Alan Sumnall The Volunteer

Volunteer Coordinator The Volunteers Newsletter of South Wales & Severn Waterways Spring/Summer 2014 www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer

Welcome to the latest edition of our volunteer newsletter – we haven’t got a name as yet so we are calling it ‘the Volunteer’ for now but please send in your ideas for a name and there’ll be a cash prize for the chosen suggestion! You will see from the newsletter that there’s a lot going on in our region and I am always amazed to hear about the great work that our volunteers do. The dedication and enthusiasm is incredible and I’m grateful to all those who give up their spare time to make a difference to our local waterways. You may have heard that our new Chief Executive, Richard Parry, has recently launched the new Vision for the & River Trust – living waterways that transform places and enrich lives. This is an inspiring Vision that you as volunteers have a real impact on and I’m sure you share with me the optimism for our future. As well as the Vision, our staff have also been learning about the new core Values – they are Caring, Local, Open, Involving, and Excellent These values drive our behaviours and it will be an obligation of all our people to ensure that we stick by these new Values if we are ever going to realise the Trust’s vision. Do speak to your local volunteer manager about the new Vision and Values as it is important that you at least understand them, and better still, adopt them whenever you are representing the Trust. It would be remiss of me not to mention the recent adverse weather which so badly affected our region – you can see some examples of this in the operations update in this newsletter – but I would like to give a special thanks to those volunteers who helped us through the recent storm and flood damage, particularly in Worcestershire. This showed the value of not just the regular working parties, but also having a pool of volunteers that we could call upon to help in a crisis. I also send a mention out to all our new volunteers and with the volunteer lock-keepers and rangers now on board, and the new welcome station at Saul Junction, I know that we will continue to grow our volunteer base and reach out to our local communities. Finally, I thought I’d share with you my personal experiences of volunteering. I am currently an Ambassador for Gloucestershire as part of the Local Enterprise Partnership - http://www.gfirstlep.com/gfirst-LEP/Get-Involved/ - and this gives me great satisfaction as I visit local schools to help mentor and advise school children from ages 13 up to 18. This includes special needs students and I am honoured to be able to give some degree of help in setting our young people on to a positive career path. Best wishes to all of you for the coming season and don’t forget you can contact me if you want to share your views, or have any queries:

Phone: (01452) 318002 Email: [email protected]

Operations Update The first quarter of 2014 has been a testing time for all involved within South Wales & Severn Waterways due to the onslaught of stormy weather causing damage in all regions: South Wales – we had 87 trees fall down due to high winds and also had a major engineering and construction project at Llanfoist following a towpath slippage due to an embankment becoming severely saturated. Please visit: http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/mon-and-brec-to-reopen-following-major-repairs Gloucestershire – Sharpness Port was battered by high tides and winds with the highest spring tide recorded in living memory (10.7 meters) Worcestershire – Diglis Basin was totally submerged by the , and both the Worcester-Birmingham and Droitwich had parts under water due to the floods with record levels recorded since gauges were installed.

Diglis River Lock Sharpness Piers

Volunteer Workboat Contracts Corner Mowing/grass cutting You have heard rumours of a volunteer workboat to be Collaboration between CRT Contracts and Ecologists utilised solely for volunteer projects along the Worcester- teams in 2007 saw the launch of standard mowing Birmingham and Droitwich canals. regimes across the BW network. These rumours are 100% accurate and CRT is pleased to The regimes were developed to take account of the needs announce that the volunteer workboat is now in of our diverse range of customers and stakeholders but Worcester! An ex- workboat from balanced against the recognition of the emerging Huddersfield is to be refurbished and used solely by importance of the linear canal network as a haven for volunteers to complete a wide variety of tasks including wildflowers and insects, many of which are under threat water borne litter collection, offside vegetation in the wider environment. management, graffiti removal from bridges and creating The exact start and finishing of the mowing season varies habitats for wildlife. More information can be found at: according to the prevailing weather conditions but http://support.canalrivertrust.org.uk/index.php/get- generally the first cut is in early to mid-April and the last involved/appeal/build-a-volunteer-workboat/home/ cut Late September to early October If you would like to get involved, we are looking for Heavily used or trafficked sections of the canal, moorings, volunteer groups to ‘adopt’ the workboat and complete and those locations where safety or engineering issues identified tasks from a calendar. We are also looking for require are short mown up to 12 times per season. In possible Volunteer Helms; people to move the workboat other more remote locations or where there are specific for the adopting groups and to also maintain and benefits to wildlife the frequency, width and height of complete checks as required. More information to follow. cutting is greatly reduced during the season and may be For further information please contact the local as little as a once a year cut from the back of the volunteering team. hedgerow to the water’s edge. Left: the We are always willing to consider varying mowing workboat on regimes locally if there is an identified issue or need its journey which does not compromise safety or create an to imbalance with the needs of other users. Worcester For more information on our mowing please visit our webpage www.canalrivertrust.org.uk or contact:

Paul Gibson, Contracts Works Supervisor [email protected] 07880-787-294

South Wales & Severn Waterways (SW&S) One question that our volunteers regularly ask us is “where and what is South Wales & Severn?” In short, we are the most diverse waterway region with a canal in a National Park (Brecon Beacons), Sharpness Port and the newly restored Droitwich Canals. CRT is split into 11 waterway regions, with SW&S being one of these. We cover six canals: Swansea, Monmouthshire & Brecon, Gloucester & Sharpness, Droitwich Barge & Junction, and Worcester-Birmingham (Diglis Basin to Wast Hill tunnel). In addition we cover the River Severn from Gloucester to Stourport.

Flood Clear Up Volunteer Recognition Mugs The Worcestershire Towpath Taskforce (WTTF) Throughout February CRT had the pleasure of presenting helped our local teams to clean up the flood damage. The our hard working volunteers with recognition mugs. These local Construction Team also delivered Jetwasher have been presented to those volunteers who CRT has training. Huge thanks to Mark Abraham (Construction recorded over 100 hours in our volunteer system. This is a Supervisor) and Nick Trow (Waterway Operative) for roll-over database so once any volunteer has recorded 100 delivering this session. hours, your local Volunteer Task Manager (VTM) will be given a recognition mug to award. Left: Construction Supervisor Mark Abraham presents the theoretical of the course to members of the WTTF.

Right: Nick Trow (left) delivering the practical training, with volunteers Above: Members of the Worcestershire Towpath Taskforce David Turner proudly displaying their recognition mugs during a well- (centre), and earned coffee break. Left to right: Adrian Hamlyn, Steve Barbara Westwood, Alistair Main, Chris Lovell, Volunteers Leader Howman Suzanne Byrne, and Bill Lambert. (right).

Gloucestershire South Wales

February saw the launce of The Society (SCS) have been as busy as the first Gloucestershire ever during the Winter months. Highlights of tasks Towpath Taskforce. This completed include: is a practical work party - Creating wildflower beds with native plants donated by open to all to ‘come and The Bumblebee Trust have a go’. This has been - Holding canal exhibitions built on the success of the - Setting the hire of Canoes on the Swansea Canal - they Towpath Rangers based at launched their Canoe and Kayak Hire on Mothers Day Saul Junction with a huge based at the canoe store in Coed Gwilym Park, thanks to local Bridge Clydach. Over 100 people attended, young and old Keeper Michelle Crowther alike! for making this possible. It also gives me great pleasure to announce that the SCS Initially the group are to be won The 2013 Keep Wales Tidy Award. Well done to all! based at various bridge car parks along the canal helping to fill pot holes and repair fences. The group will work along the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal completing a wide variety of tasks helping the local team with maintenance.

st Members of the SCS standing: Gareth Thomas (1 left), Martin Maintenance of Mile Marker Posts along the G&S Canal and Davies, Secretary/Maintenance Team Organiser (4th left), David members of the new Towpath Taskforce calling for more Henry, Chairman (centre) and Gordon Walker (2nd right). Front recruits. row: Michelle Davidson (3rd left)

Towpath Rangers Rangers along the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal have The Towpath Rangers are as active as ever, and have helped enormously during the stormy weather acting as an completed a wide variety of tasks during the first weeks extra pair of eyes and ears helping to report fallen trees. of Spring including cleaning of signage, life buoys and Gareth Cuerden, bridge barriers, painting mooring bollards, maintenance walked over 10 miles of flowers beds and shrubberies, and filling car park from Llanover to potholes. Huge thanks to Michelle Crowther for all her Crickhowell and help with leading and running this project. helped to identify

Saul Junction Welcome Station many fallen trees (opposite). He has also We are happy to announce that Saul Junction will be the been recording and base of the first ‘Welcome Station’ in SW&S. measuring old British Together with the Cotswold Canals Trust we are now Waterways signage so recruiting a volunteer team to welcome the many that appropriate CRT hundreds of people who visit Saul Junction on the signage can be Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. If you would like to get ordered. If you see involved or receive more information on this exciting any BW signage along opportunity, please contact Shaun Brown: your local area, please [email protected] report to your local 07801-321-620 CRT team.

