Press Releases – 2017

22 December: Rochdale Canal Community Garden Project runner up on BBC One daytime programme

• A community ‘linear larder’ garden along the banks of the Rochdale Canal was a runner-up in a new BBC One daytime TV series, ‘Let’s Get a Good Thing Going’, broadcast on Friday 22 December… Read more.

20 December: New Year healthy activities at Countess of Chester Country Park

• Burn off the Christmas excesses by joining in a range of healthy outdoor activities at Countess of Chester Country Park, starting in January… Read more.

18 December: Land Trust charity inspires giant leap in community health and well being

• The Land Trust charity is fast earning a reputation as one of the UK’s most successful ethical land management organisations. Working closely with local communities, the Trust has engaged with a record number of people over the last year… Read more.

8 December: Canal & River Trust and the University of Salford join forces on trail-blazing wildlife habitat project

• The Canal & River Trust charity and University of Salford have joined forces on a ground-breaking project to test the quality of wildlife habitats and biodiversity of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal… Read more.

6 December: Market Drayton Prison adopts Shropshire Union Canal length

• The Shropshire Union Canal near Market Drayton is to benefit from a ground-breaking partnership between HM Prison Service and the Canal & River Trust charity, which cares for 2,000 miles of canals… Read more.

28 November: Have your say – Public consultation into future development around Canal World Heritage site at Trevor Basin

• Members of the public are invited to give their views about future development around the canal World Heritage Site at Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, in North Wales, at two drop-in consultation events being hosted in December… Read more.

15 November: Canal Arts and Heritage project launched in Market Drayton

• The Shropshire Union Canal through Market Drayton is to get a major facelift, thanks to an innovative arts project launched by Market Drayton Community Partnership and the Canal & River Trust charity… Read more.

10 November: Wales’s longest canal tunnel gets crucial check-up

• Chirk canal tunnel, Thomas Telford’s 200-year-old engineering masterpiece, goes under the microscope next week as the Canal & River Trust charity carries out a vital inspection of one of the centrepieces of the 11 mile Llangollen Canal World Heritage Site… Read more.

18 October: Kingsley Players back on stage with Goodnight Mr Tom

• Kingsley Players return to the stage in October (18-21) with the heart-warming World War Two drama, ‘Goodnight Mr Tom’… Read more.

6 October: Renovated River Weaver Hut reminder of salt industrial heritage

• A historic brick hut on the banks of the River Weaver Navigation in Cheshire is being restored, thanks to the Canal & River Trust charity and Saltscape Landscape Partnership… Read more.

5 October: Canal & River Trust awarded Sport England funding to help Cheshire’s older adults get active

• The Canal & River Trust charity has been given £222,305 National Lottery funding from Sport England to help reduce the number of inactive older adults in Cheshire… Read more.

5 October: World’s first canal comic book launched on Lancaster Canal

• The world’s first canal comic book, inspired by the Lancaster Canal, is to be launched at the Lakes International Comic Arts Festival in Kendal on Friday 13 October… Read more.

27 September: Sankey Canal restoration pledge- Britain’s first industrial canal

• Restoration of the Sankey Canal, Britain’s first industrial canal, has been given a major boost thanks to the new Sankey Canal Partnership, formally launched at a conference at the St Helens World of Glass, on Wednesday 27 September… Read more.

15 September: Canal charity hosts new refugee beehive project at Standege Visitor Centre – The Buzz Project

• A new bee hive project organised by a Syrian refugee and Sanctuary Kirklees is set to get visitors buzzing at the Canal & River Trust’s Standedge Tunnel Visitor Centre, near Marsden, West Yorkshire… Read more.

6 September: New waterside homes planned for Marple

• An attractive development of seven stone houses forms the centrepiece of regeneration plans hoping to bring a new lease of life to a waterside site at the junction of the Macclesfield and Peak Forest canals in Marple, near Stockport… Read more.

4 August: Rare plant returned to Greater Manchester Canal after remarkable rescue

• The Canal & River Trust charity will restore the rare plant Royal Fern to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal this month after a remarkable rescue, as part of a canal habitat improvement project Making Special Places for Nature… Read more.

20 July: Halton Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive departs

• Paula Cain, Halton Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise chief executive, departs this week after seven successful years as a prominent leader of the business community… Read more.

18 July: Prestigious Green Flags awarded to five canals – and England’s highest aqueduct

• Paula Cain, Halton Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise chief executive, departs this week after seven successful years as a prominent leader of the business community… Read more.

3 July: Runcorn celebrates new look ‘Shopping City’

• Hundreds of shoppers and community groups enjoyed a fun-packed celebration day at Runcorn Shopping City on Saturday as it went back to the future to mark its new name and rebranding… Read more and view the video directed by Lynn Pegler.

