Built by hand 250 years ago as the freight arteries that fuelled the Industrial Revolution, canals don’t look after themselves, and generations of people have played their part in the care of the world-famous canal network. Today, canals are sources of calm and beauty and are perfectly placed for the next wave of volunteers wanting to connect to nature and one another.
Volunteer By Water
The appeal forms part of our Volunteer By Water campaign, launching today (20 January), and is backed by broadcaster and TV presenter Ranvir Singh. The campaign highlights the vital role volunteers play in caring for canals, from helping maintain locks and towpaths, to welcoming boaters and protecting wildlife.
Last year alone, nearly 5,500 volunteers gave almost 750,000 hours of their time to support our work across England and Wales, making a huge difference to what the charity can achieve.
Around nine million people live within a ten-minute walk of a canal or river cared for by us, yet many don’t realise these spaces – including thousands of locks, bridges, aqueducts and 2,000 miles of wildlife habitat – are maintained by a charity. The Canal & River Trust is urging people to see volunteering on their local canal as one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to give back to their community. It’s a fantastic way to meet new people and enjoy the great outdoors, making a meaningful difference to the local environment.
To make volunteering by water as accessible as possible, we've created a programme of 70 Volunteer Welcome Sessions, including 19 online sessions, where people will be able to find out more before getting involved. The sessions allow newcomers to meet staff and existing volunteers, ask questions and explore roles that suit their interests, skills and availability, from one-off drop-in opportunities to regular weekly volunteering.
