Volunteer Q&A with North West Regional Team

Held on: 26th November 2020

Trust colleagues in attendance: Daniel Greenhalgh (Regional Director), Stephen Bergquist (Community Engagement Manager), Stephen Ballard (Regional Operations Manager), Steve O’Sullivan (Volunteer Development Co-ordinator), Alice Kay (Volunteer Development Co-ordinator) and Beth Cropper (Volunteer Development Co-ordinator)

Volunteers: 25 in attendance

Feedback from the previous Q&A session in September has focused the team’s efforts to improve communications. In that vein we thought it would be a good idea to introduce the regional management team that report to Daniel.

Becki Anderson – Heritage & Environment Team Manager The Heritage & Environment Team consist of heritage, ecology & environmental specialists that ensure that we uphold and fulfil our statutory obligations and provide specialist knowledge and expertise for the region.

Stephen Ballard - Regional Operations Manager Steve manages the 7 regional Area Operations Managers (AOMs) that run the operational teams across the North West. He also manages a reactive works team, contract manager and harbour manager.

Lucy Rogers - Strategic Programmes Delivery Manager Lucy manages the staff/project officers that deliver any stand-alone externally funded projects that we have in the region. Current projects include Community Roots in Sefton & Pennine Lancs; Stainton aqueduct restoration; Active Waterways (Cheshire); Super Slow Way, an arts project in East Lancashire.

Andrea Barrett - Partnership & External Relationships Manager Andrea’s team consists of; our Marketing and Communications officers (dealing with press & publicity); the Enterprise team that put together funding bids/bring in income; our Business & Corporate Engagement Partner. Andrea also manages our relationships with key stakeholders and MPs etc.

Liam Cooper - Boating & Customer Service Manager Liam manages the Boating and Licence Support Team who work with boaters supporting the licencing process. He also manages the Customer Support Team that field all customer enquiries & handle general administration for the region.

Stephen Bergquist – Community Engagement Manager The Community Engagement Team consists of Volunteer Development Co-ordinators (VDCs); the Learning & Skills Team that deliver schools and educational outreach programmes; a Community, Youth & Events Co-ordinator; Urban Engagement Manager and Toddbrook liaison officer.

Ani Sutton – Destinations & Attractions Manager Manages our attractions and the teams that work at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port and at Anderton Boat Lift.

Who would volunteers like to hear from at the next volunteer Q&A? We welcome feedback about which teams you are interested in hearing from. Ideas and suggestions can be sent to Volunteer Development Coordinators or to [email protected].

Updates on Actions from the last Q&A

Ongoing Actions Location Issue Update Bunbury Historical welfare issues 01.11.20 Since the Q&A Daniel has been to site and locks /Covid19 preventing lock liaised with Paul Reynolds & we are in discussions with keepers from returning Anglo-Welsh and Trust colleagues to try and resolve this longstanding issue and we will update the volunteers with plans going forward. 25.11.20 Daniel is in discussions with our business boating team and Anglo Welsh to agree a way forward for the start of next season. Anglo Welsh relish the support of volunteers at this site. Northgate Welfare issues related to 01.11.20 Since the Q&A Daniel has been to site and Locks Covid19 preventing lock liaised with Paul Reynolds who is looking into keepers from returning additional welfare options at the site. 25.11.20 Paul Reynolds has confirmed he will be providing portable mess facilities, similar to what is currently at Audlem for next season (Covid depending) Manchester Look into the idea of 25.11.20 Update from Liam Cooper: we have issues Ship Canal making travelling along the relating to GDPR & resourcing this with legal support Manchester Ship Canal required to progress this. We are currently working with easier in order to create a Peel regarding the Bridgewater agreement this has ring with the River Weaver taken 3 years and we are only just getting to the final agreement stages. Once the Bridgewater agreement is sorted & while the door with them is open, we can certainly mention this. All NW Local meetings for 25.11.20 Stephen Ballard has confirmed meetings volunteers with AOMs to have started to be rolled out across the region as start happening follows: Angela Parkinson Green – Completed a talk in October and one planned for January. Julia Shelley – Planned for 9th December. Mark Overum – No plans at the moment but will try and get something in before Christmas Paul Reynolds – planned for 9th December Steve Maguire – Completed a talk in October. Planning an additional team talk in December. Tracey Jackson – End of season talk held on 18th November – No others planned yet. Mark Ferris – VTL ran the last talk on 30th October. Hoping to plan another catch up in before Christmas.

