Cubs spread the word about Lichfield Canal
LICHFIELD Cubs are helping to spread the word about the city’s canal restoration project.
The 7th Lichfield Scout Group’s Somers Pack took part in a wordsearch challenge at Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust’s Tamworth Road site, finding missing words in posters explaining the project.
Led by Group Scout Leader Richard Taylor, the pack also helped to collect 220-year-old bricks for recycling in the canal’s restoration.
The posters, paintings by trust artist Stuart Sampson imagining the canal with restoration completed, contain brief descriptions of the work being carried out at various places along this section of the canal.
From a list of words provided, the Cubs’ task was to find which of those words did not appear on any of the posters.
While half the group were taking their turn in the words challenge, the other half sorted through spoil heaps created from excavation of the canal channel, to find bricks which had been part of the original Lock 24 for reuse.
The bricks were then cleaned up by Duke of Edinburgh Award students ready for trust volunteers building the new canal walls.
LHCRT’s commitment to working with the local community, and particularly with young people, was recognised with the award of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services, and chairperson Chris Bull is especially keen on fostering relationships with the Scout movement.
The Somers Pack is named after Lord Somers, who became Chief Scout after the movement’s founder, Lord BadenPowell, died.
“I know that,” Chris said, “because I was tested for my Beekeeper's Badge in 1st Ledbury Guides (about 60 years ago!) by Lady Somers, who lived at Eastnor Castle.”