Friends with Human-Nature | Fortnightly Canal Volunteering

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Date/Time
Date(s) - 22/11/2019
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Location
Red Bull Wharf

Categories


Friends with Human-Nature |  Fortnightly Canal Volunteering 

Every Friday morning from 10am to 12noon, as ‘Friends with Human-Nature‘, we’re working in partnership with Canal & River Trust volunteering on our very own newly adopted stretch canal around the Red Bull Wharf area of Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent.

We’re doing our bit for nature conservation on our own patch, linking to our ‘Nature’s Ways to Wellbeing’:

  • ‘Give’ (Spirit) – by volunteering our time and effort
  • ‘Care’ (Planet) – by keeping the canal-side clear of litter, and the towpaths easily accessible to the wider community.

 

We’re following CRT’s ‘Waterways & Wellbeing’ Charity motto of ‘making life better by water‘!

 

Image result for canal & river trust waterways adoption

 

We work independently as a group on our adopted canal stretch, but under the guidance of CRT’s Volunteer Coordinator, taking a walk each alternate fortnight:

  1. From Red Bull Wharf along our lovely stretch of Trent & Mersey to Lock 41 in North Staffordshire (near Harecastle Tunnel North Entrance) often looping around Red Bull Basin narrowboat moorings on the Macclesfield Canal.Nature Conservation - Red Bull Wharf 4
  2. From Red Bull Wharf to Lock 52 out into the countryside of South Cheshire to Church Lawton Locks.Nature Conservation - Red Bull Wharf 5

 

While we enjoy the canal landscape, have a good old ‘natter in nature’ and a bit of ‘blue and green’ therapy, we gain some useful exercise by attending to the following types of basic maintenance tasks, where everyone lends a hand, using the hand tools provided:

  • Checking the towpaths are clear and safe, trimming back and encroaching branches or vegitation
  • Litter picking, bagging and removing any unsightly waste, and stopping it endangering wildlife
  • Identifying, isolating and reporting anything that might present a hazard to the visiting public
  • Carrying out basic repair work such as towpath pot-hole filling, painting railings and cleaning signage
  • Working alongside and under the supervision of CRT for any more major maintenance and repair tasks
  • Helping to maintain the gardens/grounds of the Red Bull Wharf Offices.

And often we end up after at the Red Bull Public House for a coffee or a tea, and a bit more nattering!

Nature Conservation - Red Bull 1    Nature Conservation - Red Bull 2    Nature Conservation - Red Bull Wharf 3

 

We’re open to new members of the community joining our ‘Friends of Human-Nature‘ group, and support our work to maintain our adopted canal section – this could potentially include joining forces with other community groups or members of the wider public wanting to do their bit – or even local businesses wanting to help as part of a corporate CSR initiative or team building day.

 

In order to participate you’ll need to complete a volunteer application form provided by CRT through the Volunteer Coordinator, and abide by the instructions and risk assessments provided.  Please use our Contact Us page to log your interest.