Volunteer and make a real difference to Britain’s living waterways heritage

THE Inland Waterways Association is seeking volunteers to help improve the protection of heritage assets along the UK’s rivers and canals through the extension of existing conservation areas, listing status and campaigning to save historic waterways features that may be at risk from insensitive development.

As a heritage volunteer, you will help Save Waterways Heritage. You will join an enthusiastic and motivated team of volunteers and staff. In addition, you will learn new skills, gain new experiences and receive training.

There are several ways to get involved in IWA’s Save Waterways Heritage campaign from photographing heritage as you walk, run, bike or boat along the canal to becoming one of our national heritage advisors.

Look out for hidden heritage Uncover historical artefacts along the waterways near you. These are the details that help tell a story about the waterways they served. Hidden heritage can be things like the rope marks on a bridge, mason’s marks on a lock wall, canal company signage or mile posts along the towpath. You don’t need to know what these things are as IWA has experts on hand to advise. You just need enthusiasm and a camera.

Identifying heritage at risk

Be a part of the team! Work with IWA’s Heritage Advisory Group and local branches to identify heritage buildings, structures and artefacts which are at risk of being lost. This information will feed into IWA’s Waterways Heritage at Risk Register and local campaigns.

Map conservation areas

IWA is looking to create a small project team to spend the next 4-6 months researching the waterways network and mapping conservation areas to create a central database. IWA will then be able to lobby local authorities to designate more waterways and their corridors as conservation areas where it’s appropriate.

Share your heritage expertise

Join IWA’s panel of expert advisors. Ideally you will have a background or academic interest in conservation, archaeology or management of historic structures and provide advice and guidance on heritage matters to our volunteer community and staff team to ensure the waterways heritage is understood and appreciated by government, stakeholders and developers.

Find out more and sign up at waterways.org.uk/heritagevolunteer