March 7-9
Following the harsh weather conditions endured over the last three work parties, this time we were blessed by warm, spring sunshine. Ideal for lining and blocking.
Friday started with a visit from Jason Leach, Head of External Programme Delivery at Canal & River Trust, who performed a health and safety audit. Following a site tour and inspection of our procedures and records, Jason declared our performance “impressive” and also commented favourably on volunteer engagement and site tidiness.
In terms of activities, the main focus for this work party was to start lining and blocking a further section of prepared channel. This next section, the final part of Phase 1B, takes us a further 135 metres towards the Schoolhouse Bridge. Once complete, the remainder of the works will be undertaken from the Schoolhouse Bridge end of the site and we shall relocate to a compound by the bridge later in the year.
Many previous sections have benefitted from access along a temporary haul road constructed on the opposite bank to the towpath, but for the remainder of this project we don’t have that luxury. Instead, materials are delivered to the work area along the bed of the channel. Just as well then that the site was dry – this volume of traffic would have created a quagmire in different circumstances. Volunteers adapted quickly to the change. No comments were heard lamenting the absence of the fabled block delivery chute (previously used to deliver blocks to the work area from the haul road) and by Sunday afternoon, a remarkable 47 metres of lining and blocking had been achieved. Over 3,500 blocks were used, each laid by hand. Blocks finish just below water level and admittedly the banks above water level still require completion, but nevertheless this is a work party record length, certainly for the current project and possibly the greatest of all time. (The current project manager is confident he will be corrected if this assertion is wrong).
Elsewhere, and after a long wait for suitable weather conditions, the haul road alongside the re-watered section completed last year was removed and the site restored to its original condition. Although still bare, these re-watered sections no longer look like a building site and will green up rapidly over summer. The banks will be reseeded in the next few weeks with a blend of local native grasses and wildflowers.
Finally, we are extremely grateful for the words of encouragement from Anna Turner, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire, received after the last work party: “I love reading your newsletter, it is a total inspiration to see photographs and read what you have done in all weathers. You are an incredibly dedicated and resilient team that are achieving so much that will be enjoyed by so many including our future generations. Well done.”