Left: The visitor Both of our Adoption groups, PLAN Brecon and the centre at Saul Llangattock Community Woodland Group (LCWG) are Junction which is gearing up to be busy over the summer months. PLAN home to the Brecon are due to continue with their lime mortar Welcome Station repointing at the Watton Limekilns, and the LCWG continue their restoration of Canalside Woodland.

Worcestershire Wildlife to look out for… The Worcester-Birmingham & Droitwich Canals Now is one my favourite times of year when our native Society (WBDCS) have continued their excellent work wildflowers will be blossoming along the towpath. Personal on the restoration of the Tardebigge Limekilns. The team favourites include Stitchwort, Common Vetch, Birds Foot have been busy excavating newly discovered arches and Trefoil, Lesser Celandine and Garlic Mustard. Attracted to chambers and cutting back vegetation before the start of these plants for nectar are numerous insects including the bird nesting season. Huge thanks to Bill Lambert, Butterflies. Unfortunately, many species of Butterfly have WBDCS Volunteer Coordinator, for leading the practical suffered serious declines in recent years so it is a pleasure parties. Also a massive thanks to David Viner, CRT to see them flourishing along our towpaths. Wildflowers Heritage Adviser for all his help, support and guidance are not only important as a nectar source, but also as larval

food plants for caterpillars. Many of the common species Newly you will see growing in abundance along the towpath are discovered important, including Garlic Mustard, which is a larval food Kiln arch plant for the striking Orange-Tip which can be seen at this time of the year. excavated by the WBDCS.

Marks & Spencer’s will be returning again this year to help us clear the Worcester-Birmingham. As part of a national campaign, over 1000 employees will be taking Orange-Tip Garlic Mustard part. We will be joined by six stores (Worcester, Evesham, There are also species Malvern, Hereford, Cheltenham, and Gloucester) and will which benefit from areas of build on the long grass left to seed success of our including the Ringlet (right) two events in which thrives in damp 2013. Opposite grassland along the canal shows two M&S with caterpillars feeding on staff proudly many common grasses. Ringlet displaying their find, a rocking Other plants, considered as irritants such as Nettle and horse, during Bramble, also flourish along the towpath and all volunteers last year’s event are advised to look out for such species and show vigilance on board one of our CRT barges. when undertaking their roles with CRT at this time of year. Taking simple precautions such as wearing gloves, long The Worcester Canal Project continue their monthly sleeves, and trousers will avoid scratches, cuts and stings, litterpicks at Lansdowne Road park and have made a huge and not attempting to access large areas of bramble and impact to the local area since adopting a section of the nettles…no matter how tempting that last empty coke can Worcester-Birmingham Canal (Locks 4-5). If you would is! like to get involved, please contact Alan Sumnall to pass These plants are vitally important to wildlife with on your enquiry to the group. butterflies such as Peacock and Red Admiral laying their Volunteer Lock Keepers caterpillars on Nettles, and Brambles are an important March and April saw the return of our Volunteer Lock nectar source for many other insects including Bees. For Keepers (VLK) to Diglis Basin, Stoke Prior and Hanbury in this reason, these plants are encouraged at appropriate areas along the canal. Worcestershire, and to Llangynidr in South Wales. It is a pleasure to welcome back our fantastic team – the compliment cards have already started coming in from the early boaters! We also welcome 12 new VLK for 2014. The recruitment for 2014 has been hampered due to the floods and storm damage, but also recent stoppages. We got there in the end and look forward to the new VLK commencing their role with CRT. By the time you are reading this, hopefully Peacock Red Admiral all will be raring to go with the windlass. Alan Sumnall, Volunteer Coordinator