30 June: World’s first canal comic book created on Lancaster Canal

• The Lancaster Canal is to be the focus for the world’s first canal comic book, capturing people and places along a 27 mile route from Kendal to Lancaster… Read more

29 June: Canal charity’s Standedge Visitor Centre wins ‘Green Award’

• The Canal & River Trust’s Standedge Visitor Centre is officially ‘green’ – thanks to a coveted Silver Award from the Green Tourism Board… Read more

19 June: New look ‘Shopping City’ Runcorn goes back to the future

• Runcorn Shopping Centre is going back to the future with a new look make-over that includes a return to the popular place name “Shopping City”… Read more and view the video directed by Lynn Pegler.

5 June: Waterway nature reserves to be protected in new campaign by canal charity

• The Canal & River Trust has launched a 12-month nature project to improve vulnerable wildlife habitats across 10 key sites totalling 400 hectares – a combined area greater than the City of London… Read more

25 May: Halton Chamber of Commerce announces Chief Executive changes

• Paula Cain, Halton Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise chief executive, is to leave the Chamber at the end of July after seven years at the helm, the Chamber announced today… Read more

24 May: Update on Cheshire’s Acton Swing Bridge £1.5 million repair project on target to complete by July

• Trial swings of Acton Swing Bridge have been carried out as part of vital repairs to the busy 84-year-old road bridge which carries the A49 trunk road over the River Weaver Navigation in Cheshire… Read more

24 May: Canal charity makes canoeing easier and safer on the Llangollen canal

• Canoeing on the Llangollen Canal is set to become easier and safer thanks to a new canoe guide and three new slipways created by Glandŵr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust in Wales… Read more

16 May: Lost Leeds & Liverpool canal milepost rescued from railway saleroom auction

• One of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal’s heritage mileposts has been rescued from a railway memorabilia auction and restored to its rightful place on the towpath in East Lancashire, thanks to the eagled-eyed chairman of the Canal & River Trust’s North West Partnership… Read more

30 April: Kingsley Players make a ‘Grand Gesture’ – black comedy on stage, May 17- 20

• Kingsley Players return to the stage in May with a hilarious black comedy ‘The Grand Gesture’, Deborah McAndrew’s witty adaptation of the 1928 Russian play ‘The Suicide’ by Nikolai Erdman… Read more

26 April: Shropshire Canal reels in national angling championship

• Hundreds of the nation’s top anglers are set to descend on the Shropshire Union Canal this August for the Angling Trust Division One National Championship… Read more

18 April: New Lancaster Canal book launched

• The picturesque Lancaster Canal, one of Britain’s most beautiful waterways, is the centrepiece of an updated, illustrated guide launched by the Lancaster Canal Trust… Read more

7 April: New orchard planted along Macclesfield Canal

• The Macclesfield Canal has become a waterway of ‘mellow fruitfulness’ thanks to the planting of a new orchard along its banks by the Canal & River Trust charity… Read more

4 April: New Quartet sprinkle magic at Runcorn Shopping Centre

• A quartet of trail blazing ‘customer experience ambassadors’ has been recruited at Runcorn Shopping Centre to bring a smile to both customers and retailers… Read more

31 March: Manchester city centre canal improved for pedestrians and boaters

• The Rochdale Canal in Manchester’s city centre has been improved for both pedestrians and boaters with the installation of new and refurbished lock gates, and a large scale waterway clean up… Read more

24 March: Cheshire’s Acton Swing Bridge £1.5 million repair project on target to complete by July

• Vital repairs to a busy 84-year-old road bridge, which carries the A49 trunk road over the River Weaver Navigation in Cheshire, are helping to safeguard the bridge for thousands of motorists… Read more

17 March: New trip boat and Hetty’s Cafe at Froghall Basin

• A former canal wharf at Froghall Basin on the Caldon Canal in Staffordshire is being brought back to life, thanks to a partnership between the Canal & River Trust charity and a local entrepreneur… Read more

27 January: Lancaster Canal Sea Lock £33,000 Winter makeover

• A historic sea lock on the Lancaster Canal at Glasson Dock is undergoing a five week refurbishment, thanks to a £33,000 winter works package by the Canal & River Trust… Read more

25 January: Kingsley Players back on stage with fantasy musical ‘A Mouse’s Tale’

• Kingsley Players return to the stage at the end of January with a fantasy musical ‘A Mouse’s Tale’… Read more

20 January: Leeds & Liverpool Canal Bicentenary Lasting Legacy

• The Leeds & Liverpool Canal bicentenary celebrations last year have been hailed a great success by the Canal & River Trust and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Society… Read more

13 January: £1.5 million repair project starts on Acton Swing Bridge in Cheshire

• A £1.5 million repair programme to refurbish Acton Swing Bridge, near Northwich, begins on 23 January 2017. The 84-year old bridge carries the busy A49 road over the River Weaver Navigation… Read more

11 January: Disney Magic Sprinkled over Runcorn Shopping Centre

• Runcorn Shopping Centre has launched a major search to recruit a new innovative team of customer service ambassadors… Read more