Our canals knit people and communities together, provide havens for wildlife and give us a unique window into our industrial past. This spring, we’re calling on volunteers to help us keep them alive.
There are hundreds of volunteering opportunities across our network
Last year, more than 4,500 people volunteered for our charity, helping us create vital new habitats for wildlife, remove harmful plastic pollution, clear invasive weeds, and preserve our many heritage structures. Without their tireless work, skills and dedication, our network simply couldn’t operate.
As Christine Mellor, our head of volunteering, tells us: “Volunteers contributed nearly three-quarters of a million hours to our canals last year, making a massive difference to the work we are able to carry out.”
Yet, with dwindling government budgets, the inevitable march of time, and our ever-changing climate, safeguarding our precious waterways is becoming more difficult every year.
“While volunteering on the canals is thriving, the task of keeping our navigable 250-year-old network open and alive is mounting,” says Christine. “Battered by storms and floods and being eroded by time, our canals are in great need of support. With the help of our amazing volunteers, donating their time, knowledge and skills, we’re better able to turn the tide and keep our canals accessible for local communities and for wildlife.”
Presenter and TV personality, Ranvir Singh, is getting behind our latest recruitment drive
As an avid supporter, you’ll know that the Canal & River Trust is more than just a charity, it’s a community. When you volunteer, you become part of a friendly, welcoming group of like-minded people, who share a passion for protecting our canals and making a difference in their communities.
Presenter and TV personality, Ranvir Singh, who is championing our latest recruitment drive, tells us: “The Canal & River Trust cares for an amazing 2,000-mile network of navigable canals across England and Wales. These precious places, with their narrowboats and history, are at the heart of numerous communities, bringing nature and free-to-access green space to the doorsteps of millions. We’re saying that nature and your canal need you and are calling on people to make a difference by volunteering to do something local towards a global priority.”
A role for everyone
There’s a wide range of roles available
This year, we’ve got 20 flexible volunteering roles to choose from, with hundreds of places up for grabs across England and Wales. Whether you’re a people person, a nature lover, a history enthusiast, or you just enjoy working outdoors, there’s a rewarding role for you.
Nine out of ten of our volunteers say they would recommend the charity as a great place to volunteer. And, with flexible hours and such a wide variety of roles from community fundraising, ambassador events and education initiatives, to day-to-day maintenance and conservation, there’s something for everyone whatever your age, skills or life experience.
By joining our team, you’ll be making a real difference to the people, communities, and wildlife in your region, helping us care for and maintain more than 2,000 miles of canals, rivers and towpaths. And that’s not all. By taking on a role with the Trust, you’ll get the opportunity to develop new skills, gain valuable experience, boost your confidence, and enhance your wellbeing. There’s something deeply fulfilling about spending time by water, getting active, and connecting with wildlife and nature.
“Canals provide a home for some of the nation’s most vulnerable and characterful species,” says Ranvir. “They connect cities and towns to rural countryside, farmland and forest, giving wildlife a chance to expand from place to place and allowing flora and fauna to flourish in nature-depleted areas. If you love nature, and you’re thinking about how you can make a difference…come along and find out more at one of the Canal & River Trust’s volunteer welcome sessions.”
Whether it’s learning new practical skills, making friends, or just getting a little fresh air and exercise, volunteering with our charity is a truly rewarding way to spend your free time. So, what are you waiting for? Your canal and your community need you.
Take the first step today and discover how you can make a difference by volunteering with our charity. Together, we can help to keep our beautiful waterways alive and thriving for years to come.
