Canal & River Trust will match donations to Waterway Charities Appeal

FOLLOWING the launch of the Waterway Charities Appeal, the Canal & River Trust announced on May 12 that it will match donations received by the appeal – up to a total of £50,000.

The Waterway Charities Appeal, which is open for donations via the JustGiving website, had at the time of going to press received just over 150 donations totalling more than £3700.

It will provide support for many small community-based charities at a time when, without help, the coronavirus pandemic could have a devastating impact on them.

The trust also announced that its trustee, Sue Wilkinson, volunteer chairman of the annual Living Waterways Awards, would lead a small panel comprising other Living Waterways Award independent judges with experience of the work that communitybased waterway charities do, to allocate small grants from the fundraising appeal. The trust hopes to start this work from the end of May.

Having announced that he will donate 20% of his salary for the first three months of the year to the appeal, Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, said: “The coronavirus pandemic is having a devastating impact on the dozens of amazing small charities that operate across our network – vastly reducing their activity and funding. They share our belief in the profound impact that waterways have on so many people’s lives, and they need our collective support at this unprecedented time.

“I would like to thank all those who have donated so far for their generosity and encourage all those who are able to contribute at this difficult time to do so. The trust is pleased to announce that we will match public donations, up to a total of £50k, so that together we can help ensure that these community-based waterways charities are able to continue their amazing work on the other side of the pandemic.”

Sue Wilkinson added: “I’m delighted to be asked to chair the panel distributing this money, and I’d like to thank some of my fellow Living Waterways Awards judges for stepping forward to join me in deciding how best to allocate the funds raised through the appeal. Through the Living Waterways Awards, I have had the pleasure of visiting and seeing first-hand the wonderful impact that many waterways charities have within their local community.

“The threat to their survival at this time is very real, so knowing that together the wider waterways movement can come together to help is heartening.”

To donate, visit https://justgiving. com/campaign/ waterwaycharitiesappeal – 100% of your donation will be distributed by the Canal & River Trust in small grants to local waterway-based community charities to ensure they can continue to operate in the months and years ahead.