Entries open for the 'Oscars of the Waterways'

[Ray T]

PRESS RELEASE

 

4 February 2020

 

ENTRIES OPEN FOR THE ‘OSCARS OF THE WATERWAYS’

Categories range from construction and environment to culture, education and community

 

The search is on for the best schemes, projects and initiatives that are helping to make life better by water. Now in their seventeenth year, Canal & River Trust’s Living Waterways Awards celebrate the most exciting and inspiring waterway-based projects across the UK.

 

Sue Wilkinson, chair of the Awards and trustee of Canal & River Trust, said: “We know there are hundreds of brilliant projects taking place along our waterways and we want to shine a light on the incredible contribution that those involved are making to the lives of many thousands of people living near these canals, rivers, lakes and lochs. We urge those involved in these initiatives to enter the Awards and get the recognition they rightly deserve.”

 

The Living Waterways Awards are judged by an independent panel of experts from the heritage, arts, environment, community and engineering sectors and are sponsored by Amco Geffen, CPC Civils, Fountains and Land & Water.

 

From inspirational education programmes and innovative construction projects, to exciting community-binding environmental initiatives, these awards have celebrated hundreds of organisations and individuals over the years.

 

There are six award categories available:

 

• Art, Culture & Events
• Built Environment
• Engaging the Community
• Heritage & Conservation
• Learning & Skills
• Natural Environment

The Awards will be open for entries from Thursday 6 February until Thursday 26 March 2020.  Full details of the Awards and how to enter can be found at https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/living-waterways-awards-2020

 

ENDS

Media enquiries:

Justine Lee, email: awards@canalrivertrust.org.uk

[matty40s]

Any chance of a 

. Encouraging Boating

 

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

23 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Any chance of a 

. Encouraging Boating

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure that the suggestion to replace C&RT would go down very well

[Heartland]

I suppose the category for Natural Environment includes the preservation of wild life like the newts who seem to get more preference over any decision for canal restoration.

 

Whilst engaging with the community has many potential aspects, whether the CRT does that is another matter. Perhaps encouraging more cyclists and walkers through towpath improvement is part of this category.

 

Now canal art is a remarkable growth industry as artists bring an often unique interpretation for their conversation pieces. 

[ditchcrawler]

Just wait until they replace bywashes with Beavers 

[matty40s]

45 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Just wait until they replace bywashes with Beavers 

 

[cheshire~rose]

Last year The Python team were shortlisted under "Engaging the community" 

 

That community engagement amounted to something over 5000 volunteer hours being spent on making the canal a better place for boaters - that included trimming the offside vegetation along 32 miles of canal. recovering fishing equipment that was snared in the offside vegetation, clearing litter that was trapped in the offside vegetation and generally pushing a deep draughted boat along a shallow canal to help keep the channel open for other boaters. 

 

The only canal users that are likely to benefit from that is boaters so yes, the categories do include encouraging boating 

[Heartland]

The Chesterfield Canal Society deserve anything they get.

 

So do the the Lichfield & Hatherton Society

 

I believe canal restoration is an important role in canal affairs, which should not be distracted by other diverse factors, which seems to be a failing of the CRT  

[Chris Lowe]

On 07/02/2020 at 16:37, ditchcrawler said:

Just wait until they replace bywashes with Beavers 

Can you build a lock in a beaver dam ?