We welcome new volunteers to keep canals alive in Gloucestershire

A welcome session is being held at the National Waterways Museum Gloucesterin Gloucester Docks on Saturday 28 September between 10am and 2pm to showcase the different volunteer opportunities available. A volunteer litter pick will also be taking place at 11am around the docks and along the canal.

A wide range of opportunities

Once the broadest and deepest canal in the world, the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal still stands out from other navigations because of its sheer scale and impressive engineering. Its rich history in acting as a bypass to protect boats from a treacherous stretch of the River Severn is still alive today, with Gloucester Docks a stunning Victorian inland port, and home to the popular Tall Ships Festival.

There are a wide range of opportunities on offer. We are seeking volunteers to join our Gloucester Task Force, which cares for the environment around Gloucester Docks, making it a special place to visit, popular with boaters, local people and visitors.

People who have a passion for teaching and inspiring young people are needed to support our Explorers education programme. This role offers the opportunity to bring the waterways and their heritage to life for children and schools through events, visits and the National Waterways Museum.

The canal boasts 18 historic swing bridges running down its entire length from Gloucester to Sharpness. Volunteer bridge keepers are needed to keep these bridges open for boats to navigate the canal, speaking to people and keeping them safe while operating the bridges.

A popular visitor attraction

The National Waterways Museum Gloucester is a popular visitor destination in the heart of the docks. The museum needs volunteers to act as guides and talk to visitors, sharing their passion for local history, the docks and what the waterways has provided for people and wildlife for over two centuries.

Aaron Batsman, our volunteer leader, said: "We have a whole host of volunteering opportunities for people to come and join us and play a part in caring for our canal, educating others about our work, and enabling boats to navigate through our immense swing bridges.

"The volunteer welcome session is a chance to come and discover more about what we do and to find out about what we have to offer. Volunteering is a great way of boosting the work of our charity and is fantastic for your own mental wellbeing.

"It's a great way of learning new skills and meeting people, as well as helping us keep canals alive. We already have an amazing team of volunteers who have made a huge difference, and we look forward to meeting anyone interested in Gloucester’s canals on Saturday."

The volunteer event is being held at the National Waterways Museum Gloucester at Llanthony Warehouse in Gloucester Docks.