalists for the 2018 Living Waterways Awards.

From inspirational education programmes and innovative construction projects, to exciting community-binding environmental initiatives, the winners of these prestigious awards are:

Art, Culture & Events

Winner: Burnley Canal Festival, Lancashire

Runner-up: Hereford River Carnival, Herefordshire

Commended: The Idle Women: Recreating the Journey, national

Built Environment

Winner: Merchant Square Floating Pocket Garden, London

Joint runners-up: Knostrop Weir foot & cycle bridge in Yorkshire and Somers Town Bridge in London

Engaging the Community – large scale

Winner: Woodside, Firhill & Hamiltonhill Development Framework, Glasgow

Runner-up: Waterspace Bath, Somerset

Engaging the Community – small scale

Winner: Nowka Bais, Birmingham

Joint runners-up: The Wanderer Community Workboat, Worcestershire and Idle Women, Lancashire

Heritage & Conservation

Winner: Hetty’s Tea Room, Stoke on Trent

Runner-up: Restoration of Church Bridge & Pocklington Canal Bicentenary, Yorkshire

Commended: New Mills Marina, Derbyshire

Learning & Skills

Winner: Rivertime Boat Trust, Berkshire

Runner-up: Leicester Young Ecology Adventurers, Leicestershire

Natural Environment

Winner: Mon & Brec Green Infrastructure Improvement Programme, Powys

Runner-up: Lower Misbourne Enhancements, Buckinghamshire Commended: Bringing Back the Bulbourne, Hertfordshire

Outstanding Achievement Award

Roger Hanbury