Your support is needed to help make the canals and rivers you love stronger and more resilient against devastating winter storms.
Protecting canals against a perfect storm
We’ve already been responding to the damage caused by Storms Austen and Boelo, after strong winds and heavy rain led to fallen trees and navigation closures. Following the hottest summer on record, our fragile canals are facing a perfect storm of extreme weather, expensive repairs and shrinking government support.
Protecting our network has never been tougher and without your help, the impact could be devastating. Right now, your support could go twice as far with every donation matched pound for pound.
Our much-loved network of canals and rivers is fragile and ageing, which, combined with severe weather, brings challenges all year round. We're fighting to keep all 2,000 miles safe and open – not just for towpath users and boaters, but for the hundreds of wildlife species that call it home.
We urgently need your support to power our teams as they protect canals and prepare for the worst of the weather yet to come.
The canals and rivers we treasure are heading into winter stretched to breaking point. Waterways that have stood for 250 winters are facing their toughest test yet. Without your help, I fear our irreplaceable waterways could be at risk.
Dean Davies, head of direct services
Donate today and have twice the impact with matched funding. Together, we can weather any storm.
In December 2025, a devastating breach near Whitchurch caused major damage to the 200-year-old Llangollen Canal, displacing boats and disrupting local communities.
A devastating breach occurred in December 2025 on the Llangollen Canal.
Our teams responded immediately, working through Christmas and New Year to rescue affected boats and maintain water supplies to 60,000 homes. The rebuild continues today, but the incident is a reminder of the growing pressure facing our canals as extreme weather becomes more common.
With severe winter storms forecast, we need your support.
This winter, the first £50,000 donated to this appeal will be matched, doubling the impact of every gift.
Every storm that passes without lasting damage is thanks to work most people will never see. We reinforce lock gates, keep teams on standby, and maintain a constant, relentless effort to make sure the system stays strong. This hidden work relies on your visible support.
By donating today, you're not just making sure teams are ready when needed – you're helping protect the banks, the locks, and every one of the 2,000 miles we look after. With your help, our staff and volunteers can safeguard our canals and rivers today, and for generations to come.
Donate today, double your impact, and together we can weather the storm.
Before and after the structural damage caused by winter storms to the Grand Union Canal.
Last Edited: 4 November 2026
Stay connected
Sign up to our newsletter and discover how we protect canals and help nature thrive