Hazardous Vegetation Heritage Update Some plants pose An extensive set of limekilns alongside the canal at Watton potential harm to on the outskirts of Brecon has become a site for volunteers human health to hone their heritage building skills. causing nasty burns if sap from the plant The project at the kilns involves removing ivy growth and comes into contact undertaking traditional repairs to the stone masonry using with skin exposed to lime mortar. The kilns are listed Grade II and the work is sunlight. One essential to prevent this historic structure falling into particular plant to be further disrepair. Production of lime for building purposes careful of is Giant Hogweed. This plant starts growing in and agricultural soil improvement was a thriving industry in March/April and can reach heights of 5 meters at the end the nineteenth century, which rapidly disappeared once of the season. Key identification features modern cement and chemical fertilisers came into use. The include: kilns at Watton are one of a series along the Mon & Brec

Leaves. Dark green shaped in Canal which relied on boats to deliver the raw materials of a rosette with deeply cut coal and limestone rock and take away the burnt lime lobes and spiky hairs at the product. They are now an important part of the canal’s end up to 2.5m long. heritage. Stem. Green with dark The kilns are also home to a dedicated bat cave, an over- red/purple spots or blotches wintering roost created in one of the chambers as part of and sparse spiky hairs. the Lesser Horseshoe Bat Project. A recent inspection Hollow. confirmed that this rare species is indeed using the cave. Flowers. White forming one

large umbrella-like flower Volunteers head appearing in June/July. commencing masonry

repairs using Another species is Wild Parsnip. This plant also starts traditional methods growing in March/April and can reach 1.5 meters in with lime mortar height at the end of the season. Key identification features:

Leaves. Each leaf is made up of 5-15 small A dedicated group serrated leaflets on a of volunteers central rib. commenced repair Stem. Green. Stout and work last year and furrowed/ribbed. have new dates Hollow. booked for this Flowers. Golden yellow summer starting on with clusters of small Saturday 17th May. flowers forming several flower heads appearing New volunteers are in June/July. always welcome.

PLEASE AVOID BOTH PLANTS AND IF FOUND REPORT TO The Watton CRT. If you come in to contact with the sap from these Limekilns. Before species follow the below advice: and after - Wash the affected area immediately. - Keep the skin covered to avoid exposure to sunlight. - If blisters appear try to prevent these from bursting to reduce the risk of infection. For further information on the kilns project contact CRT - Seek medical advice immediately if you become Heritage Adviser David Viner 07710 175441 or email: aware of these symptoms. [email protected]

For more information please contact CRT David Viner, Heritage Advisor

SW&S Waterway Partnership

A message from Jack Hegarty, Chair of the SW&S Waterway partnership “The South Wales and Severn Waterway Partnership has had a successful and busy period over the last year. The main focus has been wide engagement to involve interested parties in developing the vision and priorities for our Waterway area. We held very successful workshops across the waterway area and this has resulted in a very comprehensive and diverse set of priority actions which we will publish in the final version very shortly and which will be fully compatible with the new vision and values of the Trust. Partnership members continue to be extremely active as a group of volunteers for the Trust bringing many different skills and enthusiasm for the benefit of the Waterways. At a very practical level this involves spending time, sourcing expertise, brokering new relationships with service providers and the business community, building relationships, encouraging diverse use of the waterways and towpaths and raising the profile of CRT whenever and wherever we can. As a group, we are grateful to all volunteers who share the passion for our inland waterways and the special nature of our waterway area”.

The SW&S Waterway Partnership members are: Jack Hegarty (Chair) Alisdair Kirkpatrick [email protected] [email protected]

David Wheeler Edward Helps [email protected] [email protected]

Julian Atkins Jan van Elsen [email protected] [email protected]

Lois Francis Phil Hughes [email protected] [email protected]

Robert Moreland Robert Pearce [email protected] [email protected]

For all enquiries regarding the SW&S Waterways Partnership please contact the Gloucester Dock Office on: Telephone: 0303-040-4040. Email: [email protected]

The 3 year vision of the Waterway Partnership aims to:

Throughout SW&S

- Upgrade and improve the canal towpath and its environs in targeted areas - Work with local schools and other youth groups to educate and inspire children and youth in the local waterways - Engage with local Parish Councils and build positive relations, eg contribute to local newsletters and forums - Develop new opportunities for waterway adoption schemes along canals

South Wales - Enter into a canal adoption scheme on the Swansea Canal e.g. local canal society - Strengthen and significantly improve the visitor destination offer at Goytre Wharf and Pontymoile basin. - Work with key stakeholders in Swansea to develop to restore the buried lock at Clydach and open up a new canal corridor - Grow Volunteering opportunities on the Mon and Brec Canal - Campaign for further investment to mitigate breach risk on the Mon and Brec canal. - Campaign to secure long term abstraction agreement with Natural Resources Wales at the River Usk feeder - Open up access to the Swansea Canal to unpowered craft, e.g. create canoe hire centre and trail - Restore derelict lime kilns and develop a heritage trail including interpretation explaining their significance

