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The charity making life better by water

two men planting and volunteering by the canal in Nottingham

Adoptions

Adoptions can make a real difference in your community, changing lives and having fun too. Find out more about what adopting a canal looks like and what's involved.

What is canal adoption?

  • Adopting your own stretch of waterway can mean signing up for simple tasks like regular litter picks or creating a new green space for your whole community to enjoy
  • Adoption Agreements are a partnership with organisations of many differing types: residents associations, parish councils, sports clubs, health support services and many more

Finding your perfect fit

We'll help you figure out the perfect way to adopt, and give you the support you need along the way. Our three adoption types:

  • Community adoption groups are asked to adopt one mile or more for a year and to volunteer at least once a month. This type of adoption best suits groups with more experience that are able to lead and manage their own activities
  • Helping hands adoptions are great for groups that fancy adopting a smaller area and might need a bit of help getting going. We ask these groups to volunteer about once a month for a year
  • Pocket adoptions are the mini adoption option, volunteering in the same area for five days in one go or over a few months. This adoption can be in a much smaller area and really suits people keen to improve an area close to home.

Adoption map

Here you'll find all of our current listed adoptions.

  • Who can adopt?

    We welcome all sorts of small and large organisations, we just ask that you are an affiliated group (for example a parish council or canal society) with a minimum of six people to volunteer.

  • Want to arrange a one-off or regular work party?

    We can work with you to jointly run volunteering sessions with your organisation.

    We regularly work with organisations who are only able to work with us for a single day or a short term, one-off project. Likewise, we also work with organisations keen to come out regularly, because they've got time for a longer term project and want to oversee regular maintenance.

Contact us

Get in touch if you'd to discuss canal adoption or a one-off/regular work party

Last Edited: 14 October 2024

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