Volunteers give working boats a spring clean

The nine volunteers joined our staff in their canal-side depot in Southall last week, with work including painting The Pride of London, a 50-foot boat that is used to carry out maintenance work along the Grand Union and Regent’s canals.

Darren Jones, Canal & River Trust operations supervisor, said: “We’re really grateful to the volunteers who have been helping us to get our boats spruced-up before spring. We use the boats along the waterways for everything from major repairs to locks, to clearing floating litter and running events – they’re fundamental to everything we do. Spring and summer are the busiest time for the canals, so it’s great to be well prepared. The waterways offer something for everyone, so I’d definitely encourage you to pay them a visit.”