The Canal & River Trust internal newspaper

TheSourceIssue 36 | July 2015

pages 4-5

page 2

My work, my life Sara Hill

page 4

Waterways Alive Awards

What is this? Identify this picture in The Source for a chance to win a £25 voucher

A volunteer-led water discharge survey and subsequent ‘only rain down the drain’ Yellowfish campaign, the work done by a team to re-route the planned HS2 around a popular spot on the Trent & Mersey Canal and a refurbishment in the centre of Birmingham of an old building into a buzzing pub and bistro, complete with boating facilities, were winners at this year’s Waterways Alive Awards.

At the awards ceremony held in the Lift View Marquee at the Anderton Boat Lift, chief executive Richard Parry congratulated all the teams for reaching the finals.

He said: “Among this year’s entries I have seen great new ideas, a better way of doing something, safer ways of working and outstanding commitment that has saved the Trust time and money. Whilst they are very different in scope, ranging from small community projects to major engineering works, the characteristics they all have in common is the breadth of the teams

involved. “Judging the Waterways

Alive Awards gives me the perfect opportunity to go out and see the Trust at its best. Whilst the projects are very different in size and scope, in every case, things didn’t just ‘happen’ – it took all the resourcefulness of those involved and they can be very proud of what they have achieved.”

Forty five projects were entered in the three categories – small, medium and large – and reviewed by a panel of 21 colleagues, producing a shortlist of nine. Richard Parry visited and saw first-hand each of the shortlisted entries before selecting the winners. Staff and volunteers from the nine finalists were invited to attend the awards evening on 9 July where Richard announced the winners in each category.

The awards were open to work or projects completed or mostly undertaken in the year April 2014 to March 2015.

See the winners on pages 4 and 5, and details of the other finalists over the next few issues.

Waterways Alive Awards winners announced

Twelve months of planning, 30 students, 42 hours of rehearsals and six days on narrowboats travelling 140 miles from Stratford in east London to Stratford-upon-Avon culminated in three fantastic performances of a Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to standing ovations from the audiences.

The students from Chobham Academy, part of a pioneering Arts on the Waterways and youth project, shared their experiences during their journey on social

media and invited journalists and theatre critics to watch their performances.

Executive producer of Arts on the Waterways, Tim Eastop, said: “Our programme is about inspiring new audiences and talented artists. We want people to look at the waterways in a new light – we believe that this journey through Shakespeare’s words and the canals could be life-changing for the students.”

Chairman Tony Hales added: “Many people contributed to what was a pretty

complex project. It was a great team effort. This was unquestionably a great showpiece for the Trust, an example of waterways for everyone – not least the new younger communities in this country – and an example of using the waterways in different ways. I have to pick out Claire Risino and Rob Drinkwater who were stretched into new areas and who really pulled this all together. Well done and thank you.”#BardOnBoats

Stratford 2 Stratford takes a final bow

From this

To thisThe Stratord 2 Stratford Theatre Company

Those responsible for the nine finalist projects gathered at Anderton Boat Lift on a fine summer’s evening to celebrate their success

» Fiddle & Bone pub, bistro, chandlery and boating facitilies

» Sutton Weaver swing bridge restoration» Postles Bridge access improvements » Hazel Grove Access Improvements, Brent » HS2 Wood End Lock, Fradley » Trevor Basin Dry Dock » Volunteer discharge surveys & Yellowfish initiative » A Grand Union Experience » Standedge Tunnel Country Fair 2014

Nine Waterways Alive Awards finalists

#WaterwaysAliveAwards

2 The Source | July 2015

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Liz Waddington Editor, The Source

T: 01908 351860 DD: 1060M: 07710 175445 E: Liz.Waddington@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Do you have a story?If so, please contact the editor:

TheSource

News

News in brief

Competition:

Media stars

Senior engineer Neil Besley was interviewed by BBC East Midlands about the innovative maintenance inspection, using a drone, of Cromwell Weir on the River Trent. The story was also on BBC Radio Nottingham’s breakfast show, the BBC website and in New Civil Engineer.

£650,000 turbine will power 500 homes

How to enter:• This is somewhere in this month’s The

Source. Tell us what it is and where it appears and you could win a £25 voucher.

• If more than one correct answer is sent in, the winner will be picked at random.

• Email: liz.waddington@canalrivertrust.org.uk • Or text the answer and your name to:

07710 175445• Closing date: 6 August 2015

Last month’s picture in this popular competition was the painting in the corner of this picture from page 5. The winner, picked at random from all the entries, is safety administrator Dee Inglis.

Neil Besley

WINNER£25

What is this?

The BBC drama The Interceptor featured a cameo appearance, as a lock keeper, by Tim Mulligan from the London customer ops team during the episode where ‘gun violence of a turf war spills out onto the packed streets of Camden’.

Tim Mulligan

In the first major commercial hydropower development on our network for 20 years, a £650,000 turbine has been installed at Holme Lock on the River Trent. The Kaplan turbine,

designed and manufactured by a specialist contractor in Ireland, will produce 500kW of green electricity an hour, sufficient to power 500 homes. When running at capacity, 180 baths-full of water will pass through the turbine every second.

Telecoms manager Sam O’Neill said: “Hydropower projects are highly regulated and technically complex

and this project has been in the making for over ten years, so to see the turbine delivered and installed is hugely exciting. Hopefully, this is the first of many that will help to meet the government’s targets on renewable energy and low carbon electricity.”

An agreement negotiated by the utilities team with the developer, Holme Hydro, means the Trust will receive a valuable income stream when electricity is being generated. The station is expected to go into production later this year when the £3.4 million construction project is completed.

