The society was presented with the Tetlow Memorial Cup, an IWA regional trophy for outstanding services to the waterways, at the annual Montgomery Canal Forum in Oswestry on June 21, 2023. The award was for the society’s successful 8-year long Pryces Bridge to Crickheath Bridge restoration project which was officially opened earlier this month. The society’s volunteers overcame several major challenges during the work including very poor ground conditions, high water table, relocation of great crested newts and latterly the Covid lockdowns.
Society chair David Carter (and former restoration project manager) and Tom Fulda, current restoration project manager, received the award from Michael Haig, chairman of IWA’s Shrewsbury District & North Wales Branch, in the presence of Cllr. Olly Rose, Mayor of Oswestry.
IWA’s Michael Haig said the work has required enthusiasm, dedication and tenacity as well as very high levels of skill by the many volunteers who have given several hundreds of hours to the project. He added: “It has extended the boundaries of works normally considered suitable for volunteers. The Shropshire Union Canal Society and its volunteers are worthy winners for their heroic work over eight years to complete the restoration from Pryces Bridge to Crickheath”.
The IWA’s Tetlow Cup is named in memory of a former Commodore of the Lymm Cruising Club and is awarded annually by IWA North West Region to recognise outstanding efforts of those who have gone ‘above and beyond’ to ensure work continues to restore and enhance inland waterways in the UK.
The Forum was hosted by Aico in their excellent conference facility in Oswestry and was attended by over seventy delegates including representatives from local government, CRT, and wildlife and ecological organisations. After opening remarks from Cllr. Rose, there were presentations from Michael Limbery on the history of the restoration, David Carter and Tom Fulda on past and present SUCS work, Richard Harrison on the LUF work in Wales and Michael Haig on the new IWA ‘Waterways for Today’ report. The session concluded with a question-and-answer session.
