The Grand Union Canal needs you

Local MP Alex Mayer joined the Canal & River Trust for a tow path walk to find out how to help the scenic waterway. The “Adopt-a-Canal” programme invites local groups of six or more people to care for a mile of their canal. Volunteers can help by clearing litter, planting flowers, painting locks and mooring posts and maintaining brickwork. It's all overseen by the Canal and River Trust who will guide the group through the process and present them with a certificate of adoption. Alex Mayer MP heard from Regional Director Ros Daniels and Al Camacho, who runs the South East Action Team, how nationwide over 300 groups have adopted areas of canals. But from Adeyfield to Milton Keynes, including all of the Leighton Buzzard area, the canal is looking for enthusiastic adopters. Alex Mayer MP said: “Nothing says climate action quite like completing some hands-on work to improve your very own canal. "What better way to take care of the Grand Union Canal than by adopting a stretch of it and ensuring it is a fantastic welcoming place for local people and visitors alike." Canal & River Trust regional director Ros Daniels added: “Groups like the South East Action Team make a tremendous contribution to our waterways, bringing their skills, enthusiasm and experience to a vast array of activities and tasks and enabling us to keep canals open and alive for people to use and enjoy. “Our volunteers offer experience and insight from the local community, some of them joining us for a day, some for many years. I'd encourage anyone who is interested in the Trust’s work to come along and volunteer by water.” By adopting a stretch of the Grand Union Canal, residents will receive all the tools, support, and training they need to make a real difference in their community. The Canal & River Trust provides a variety of resources, including guidance on environmental conservation and community engagement. For more information on how to adopt a stretch of the Grand Union Canal, please contact [email protected].