Completed Actions

All NW Follow up with volunteers 25.11.20 VDCs have spoken to AOMs/VTLs and who wanted to help with passed on details, VTLs to liaise. weed problem All NW Newsletter to be created 25.11.20 VDCs have sent out first newsletter sent to all and sent out mid-October active volunteers 22.10.20 to be bi-monthly next issue and also agree how often due 17.12.20. it’s circulated All NW Answer unanswered 25.11.20 All questions that were unanswered have questions from the Q&A been fed back to individual volunteers and answers published in the notes for the last Q&A. Notes available on My Trust. All NW Suggestion in order to 25.11.20 The team have spoken to Ed Moss, who said improve communication: the Council was not the appropriate channel of Currently volunteers are communication for volunteer issues and that we should represented through their continue to use the present channels of local Task reps on the Council - Managers, AOMs, VDC etc. to resolve. maybe there should be a channel to the reps/what is this All NW Speak with Ed Moss re 25.11.20 If a volunteer needs access to a specific Trust volunteers having system for their role this will be organised with their Trust email addresses and Task Manager. At the moment the only volunteers with access to Trust systems Trust email addresses are those who undertake a role i.e. GIS, SCADA. in IT or lead volunteers.

VDCs = Volunteer Development Co-ordinators VTL = Volunteer Team Leaders AOMs= Area Operations Managers

Questions

Q: Why have N.W. region handed over the container at L37 (Summit West) on the Rochdale, when they only reach L34? It would be better placed at Schofield St yard as a shelter/storage area etc?

A: The container was handed over to Yorkshire & North East (YNE) region as the North West did not utilise it and YNE had very little storage in that area. The container itself was in poor condition so moving it was not an option. There is also an issue with the suggested land at Schofield Street as it does not belong to the Trust. There is an ad hoc agreement with the landowner whereby our direct services team use it for storage only.

Q: I am still very unsure why the Llangollen and Montgomery Canals were allocated to the West Midlands region rather than staying with North West. Surely, our natural linkages remain with Cheshire and the Welsh Counties and County Boroughs? Will these regional boundaries be reviewed at some point and will we have an opportunity to contribute to that discussion?

A: When the Trust realigned its boundaries and regions were merged over 2 years ago it was done so that the regions aligned with county & regional boundaries. This was done to improve working relationships with external partners such as councils & local authorities. In terms of reviewing it anytime soon this is very unlikely. Our hope is that as a singular organisation and network it should not matter which region you sit in. Lines of communication are open please contact us or our counterparts elsewhere in the country.

Comment: I wanted just to come back to you Daniel to say that the Llangollen falls into three county sections: Hurleston to Grindley Brook (Cheshire) (11.5 miles from the Shropshire Union), Grindley to Gledrid/Chirk Bank (Shropshire - 24 miles) and then the remaining 8 miles from Chirk Pool to Llangollen Basin in Wales. Clearly, Shropshire is the longest stretch, but connectivity remains with the SU.

Q: Can you tell me about the delay in works to Lock 42, Redbull. When will work start?

A: The works will be delivered soon but it has required additional planning as we want to restore and fix the cast iron stop plank grooves before the work is started. This has required some consultation with the heritage team. Using the stop planks will reduce the cost of the work considerably as we can avoid using a fabric dam.

Q: Question asked relating to enforcement on a boat known to volunteers?

A: We are unable to comment on any specific enforcement activity due to the legal nature of the processes that are undertaken by our licence support team.

Q: Nationally, has any thought been given to Recognition Awards after the 2,000 hour mark? I believe that this was raised a year or two ago, but there does not seem to have been any progress. I'm sure that there are volunteers approaching or past 5,000 hours. It would be nice for them to be given extra recognition.

A: This is being looked at nationally. There is currently a consultant that is undertaking a piece of work to outline all volunteer recognition materials and specifically the hours award badges. The volunteer council reps have been involved in the consultation and it is hoped that this should be agreed early next year.

Q. There was some talk last year about creating a “hub” in Blackburn for use by voluntary organisations, and an area beside the canal was earmarked for this. I haven’t heard anything on this for a while and wonder if this is still going ahead?

A: Since Covid-19, and the impact it has had on property and in particular operational property we will have difficulties adding any additional locations to our portfolio. This has meant that projects like this have had to be reconsidered and we may have to look at delivering activity in another way.

