There is a fitting tribute taking shape at Hartington this year. A new lock, built as part of the Staveley Town Deal restoration, is to be named the Keith Ayling Lock — after the man who chaired the Chesterfield Canal Trust from 1991 to 2009 and is widely regarded as the most influential figure in the canal’s revival. Almost all of the twelve miles restored to date were completed during his time at the helm.
The lock itself is well under way, and the final piece will be the gates. To fund them, the Trust has set an ambitious target of £50,000, and every donation moves the memorial a little closer to completion.
All donors are listed in the Trust’s quarterly magazine, Cuckoo, with certificates for larger gifts — and for donations of £5,000 or more, a brass plaque fitted to the gates themselves. It is a rare chance to leave a permanent mark on the restored canal.
Read the full story and donate: chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk/keith-ayling-lock-gates-appeal
