Montgomery Canal volunteers celebrate successful year
VOLUNTEERS from the Shropshire Union Canal Society (SUCS) have been looking back over 2023 with pride.
Dave Carter, chairman of the Shropshire Union Canal Society, said: “Last year will go down in the society’s history as a great year, we had funding from many sponsors, especially the National Heritage Lottery Fund, but without our team of volunteers who turned out in all weathers and worked so hard, none of this would have been possible.”
The work of SUCS volunteers had not gone unnoticed and in June the society was awarded the Tetlow Cup, an IWA regional trophy for outstanding services to the waterways.
David said: “Without doubt the crowning achievement was the opening of the canal from Pryces Bridge to Crickheath Bridge within the time limits set by the National Heritage Lottery Fund, within budget, and all despite the Covid lockdowns. As a further length of the Montgomery Canal was now open for navigation, SUCS with Canal & River Trust held a splendid opening ceremony and for the volunteers had a barbecue sponsored by Monty’s Brewery with a barrel of its Navigation Pale Ale on hand to be quaffed. What a day!”
Continued achievements
Attentions then focused on the Crickheath Wharf to Schoolhouse Bridge section with work on the now crumbling wharf wall, a wash-wall and an unsafe towpath to be tackled. The project began with a design brief from CRT engineers coinciding with the fundraising team being granted £14,400 from the Association of Industrial Archaeology for new coping stones for the wall and £1300 from Oswestry Rural Council for the towpath.
Work dismantling the wharf, including removing some enormous trees, was completed by SUCS volunteers. The project got a great boost as experts from the Cheshire branch of the Dry-Stone Walling Association stepped up to use their expertise in the restoration of the wharf wall.
The powers that be in Shropshire clearly recognised the work the society is doing as the Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire Anna Turner made a surprise visit to a work party and stayed for much of the day, seeing the volunteers in action.
Donations
Fundraising remained a vital activity as the push to complete the canal to Schoolhouse Bridge continues and in June 2023, an appeal was launched to raise £250,000 towards the first section of the restoration. By the turn of the year around £125,000 had already been donated to the appeal.
The society did not just focus on restoration in 2023; it restarted a volunteer team on enhancement with the purpose of helping maintain the main network for the benefit of all canal users. The first stretch, agreed with CRT, was on the Llangollen Canal between the CRT workshops at Ellesmere and bridge 55 taking in the picturesque area as the canal passes Blakemere.