People needed to spruce up canal

With partners British Waterways and Upper Calder Valley Renaissance it is launching a new volunteer programme called Adopt a Length, to encourage local people as well as community groups, schools and companies to get involved.

British Waterways will provide full training, tools and refreshments for work parties, and work boats to help with certain tasks. Groups are asked to keep an eye on their stretch of canal and to report any problems to British Waterways.

If the problems can be tackled by the volunteer groups, British Waterways will help them to organise work parties. The stretches of canal to ‘adopt’ can be between a few yards and a mile in length, and run between known points such as locks or bridges.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet member for Economy and Environment, Coun Barry Collins, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for people to come together with a real sense of pride and ownership to preserve a key part of Calderdale’s landscape.” Groups are encouraged to do as much or as little as they like.