Waterways charity is launched

PROFESSOR Steven Broomhead, interim chief executive of Warrington Borough Council, was a speaker at the launch of a new charity responsible for Britain’s network of canals and rivers.
The Canal and River Trust has replaced British Waterways as custodian of more than 2,000 miles of canals and rivers in England and Wales.
At the launch event in Burnley, the Trust unveiled its first appeal – 50 projects to raise funds to help breathe new life into towpaths and riverbanks across the country.
Prof Broomhead is chairman of the Trust’s North West Waterway Partnership.
He said: “We are celebrating the fact that this move gives people a greater role in the development and running of their local waterways. There are dedicated volunteers set to become the guardians of not only the canals but the environment and wildlife that surrounds them.
“We are committed to ensuring that our historic waterways are places that people can continue to enjoy and cherish while safeguarding them for future generations and we hope that people get involved in the appeals to help us achieve our goals.”
More information about the Canal and River Trust can be found at www.canalrivertrust.org.uk