Four men in white hard hats and hi vis clothing smile up at a camera as they stand next to a large, wooden lock gate in a drained lock.

A new era for canals through gifts in Wills

Across 2025-26, gifts in Wills contributed an incredible £2.25 million, allowing us to tackle projects both big and small.

Introduction: celebrating everything made possible through gifts in Wills

We are so grateful to everyone who so kindly chooses to leave us a gift in their Will. It’s wonderful to share a snapshot of how this inspiring support is protecting the history and heritage of canals for the future and looking after communities and wildlife.

Your support through gifts in Wills to preserve our 2,000-mile network is more vital than ever. As a charity, we face the combined threats of a changing climate, falling government funding and the rising cost of caring for our ageing network.

So we simply couldn’t keep canals alive without you and we’re proud that the number of supporters who choose to make a gift in their Will to our charity grows every year. The amount we raise though does vary, but this year gifts in Wills contributed an incredible £2.25 million, allowing us to tackle projects both big and small.

Gift in Wills 2025-26

Out of the £2.25 million we received:

of donations

given to where the need is greatest

of donations

given to spend on specific projects

Projects already completed include a major series of lock gate replacements and bank repair works across the network. Gifts in Wills also supported nature and wildlife by funding our invasive weed removal programme and work to conserve our water voles.

They also helped to digitise our unrivalled collection of waterways heritage artefacts, documents and photographs. And restore much-loved trip boats that gave so many people their first experience of all the joys of spending time on water.

There are still more funds yet to be allocated to even more incredible projects. We’re grateful for the amazing way so many gifts in Wills help fund work on canals, that are most in need of support.

How the impact of gifts in Wills reaches far and wide

Gifts in Wills help us repair, restore and maintain special places along the length and breadth of the canal network. Every pound given to us in Wills goes into important projects.

Replacing lock gates on the Kennet & Avon Canal

Kelston Lock, on the River Avon, is one of over 100 locks we care for along the 87-miles of the Kennet & Avon Canal as it stretches east towards Reading

Passing on the magic of fishing across the network

We’re delighted that gifts in Wills helped welcome a new generation of anglers to the sport, by supporting our Let’s Fish! programme last year

Keeping canal conversations on going on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, thanks to Brian

Burnley in Lancashire was once the cotton-weaving capital of the world. Today, we’re still using the canal to bring local people together

Celebrating a founding father of the Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne

Thanks to a gift from the son of one of its founders, Stoke Bruerne will help us share canal history with the next generation

Making Llanfoist embankment on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal safe and sound

This embankment is a 'critical asset' — a location we constantly monitor to ensure the 250-year-old canal above the town is resilient enough to withstand major storms

Helping bats bunker down on the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal, in memory of John Barkham

Thanks to a generous gift left to us by the esteemed ecologist John Barkham, we’re restoring a pillbox and turning it into a ‘bat bunker'

“I’d like my legacy to go to the bricks and mortar of canals.”

Friend Heather Bebbington has kindly pledged a gift in her Will and tells us how her love of history and nature inspired her to do so

Leave a gift in your Will and become part of our Thomas Telford Society

In recognition and appreciation of everyone that decides to make that special pledge to our charity, we have launched the Thomas Telford Society.

As a member, you’ll follow in Telford’s footsteps, helping to preserve our waterways for future generations.

Find out more about the Thomas Telford Society

Learn about the exclusive opportunities to connect with our work on a deeper level

Need more information on gifts in Wills?

We’re here to help!

You might have already met our small but mighty team – Emily, Kelly and Tash.

Whether you’ve spoken to us before or will be getting in touch for the first time, we’d love to hear from you if you ever want to talk about this special network and our work, especially the projects made possible by gifts in Wills.

If you have any questions about leaving a gift or need any support, or you’d like to make your wishes known to us, we’re here to help too.

Did you know:

We use 100% of all gifts left in Wills for our direct works across canals and rivers, they make such an incredible impact.
If you still don’t have a Will, you can write a simple one for free through our Will writing partners – in person, online or over the phone.
You can add a gift to our charity using our Codicil form if you already have a Will, so there’s no need to rewrite it.

You can get in touch with us at [email protected] or by calling 07917 078121.