Young people making a big impact on canals

George Dunn, Young Volunteer of the Year, West Midlands

George Dunn has boating in his blood.  His grandfather worked for British Waterways for more than 40 years and lives in an old toll house on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, near Swindon. As a child, George would spend many happy hours playing by the canal, learning the ropes on his grandfather’s narrowboat, Bellatrix – an old 72-foot cargo vessel.

With special educational needs, George found school a little difficult at times. When he turned 18, volunteering for our charity seemed like a natural step, giving him the opportunity to work with his hands which he loved. His uncle, who also has strong ties to the canals, brought George along to meet the team.

As Gemma Coley, our volunteer team leader, recalls: “George was very shy and nervous, and at first, he wouldn’t even look at me, but he likes to pull his weight and was really keen to get stuck in, so we started him out in a small, close-knit team, almost like a safety bubble, while he found his feet.”

George gradually came out of his shell, bonding with his new teammates and trying his hand at any number of duties, from clearing vegetation to helping maintain the towpath. Since those first tentative weeks, George has come on leaps and bounds, learning new skills, gaining valuable work experience, and growing in confidence.

“He’s almost unrecognisable,” says Gemma, “he’s made such a leap forward in the last two years and overcome so many obstacles. Just a few weeks ago, we were training on the locks, and we couldn’t get him away; he was loving it, chatting to every boater that was coming through.”

Today, George is a skilled member of our operational team carrying out preventative maintenance, installing fences, assisting the public and tackling windblown trees with support of the team. He always shows incredible enthusiasm and dedication, often working up to seven days a week, going above and beyond for our charity.

George’s real passion is boating. In addition to his other duties, he would like to be trained as a volunteer helmsman honing those skills he learned from his grandfather all those years ago aboard Bellatrix.

Antonia Geldard, Young Volunteer of the Year, Yorkshire & North East

Antonia receives her award from Canal & River Trust Chief Executive Richard Parry and Marsh Charitable Trust Ambassador, Mike Heyworth

Antonia Geldard joined our Towpath Taskforce in Selby when she was just 15, as part of the volunteering requirement for her Duke of Edinburgh Award. Nearly four years on, she’s still loving life on the canal.

“I wanted to do something with the environment,” Antonia recalls, “and I didn’t know what to expect; but the people were lovely and made me feel so comfortable, and I made so many friends and just kept coming back.”

As a keen environmentalist, volunteering for our charity has given Antonia the opportunity to make a huge difference in her local area, litter-picking, ridding the canal of invasive plants, and protecting endangered wildlife.

As she explains: “Being able to get out there and do meaningful, hands-on work is really rewarding, particularly when you’re clearing harmful vegetation, like pennywort, out of the canal. You can see it disappearing around you, and you’re thinking, wow, I’m actually making an impact on the landscape.”

As well as studying for her A-levels, Antonia also helps to care for her father, who has multiple sclerosis, so life can be pretty hectic.

“I don’t get to spend a lot of time outside,” she says, “so having an outlet like the Canal & River Trust is amazing. Being out in the fresh air, by water, is such a lovely, calming experience; it really helps me relax and ground myself, and when I come home, I just feel better and uplifted.”

In her time with the Trust, Antonia has proved an invaluable asset to the team, bringing boundless energy and enthusiasm to the role, and making a huge contribution to her community.

Sadly for us, Antonia is heading off to university; but as we celebrated her success and wished her well with her studies, we asked her what would she say to any other young people thinking about volunteering for our charity: “If you feel passionate about the environment and perhaps a little disillusioned with what’s going on in the world, it’s the perfect way to connect with nature and feel like you’re taking action. Everyone’s really helpful and friendly, it’s a great way to boost your mental health and wellbeing and I’d recommend it to anyone.”

Congratulations to our other four very deserving Young Volunteer of the Year Marsh Award 2024 winners: Adam Kearsley (Winner North West), Cameron Fletcher (Winner East Midlands), Peter Brookwalker (Winner London South East)

If you or someone you know is thinking about volunteering for our charity, why not head down to one of our volunteer welcome sessions? Who knows, just like our two award winners, George and Antonia, it could change your life.

Join our Welcome Sessions