28th July 2015
The Waterway Recovery Group has run seven workcamps on the Chesterfield Canal in the last twelve months.
These have included many weekends and also two full weeks. There was the Bonfire Bash in November when over 100 volunteers from all over the country came and a training camp in June. Several of the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s volunteers have been trained to drive big machines like excavators and dumpers. Some are now also qualified instructors.
The WRGies, as the volunteers are known, have been coming regularly to the Chesterfield Canal for very many years. In addition, many WRGies come to help at other times, especially during concrete pours.
This year the Waterway Recovery Group put out an appeal for new vans. The Chesterfield Canal Trust was delighted to contribute £1000 towards this appeal.
The cheque was presented by Dave Kiddy and Dave France of the Trust to Jenny Black and Colin Hobbs of the WRGies during the week-long July camp at Staveley Town Basin.
The WRGies are helping to get the new lock finished and also to prepare the canal beyond the lock so that it can be used at the IWA National Trailboat Festival that will be held on the site at Spring Bank Holiday next year.
Dave Kiddy said “We are delighted to welcome the WRGies to Staveley again. Many are old friends who have been many times before. They can always be relied upon to work hard and give a boost to our restoration of this beautiful canal.”
To find out more about the work at Staveley Town Basin, click here.
This is the official photo – Dave Kiddy, Colin Hobbs, Jenny Black and Dave France.
This is the one Mr France wanted us to use!