Volunteering features and articles

• Marsh Charitable Trust Awards

  10 November 2021

  Together with the Marsh Charitable Trust, we will be celebrating volunteering excellence along our nation's waterways, by recognising those who have been nominated for having such a huge impact over the past year.

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  Meet Lara from Wigan

  29 January 2020

  Thanks to volunteering with us, Lara is now realising two dreams.

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  Meet Bernard from Burnley

  28 January 2020

  When Bernard suffered from depression, he turned to volunteering and now wants to share his story.

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  Thelma at the helm

  16 September 2019

  Thelma Edwards is a greeter for the 5,000 visitors who step aboard The Admiral floating visitor centre each year. She relishes her role as storyteller, bringing to life the inspiring tale of the Kennet & Avon Canal.

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  Meet Mike, volunteering at Dundas Wharf

  16 April 2019

  A 10-year labour of love is nearing its end for volunteer Mike Rogers, who has been restoring the historic crane at Dundas Wharf on the Kennet & Avon Canal. His work will be finished in the next few weeks and the crane will stand proudly in all its glory once more.

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  Meet Ray, volunteer plant recorder

  14 February 2019

  Ray Goulder has worked extensively as a volunteer for us, and spent recent summers working as a volunteer plant recorder in Yorkshire, writing botanical reports and a book.

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  A head for heritage: Meet John Webb

  12 February 2019

  John Webb just loves the waterways and particularly getting his hands on old structures. It could be said he has a bit of a thing about cranes. During his 17 years of volunteering in the Bath area he has been instrumental in bringing derelict canal heritage back to life.

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  Meet Bill, 80 years old and steaming ahead

  16 November 2018

  After a career as a marine mechanical engineer Bill Darch could have easily hung up his spanners to enter a well-earned retirement. But, fortunately for the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, he didn’t.

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  Meet Paul, volunteering in Stewponey

  13 November 2018

  Retiring after 40 years of working in an office environment, my intention had always been to do some form of volunteering, but I wasn’t sure what to do.

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  Meet John, volunteering in Newbury

  12 October 2018

  There is a special joy in model making. The joy of challenge and problem-solving, the joy of self-expression, and the pleasure of seeing your vision become a reality and of sharing it with others. Volunteer John Berry is getting rather good at it.