Gloucestershire - Grow Volunteering opportunities at key sites including Saul Junction and Gloucester Docks - Work with rowing club partners to develop taster sessions in Kayaking, rowing and canoeing at Saul and Gloucester - Develop a Docks waterfront strategy with Gloucester City Council and other key stakeholders which animates the water space - Be involved in the Sharpness Estate and Visitor Plan to help create a visitor destination - Support canal restoration including the Stroud Water Canal and its connection to the G&S Canal and Saul junction - Promote and secure improvements to Saul Junction with project partners to conserve and interpret the historic lock - Work with the Probation Trust to develop new opportunities for community payback including waterway adoption schemes

Worcestershire - Develop the Mid Worcestershire Canal Ring Arts Trail at key gateways and visitor hubs - Provide and get adopted a community workboat for the Worcestershire waterways - Develop a strong volunteer base in all areas building upon the strong Droitwich legacy - Establish new visitor moorings along the Droitwich Barge and Junction canal - Improve boating (including canoeing) facilities, portage and access along the River Severn. - Work with Worcester City Council and other stakeholders to re-invigorate the waterway corridor through Worcester - Develop a plan with key stakeholders to maximise the potential of Diglis basin and its environs - Work with others to restore derelict lime kilns at Tardebigge - Deliver environmental enhancement work through partnerships with environmental groups and Agencies

Events Upcoming events in your area to look out for are listed below. For more information, please contact the SW&S Office or speak to the local team.

Date Name of Event Canal/River Site MAY Fri 2 to Mon 5 St Richards Festival Vines Park Monday 5th May Worcester Hasler River Severn Diglis to Bevere Lock Sat 10 & Sun 11 DOE Expedition Gloucester & Sharpness Purton to Sellars Saturday 10 Might contain nuts Mon & Brec Talybont Sun 11 Dragon Boat Regatta Gloucester & Sharpness Gloucester Docks Fri 23 to Mon 26 3 Clubs Regatta Gloucester & Sharpness Gloucester Docks Saturday 24 Questars Mon & Brec TBC

JUNE Sun 1 Berkeley Community Walk Gloucester & Sharpness Sharpness to Slimbridge Sat 8 & Sun 9 Trekfest Mon & Brec Talybont-on-Usk Pencelli Court Farm to Brynach Saturday 15 Aberfan Canoe Club Mon & Brec Lock Sat 21 Ride for Life Mon & Brec Brecon to Cwmbran Sun 22 Race for Life Gloucester & Sharpness Gloucester Docks Sunday 22 In the Pink Mon & Brec Llanfoist & Gilwern

JULY Sat 12 Charity Challenge Mon & Brec Brecon to Pencelli Saturday 12 Upton Triathlon River Severn Upton Bridge Sat 12 to Sat 19 Swansea WRG Swansea Canal TBC Sunday 13 Walk for new hope Worcester & Birmingham Canal Diglis to Droitwich Sat 19 to Sat 26 Swansea WRG Swansea Canal TBC Fri 18 to Sun 20 GQ Food Festival Gloucester & Sharpness Gloucester Docks Sun 20 Gloucester 10K Gloucester & Sharpness Gloucester City

AUGUST Sun 17 St Richard's Walk Droitwich Canal Droitwich Spa Marina Fri 22 to Mon 25 IWA Rally Gloucester & Sharpness Saul Junction Thurs 28 to Sun 31 British Rowing Tour Severn & G&S Worcester to Gloucester Saturday 30 Worcester Severn Festival River Severn Diglis to River Basin

Volunteering with South Wales & Severn There are regular volunteering activities throughout SW&S, with new opportunities and roles being created all the time. We are also keen to work with new groups throughout the region. If you would like to volunteer, why not visit our webpage http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteering Alternatively, please contact the SW&S volunteering team: Alan Sumnall - Volunteer Coordinator Suzanne Byrne - Volunteers Leader Mobile: 07920-534-098 Mobile: 07900-276-544 [email protected] [email protected]

South Wales & Severn Waterways. The Dock Office, Commercial Road, Gloucester. GL1 2EB