The dock was built as part of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal some 200 years ago and has a unique place in local history. It is the remainder of the original planned route of the canal – which was to go north from Parbold towards Preston and from there up the Ribble Valley towards Colne.
The route was changed following a break in construction, and the short section north of Parbold that had been built years earlier was converted into a dry dock.
In more recent times, the Rose of Parbold trip barge was restored at the dock, and now we are working in partnership with Burscough Heritage Group and Parbold Heritage Group to bring the dock back to life so that generations to come can learn about and enjoy visiting the site.
To do this, they need more volunteers to get hands-on with a whole host of practical tasks, so they're urging people in the area to come along and get involved.
Sara Ponting, volunteer team leader at the Trust, said: "Volunteering on one of our canal projects is a great way to spend some time outdoors, learn new skills and make friends, so we encourage everyone to come along and give it a go.
"We don't mind if you've never done anything like this before as we'll provide all the tools and guidance you need, and we're sure that you'll leave feeling happier, and probably a bit more tired, than when you arrived."
Volunteers will take on all sorts of tasks, including vegetation clearance and planting, repairing fences, painting and more. The sessions will take place on the second Thursday of each month, meeting at Parbold dry dock by the Rose of Parbold (access from Mill Leat Close) from 10am to 2pm. To find out more, contact Sara on [email protected].
