Some of the nicest moments in a campaign are the small, human ones — and this is a lovely example.
A friendly welcome at Vale Royal Lock
Word came through of a cheerful gathering at Vale Royal Lock on the River Weaver, with a heartfelt thank-you to Will, Alice and Lisa of the Canal & River Trust for supporting the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign. There they all were, lined up along the lock with the campaign’s banner held proudly between them — the one that reads ‘Fund Britain’s Waterways’ on one side and, on the other, the blunt reminder that ‘Our canals and rivers are under threat’. There’s something rather heartening about the people who keep our locks running day to day standing shoulder to shoulder with the campaigners. It’s a reminder that looking after the waterways is a shared effort, and that the folk who work on them care every bit as much as those who cruise them.
You can find this and more from the campaigners over on the Fund Britain’s Waterways Facebook group and on their feed at X (@FBW_Campaign).
Why Fund Britain’s Waterways matters
Fund Britain’s Waterways is a coalition of more than 160 organisations speaking up for the hundreds of thousands of people who use and love Britain’s canals and rivers — boaters, walkers, anglers, paddlers and towpath wanderers alike. That ‘under threat’ banner isn’t just for effect: our inland waterways face real funding pressures, and without sustainable, long-term government support the network we all enjoy could slowly slip out of reach. Moments like the one at Vale Royal Lock, where campaigners and lock staff stand together, show exactly the kind of goodwill the waterways inspire — and exactly what’s worth protecting.
If this brought a smile to your face, do lend your name to the cause: sign the petition at change.org/p/fundbritainswaterways and share it on with #FundBritainsWaterways. Every signature helps make the case that our canals and rivers are worth funding.
