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Canals for the Community – a project for Stoke on Trent


The British Waterways ‘Canals for the Community’ project runs until June 2011 and focuses on 17 kilometres of the Trent & Mersey and Caldon Canals, which run through the heart of Stoke on Trent.

The project organisers wanted the public to associate the canals with leisure and recreation and have tried to bring this about by creating a fun and vibrant environment. In the long-term, the Canals for the Community project will give people a greater sense of ownership over canals and their history, making them a source of community pride.

A range of activities have delivered including:

  • Community events
  • Conservation training days
  • Conservation task days
  • Walks leader training
  • Community art projects
  • Fishing taster days
  • Fishing courses
  • Healthy walks
  • History walks
  • Themed walks
  • Community cycle rides
  • Cycle training
  • Towpath tidy events
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Nestbox building courses
  • Painting Task Days

Celebrate the completion of Canals for the Community

Canals for the Community comes to an end in June 2011, and to celebrate the success of the project, lots of fun activities are happening over the last few weeks:

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Weekly Canal Clean Team volunteering days will continue after the project is finished - search the events pages for more details.

The Canals for the Community Project is funded by The Big Lottery Fund and works in partnership with:

  • Stoke on Trent City Council
  • SAFE (Stoke Angling for Everyone)
  • Etruria Industrial Museum
  • BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers)
  • Cyclist Training Ltd
  • Burslem School of Arts

British Waterways sees partnership work as being the key to ensuring the long term success of the project and securing its legacy within the local community.

The company is open to input and suggestions from people in the local community and its partners.

To find out more about the Canals for the Community Project, please contact Louise North, Project Officer on 07827 083538 or email louise.north@britishwaterways.co.uk

Sculpture project

Tom Hare, willow weaver and sculptor, has been commissioned by British Waterways to work with local communities creating willow sculptures for four locations on the canals in Stoke on Trent

The sculptures will be funded by The Big Lottery as part of the
Canals for the Community project.

View the proposed sculptures and locations.

Last updated: 24/05/2011

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