Q. What is the situation with damage to punchbowl bridge (br. 43) in Littleborough?

A. The bridge is not owned by the Trust or Rochdale Council, we are aware of who owns it and both the Trust, and the Council are pursuing the owner. A joint inspection has been carried out by engineers from the Trust & the Council. The canal is currently closed, and repairs will need to be undertaken, potentially by the Trust and/or the Council if we can’t pursue the owner to undertake works.

Q. In terms of the hours recorded for volunteers. I have been on various volunteering activities since joining as a newby last December. How are the hours recorded, really for my personal records as I don't have any?

A. If you have attended a Taskforce event the hours are recorded by the Trust volunteer team based on the sign in sheet. These hours get submitted into our volunteer database (called ThankQ) and will be logged against your volunteer record. If you are a lock keeper or ranger, you should be keeping a tally of your hours then sending them to your Task Manager every month or so. Any questions relating to hours please speak to your Task Manager or local Volunteer Development Co-ordinator.

Q. There was mention earlier of welfare facilities. Apart from a small hut we have nothing at Stanley Flight in Liverpool. Has consideration been given to improving this at all?

A. We have a similar situation in Manchester and other locations. In Manchester we have been able to utilise the work boat as a mobile facility unit. Steve Ballard will take this question away and look into options for the Stanley locks site.

Q: Will the waterway museum be open next week? (after lockdown is lifted)

A: We will be looking at this over the next few days and plan our opening strategy. This will be communicated to all staff & volunteers when it has been decided.

Pre submitted Questions

Q. Although several months off, and not critical, what is the situation regarding clothing for volunteers, yes, we understand that we will need to pay for the clothes, but how are you progressing with sorting this out please?

Depending on your role you will be issued with appropriate uniform. If you would like to buy additional pieces details of how to do this are in MyTrust (My Resources section). The process isn’t perfect, and the new version is being worked on currently. We have checked with the national team and there is not currently an ETA on this. The items available to volunteers are listed on MyTrust. If you speak to your Task Manager about what you would like they can send over the current specification & cost of this from our supplier, they will then place an order for you. To pay you will need to follow the link & instructions on my Trust.

Q. Some PPE is essential for lock keepers (e.g. life jackets) please confirm these will still be provided?

Lifejackets will still be provided but prior to Covid19 and in line with the new uniform guidance in some circumstances it may be deemed appropriate to hold a central store for each lock flight. Meaning that individuals may have to share lifejackets and utilise those at their designated store. This may not apply to all lock sites depending on resources and storage facilities available. Covid has meant that in some locations where shared lifejackets are already used a quarantine period has had to be instigated.

Q. Running the Macclesfield Adoption Group as I do , we are constantly being asked what the situation is the situation at Br 38 on the Macclesfield canal (Black Road bridge ), is there any chance of an update please ?

A. The communications between our legal teams, the property owner and the local council are ongoing and progressing well, and we will provide an update when we have more information available. Due to the legalities involved we unfortunately cannot elaborate further.

Q. I have heard the term "linear orchard" project mentioned (at the AGM by Richard Parry) could you please provide more details and does this apply in NW Region?

A. There is a formal project for this in Birmingham that has been funded. The Ecology Team in the region have done some minor planting on the Macclesfield Canal (Sutton to Bosley) and have plans for this at Whaley Bridge and Manchester. But it is not a Trust-wide programme, just an ad hoc series of projects in some places where we have funding.

Q. Can you share with us what the targets are on CRT for volunteers in 2021 (numbers/hours/new volunteers/new VLKs etc)?

A. These have not been set yet, so we are unable to provide them at the moment.

Business Planning

Following on from questions Daniel outlined what work was currently being undertaken for business planning for the next financial year. The North West plan is structured around key themes outlined below.

1. The North West as a Visitor Destination. Improving and enhancing the visitor experience at out two key attractions the National Waterways Museum at Elsmere Port and Anderton Boat Lift. 2. Increasing our engagement & profile in Liverpool. Our focus in Liverpool is concentrated on increasing our identity and branding at the docks and highlighting the investment we put into the area. 3. Improving the water space in Manchester. In Manchester there is a clear plan to stive towards making it cleaner, greener, and safer so that it is a welcoming space. Lots of investment has been put into facilitating the regular cleaning of the space and plans are on course to making it greener in a variety of ways. 4. Focus on community engagement & outreach at key sites (Community Roots) We have external funding for project officers to work and engage with communities in Sefton, Merseyside, and Pennine Lancashire. 5. Expanding our Green Flag network. Successes have already happened this year with the achievement of being awarded Green Flag status in both Manchester and Liverpool (Stanley Lock flight). The plan is to expand these Green Flag sites each year.