Volunteers set to breathe new life into Worcester canal

Residents living near the Worcester and Birmingham Canal in Worcester are joining forces with the Canal and River Trust to set up a volunteer group to help transform and maintain it.

The volunteers aim to adopt a stretch of the canal and spruce it up with regular litter picks, maintenance work and by devising new ways to enhance the attractiveness of the waterway.

A Worcester Canal Volunteers event will be held at Lansdowne Park in Worcester on Saturday between 10.30am and 12.30pm for people to find out more and put forward their ideas.

The trust’s canal cleaning barge will be out on the waterway removing debris on the day while a litter pick team will be out in force on the towpath led by Matthew Jenkins.

Councillor Joy Squires will be at an information stand for residents to find out more about becoming a volunteer and signing up.

The idea about creating a volunteer group is the brainchild of Arboretum resident Elizabeth Parker, who lives near the canal.

She said: “The canal is such a great asset for Worcester but it could be made much more attractive and be much more of a feature.

“Volunteers have transformed the canals in Droitwich and Stroud. I think we can do the same for Worcester.”

Councillor Squires, who represents Arboretum, is backing the idea. She said: “Elizabeth has done a fantastic job in bringing together the Canal and River Trust, local councillors and volunteers to make a difference to the canal.

“Local resident John Cowie is also campaigning to restore Barker’s Wharf on the canal bank opposite the football ground.

“As a local councillor I have been able to make some improvements to the towpath, including resurfacing, the removal of broken benches and providing more dog waste bins.

“But long term, we need volunteers to make real improvements that can make Worcester’s canal an attractive feature that brings more visitors into the city as well as being better for local residents.”