Last week the Government announced additional funding of £6.5 million for the Canal & River Trust, to support repair, maintenance and long-term projects.

This is welcome, but nowhere near enough to stop the decline of the canal network – which has become very obvious through the media coverage of the breach on the Llangollen Canal before Christmas. And it only helps the 2,000 miles of waterways managed by the Canal & River Trust, and does nothing for the other 3,000 miles.

But – and it is a big ‘but’ – it does show that the Government is starting to take notice and realise the predicament of our inland waterways. It is the second announcement of additional funding in the last six months, after the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority contributed £500,000 for repairs to locks on the River Cam.

The Fund Britain’s Waterways message is starting to be heard. This is the time to keep pushing, to show government how much our waterways matter.

Could you please take a moment to help keep the momentum going?

Please do as many of these as you can:

1. Please send the petition to as many people as possible (friends, family, neighbours, colleagues etc) – the link is https://chng.it/5bKTjLhvy2
2. Can you share the petition on social media? Even if you’ve already done it, please do it again. Often people need to see a message several times before they take action. The link is https://chng.it/5bKTjLhvy2 and please use the hashtag #FundBritainsWaterways
3. Can you write to your MP, Mayor or councillor? Tell them about the benefits of canals and rivers, the threats they face, and the increased funding that is needed – and above all, how important they are to you and how many people care about them. Guidance and template letters are available here. 
4. Follow Fund Britain’s Waterways on social media: Facebook, X and LinkedIn

Thank you for being part of Fund Britain’s Waterways.