Appeal - Chesterfield Canal

[the grinch]

has the trust done anything like a double dash idea where you get sponsors to match what is given in donations? not sure exactly how it works but the Bluebell Railway have done something like this for the northern extension from Kingscote to E. Grinstead?

[cheshire~rose]

has the trust done anything like a double dash idea where you get sponsors to match what is given in donations? not sure exactly how it works but the Bluebell Railway have done something like this for the northern extension from Kingscote to E. Grinstead?

 

 

I don't know about "double daash"? at all. I do know that there is a lot of attention paid to getting match funding from various sources.

 

Thankfully The Trust have a handful of people who do an extremely good job of sourcing the grants and funding that might be available and spending a lot of time ensuring detailed plans are in place to allow The Trust to apply for these grants. I am not one of them! I happened to see the news about the shortfall in funding and in the big scheme of things £3,500 is not a lot of money but to lose £200,000 because you don't have it is a tragedy!

 

I was volunteering on the gate at The Staveley Festival only a few weeks back and witnessed first hand the huge difference the Staveley Basin has made to the local people there. Having been turned from an open cast mining site into a local resource where people are canoeing, fishing, cycling and walking. The only thing missing is the "proper" boats We had 4 narrow boats (some craned in) and a number of trailboats there for the festival. The site will have cottages, small workshops and a bunk house when it is completed and the rental on these will bring income to The Trust so they can maintain the already restored section of the canal.

 

I shared the link on Facebook and a friend on there made the suggestion that if every forum member was prepared to give up a pint this weekend and put the money into this instead it would go a long way towards the shortfall.

 

You have all been very generous so far thank you. It would be lovely if there are some more generous people who will continue to donate today and keep the ball rolling

[luctor et emergo]

Some employers will do 'donation 'match-ups', or will sponsor a local beautispot , playground etc.

 

 

I am currently trying to get an idea going with Arla, to see if they are interested in doing something promotional with their new dairy in Aylsbury. It's build next to the canal. A boat could carry nearly a truckload of bottled milk to London. Ok, it will take longer than by road, but the saving in diesel will be huge. And Arla are very big on reducing their footprint, zero waste etc etc.

[cheshire~rose]

Won't the milk be yoghurt by the time it reaches London?

 

I would imagine a "chiller" boat would need to keep it's engine running 27/7 to keep the load cool - perhaps we will see a return to the fly boats!

[luctor et emergo]

Won't the milk be yoghurt by the time it reaches London?

 

I would imagine a "chiller" boat would need to keep it's engine running 27/7 to keep the load cool - perhaps we will see a return to the fly boats!

 

 

Not to go to far OT, but a chiller boat is feasible, well insulated, electric, but it would be a 'fly boat' service anyway. You would never be able to ship the required volumes by boat, but even a few boats, will have some impact on a years basis. And it would be good pr.

[Caprifool]

There are two Centerfield Canal Trust pages on Facebook. Which one is the official page? The one with the logo or the one with a picture of the canal?

 

edit: Found it! Navigating FB with an app can be a challenge.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Caprifool

[cheshire~rose]

There are two Centerfield Canal Trust pages on Facebook. Which one is the official page? The one with the logo or the one with a picture of the canal?

 

The one with the logo is the official one - I think the other one is just a "place" page rather than that of an organisation

 

This is the link: Trust Facebook Page

[mayalld]

Some employers will do 'donation 'match-ups', or will sponsor a local beautispot , playground etc.

 

 

I am currently trying to get an idea going with Arla, to see if they are interested in doing something promotional with their new dairy in Aylsbury. It's build next to the canal. A boat could carry nearly a truckload of bottled milk to London. Ok, it will take longer than by road, but the saving in diesel will be huge. And Arla are very big on reducing their footprint, zero waste etc etc.

 

Define "huge"

 

A narrowboat could indeed carry around a truckload of bottled milk. Both have a payload around 30 tons.

 

But what is the fuel consumption?

 

The best estimate that I can get is 7 MPG for the truck.

 

A narrowboat, running at an average 3mph (to allow for slowing past moored boats) is around 13.5 MPG, assuming no locks.

 

The narrowboat engine is almost certainly NOT as clean burning as the truck, so the environmental argument just isn't there.

[Hairy-Neil]

In an effort to keep this at the top can I just say that if you're paying £5.00 each for your bricks, someone is taking your leg up....

[carlt]

In an effort to keep this at the top can I just say that if you're paying £5.00 each for your bricks, someone is taking your leg up....

It's a better deal than President's tenner for a couple of inches of guard iron.

[cheshire~rose]

In an effort to keep this at the top can I just say that if you're paying £5.00 each for your bricks, someone is taking your leg up....

 

Hmm £5 for a brick - I don't know how much bricks are these days and I suspect it rather depends what type of brick it is, I suspect the coping stones used to line the edge of the basin cost quite a bit more than £5 each - and I would suggest that for your £5 you also get it laid - how much does it cost to get one laid these days? ......

 

 

If there is anyone who would like to donate but finds the £5 too much then there is still the option of passing on any shrapnel you can spare to myself or Dave at Alvecote, Shackerstone (on board NB Python) or Stourbridge festivals (on board our own boat). NB Python is setting off up The Shroppie this weekend and then into up the Wolverhamton 21 into Birmingham then back out down Farmers Bridge flight through Curdworth and Fazeley to Alvecote so you can hand donations to the crew on board.

