The event, being hosted by the Canal & River Trust between 1-4pm, will include boat trips, canoe and angling taster sessions, guided walks, bike rides and canoe polo demonstrations in the SAFE Productions centre at St Mary's Complex on Waverley Street, Bootle, next to Carolina Basin on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
There will be a formal opening of the canal activity hub at 3pm and the Trust will be launching a competition to design a new celebratory waymarker which will be installed at regular intervals along its route.
A fantastic opportunity
The canal activity day forms part of a five year project to create The Desmond Family Canoe Trail across the Pennines. Funded by a £1.3 million grant from the Desmond Foundation, the 150 mile trail starts in Liverpool, follows Britain's longest canal, the Leeds & Liverpool, links into the Aire & Calder Navigation in Yorkshire and finally reaches the east coast at Goole.
Andrew Blackburn, Coast to Coast Project Leader with the Canal & River Trust, said: “This event is a fantastic opportunity to try a new activity or find out about the canal heritage and wildlife. All the activities are free. People don't need to book, just turn up and sign up on the day.”
“The SAFE Productions centre will be the first canal activity hub set up as part of The Desmond Family Canoe Trail project. This event is not just a one-off and in future the centre will be hosting free canoeing sessions and other activities. We would like everyone to come along and see what's on offer.”
For more information contact Andrew Blackburn on 0791 969 1202 or email him: [email protected].
