Your help needed on the Cromford Canal

THE Friends of the Cromford Canal in Derbyshire are looking for new trustees to move their restoration plans forward in 2022.

Planning approval has been granted for a significant restoration project at Langley Mill but the Friends need new enthusiastic trustees from all backgrounds to help guide them through these exciting times.

A spokesman explained: “We are an active charity whose aim is to restore the Cromford Canal to navigation over the 14.5 miles between the end of the Erewash Canal at Langley Mill Basin and Cromford Wharf.

“At present there is only a 1.5 mile length of canal in navigation, between Cromford Wharf and the Derwent Aqueduct at the northern end of the canal, and a short length at the southern end from below the road bridge through the first lock to the end of the Langley Mill basin, but in between the line of the canal is still present on some reaches whereas other sections have unfortunately been lost to new development and a new alignment will be needed.”

The spokesman continued: “Last year, we obtained planning approval for a 1km reach of the canal which is known as the ‘Beggarlee Extension’, starting from the Langley Mill basin heading north up the Erewash valley.

“We operate a trip boat on the northern section of the canal on a commercial basis to provide some funding for modest repair and maintenance work along the canal and have aspirations to extend this section of the canal further.”

The charity’s management board realises that it needs an urgent trusteerefresh and is looking for people with a background and interest in canal restoration and preferably who have specific skills to bring to the team, particularly engineering and finance skills.

So if you think you can help accelerate the restoration and development aims please get in touch; the Friends are looking for enthusiastic and energetic individuals who can work co-operatively with existing trustees.

Please visit www. cromfordcanal.org for more details on the canal and aims.

Interested parties should email chairman David Martin for an informal chat at chair@ cromfordcanal.org.uk