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The charity making life better by water

Could you shape the future of Greater Manchester and Cheshire's canals?

We've launched a search for new members to join our partnership caring for the Manchester & Pennine waterways.

Sitting alongside our local waterway management team, the voluntary partnership plays an important role in providing direction for the area's canals and navigable rivers.

The aim of the partnership is to give canal enthusiasts a voice in the development and management of their local waterways. They will help shape plans, guide our spending decisions, develop local engagement and external funding, and champion the interests of the waterways.

Seven canals and Standedge Tunnel

The Manchester & Pennine waterway is responsible for seven canals and the Standedge Tunnel Visitor Centre in Marsden. With offices at Kidsgrove, Rochdale and Marsden, the waterway covers a diverse patch which stretches from Huddersfield in the east and Northwich in the west to just north of Stoke-on-Trent in the south.

This involves caring for two trans-Pennine waterways, the Rochdale and the Huddersfield Narrow canals, urban canals such as the Ashton and the Manchester, Bolton & Bury, and more rural, peaceful waterways, the Macclesfield, Peak Forest and Trent & Mersey canals.

Team players

Partnership chairman, Walter Menzies, explained: “Canals in our area were at the heart of the Industrial Revolution and 200 years ago played a vital role in bringing prosperity to northern England. Today the waterways are important catalysts for urban regeneration and are increasingly popular as a leisure destinations for boaters, walkers, cyclists and anglers.

“We are looking for candidates who are team players, able to engage and inspire, including talking to community groups and businesses, at public meetings, and with the media.

“Ideally we would like to have representatives from a wide spread of geographical areas bringing their local knowledge to the partnership. It would also be helpful if they have expertise in a relevant field such as heritage, public health, water resource management and marketing/communications.”

Partnership meetings are bi-monthly and partners are encouraged to get actively involved in promoting the waterways in their care.

The deadline for applications is 2nd February 2015 and short-listed candidates will be interviewed in February. For an informal discussion, contact the chairman Walter Menzies on 07736 351024.

Find out more about this opportunity

Last Edited: 21 January 2015

photo of a location on the canals
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