 

The "James Brindley" publicity trailer is usually around and about the local area at various events too so donations into the buckets there will also help.

[Debby]

I wanted to buy 2 bricks, but I just couldn't do it because it made me giggle - "Mr Two Bricks" lives just up the road from us (long story) - so I bought 1 brick and made a donation as well.

 

Debby

[Hairy-Neil]

It's a better deal than President's tenner for a couple of inches of guard iron.

 

Getting on for 20 years ago I donated a worthwhile sum to President's replica engine appeal. I've heard nothing more of the replica engine since but trust my money is languishing somewhere....

[cheshire~rose]

I wanted to buy 2 bricks, but I just couldn't do it because it made me giggle - "Mr Two Bricks" lives just up the road from us (long story) - so I bought 1 brick and made a donation as well.

 

Debby

 

Debby - you are an angel thank you ........ but you do realise that no matter how long the story there is now an audience waiting to hear all about Mr Two Bricks so we can have a giggle as well

[cheshire~rose]

Well ... I have just been over to Hollingwood (the reg office of The Trust) to drop off a huge box full of food/drink items that were donated by the collective that assembled in Birmingham for the wedding last weekend for the use of the WRG camp that is due to arrive at Staveley this weekend.

 

I was just talking to Geraint who is the canal partnership development manager about the box of stuff when one of the trustees came up the stairs. I think it is fair to say she was in what could be described as an exciteable state!

 

It appears that whenever someone donates a brick it generates an email to her. She was online last night and she said it seemed like every five minutes she heard a "ping" sound and another brick had been purchased. She then got an email from one of the other trustees who was extremely puzzled how all of a sudden and apparently to them, out of the blue, there seemed to be people from, not just all corners of Great Britain but all over the world buying bricks for a canal basin in a corner of Derbyshire that they have probably never heard of! They had no idea what had caused this sudden rush of brick purchasing and were at a complete loss to see any pattern to it.

 

I have a feeling there are a number of the trustees that are now very likely to pop their heads in here to find out all about this wonderful community of very generous and kind hearted people.

 

It appears that there are a lot of people who having read this thread decided to go and donate without wanting to openly declare the fact they have done so on the forum.

 

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has already given. There are a lot of people among the trust and it's volunteers who have been buoyed up by this early boost to raising the money we need and are going off to work out how they can individually do something to add to the funds.

 

If you have not already donated and would like to do so the link is here:

 

We Need Your Help

 

My only hope is that the brewery's do not notice the enormous dip in their takings this weekend as everyone forgo's that pint!

[Kiwidad]

It would be great if one of them popped in here and let us know how the appeal is going!

[cheshire~rose]

It would be great if one of them popped in here and let us know how the appeal is going!

 

I agree! I expect one of them is reading this now and wondering how they sign up

[luctor et emergo]

Define "huge"

 

A narrowboat could indeed carry around a truckload of bottled milk. Both have a payload around 30 tons.

 

But what is the fuel consumption?

 

The best estimate that I can get is 7 MPG for the truck.

 

A narrowboat, running at an average 3mph (to allow for slowing past moored boats) is around 13.5 MPG, assuming no locks.

 

The narrowboat engine is almost certainly NOT as clean burning as the truck, so the environmental argument just isn't there.

 

 

Such a project would not use a bolinder or Lister engine..

Electric, with a roof of solar panels etc, this would be taking the use of boats into the 21 century. Of course boats can never compete directly with trucks, but it would be possible to reduce the carbon print, and work on new tec hnology.

[mayalld]

Such a project would not use a bolinder or Lister engine..

Electric, with a roof of solar panels etc, this would be taking the use of boats into the 21 century. Of course boats can never compete directly with trucks, but it would be possible to reduce the carbon print, and work on new tec hnology.

 

It is a nice pipedream, but I rather suspect that enough solar panels and batteries to even begin to provide propulsion would consume the entire cargo space!!

[luctor et emergo]

That's the spirit that build you an empire..

The batteries would be mains charged at the dairy, and depot. Solar to top up whilst underway. Modern fridges/coolbox need less power. Actual power required to keep boat moving through water is less than for a road vehicle.

[cheshire~rose]

Talking of building an empire .... The Trust would like to build, or rather develop Staveley Basin and they are short of a sum in the region of £3,500 which must be raised before November in order to secure a grant of £200,000.

 

Do any of you feel like buying a brick today?

[Cosmic]

Heyyy!!! I got a brick!!!

[luctor et emergo]

I'll try tomorrow.

[cheshire~rose]

Thanks Cosmic!

 

 

I am looking out of my window at a rather murky wet sort of a day and I am feeling it for the WRG who start their camp at Stavely today. Those guys are amazing! I really do know I could not do what they do but we each have our own strengths and weaknesses. For those of us who are not able to don our steel toe cap boots, roll our sleeves up and get stuck in for whatever reason it is good to know we can click a mouse and buy a brick instead.

[DaveR]

Having just had my donation from Crowd Cube back in trying to save Darlington Football club, then the lock gets it.

 

All I have to do now is arrange a visit, any chance of putting the wife behind my contribution? ))