Holme Lock on the River Trent: l to r utilities business manager Darren Leftley and telecoms manager Sam O’Neill

Urban design manager Marcus Chaloner is extensively quoted in New Civil Engineer about the design of HS2’s interaction with the canal network and how to ensure that ‘these huge proposals take account of the special context and character of our waterway world.’

Marcus Chaloner

River Trent takes the strain A 270 tonne electricity transformer has been safely delivered to Staythorpe Power Station via the River Trent. Using the Trent was quicker than an arduous 85 mile road journey and helped to reduce traffic disruption. The transformer was loaded onto the Inland Navigator, a river barge specially converted to carry abnormal loads, in Hull. The barge is owned and operated by Robert Wynn & Sons and can carry single loads of up to 300 tonnes on the inland waterway network to cities such as Leeds, Nottingham, York and Worcester.

Mal

colm

Sla

ter

Work starts on £20m development

Old factory units are being demolished and a 13 acre site cleared to make way for a new, high specification, built-to-suit Wharfdale Park warehouse development by H2O Urban. Development manager Cheryl Blount-Powell said: “This development, next to Tyseley Wharf in Birmingham, gives us an opportunity to create a high quality business environment that will offer firms the chance to rent a warehouse unit to their specifications in an excellent location. Interest in the units has been high.” www.wharfdalepark.com

Cheryl Blount-Powell and Richard Thomas of bloc the 50% partner of our JV H2O

H2O is a national joint venture company owned 50% by the Trust and 50% by private developer bloc. H2O Urban is working on a series of regeneration and redevelopment projects across the UK to maximise opportunities with the Trust. Development sites are used to create additional benefit for customers and users wherever possible, for example by establishing new waterway destinations, improving access to the waterway, or providing new facilities for users.

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Scheduling our workforce with greater efficiency As part of the creation of Operations & Asset Management, a new scheduling team has been put together.

Reporting to programme manager Mick Black and part of Programme Project & Work Management, the small team allocates work to individuals, relying on the information and timescales of planned maintenance orders programmed via the programming team.

Scheduling team leader Jemima Bruntlett says: “Prometheus GWOS (Graphical Work Order Scheduler) integrated with SAP is our main tool. It gives us

the flexibility to maintain shift patterns at an individual level. We encourage compliance with the new scheduling processes and, as a result, reliability with a consistent and successful approach to work scheduling.”

Based at Hatton, the team covers the entire canal network. This means that 80 supervisors are contacted every week for individual task assignments which are collated and scheduled to set deadlines. Operations staff get their tasks for the coming week on their mobile devices.

Jemima continues: “We’re always looking at ways of improving

News in brief

By royal appointmentCampaigns manager Sarah Burns (below on left) and corporate relationships manager (right) Justine Lee were treated to a tour around the Henley Royal Regatta recently.

They’d gone to the Thames to film Living Waterways Awards chairman Christopher Rodrigues, a steward at the regatta. The VisitBritain chairman, who cannot be at the Living Waterways Awards ceremony in October, took them around the facilities, including the press box.

Justine said: “We also had a trip in one of the launch boats where we went out to the start of one of the races and followed it along the course!”

New Ponty book pubished A new book about the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct takes readers back in time to when the aqueduct and canal were built 200 years ago as well as what visitors can enjoy today.

Written by historian Dr Peter Wakelin and published in partnership with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW) with the support of Visit Wales and Cadw, Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site (£9.99) is available:• at Trevor Basin, Anderton Boat Lift, Standedge Tunnel and Ellesmere Port, Gloucester and Stoke Bruerne museums. Trust staff are entitled to a 20% discount (ID required)• or send a cheque for £12.50 (includes P&P) payable to Canal & River Trust with your name and address to Jenny Rogers, National Waterway Museum, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 4FW or email your contact number to jenny.rogers@canalrivertrust.org.uk if you want to pay by credit card.

Schedulers Sarah Boneham and Glen McLaughlin and scheduling team leader Jemima Bruntlett

Top online award for Caen Hill

Caen Hill Locks on the Kennet & Avon Canal have been awarded a top TripAdvisor award after being given consistently high ratings by visitors on the online review site.

Earning an impressive four and a half stars out of five – a rating shared by the Parthenon and Eiffel Tower – visitors have described the site as ‘free, awesome and brilliant’, as well as an ‘amazing engineering wonder’. The TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, awarded to attractions, accommodation and restaurants that consistently receive outstanding traveller reviews, is the latest accolade for the scheduled monument, after lock keeper Bob Preston won the coveted Lock Keeper of the Year award earlier this year.

New training contract signed

A new five year contract has been awarded to KNW Training to cover operational training, manual handling courses and our mandatory Basic Fire Water, and Save a Life, its refresher and the Health & Safety Foundation Course.

Safety advisor Gary Smith says: “We’re delighted that KNW have been reappointed. We’ve worked with them for more than 17 years; they’re a national provider for land based training and have ISO9001 and ISO14001 accreditations.”

A full list of courses is on the Gateway safety pages. When courses are booked through KNW, HR will update SAP training records. There is a live schedule of available spaces which will ensure greater efficiency and course utilisation. Gary continued: “Over the next few months KNW’s business support manager, Mandy Cope, will visit all departments to help co-ordinate annual training plans.”

Enjoy a day on the water with Boating Buddies It was a damp Sunday in June when newly appointed customer support co-ordinator London David Ireland joined Maurice and Jean of Broxbourne Cruising Club on their narrowboat to cruise around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Tottenham.

David wasn’t entirely new to boating – his parents had a narrowboat – but it was a fabulous refresher and a valuable introduction to the issues faced on the London’s waterways. David said: “I was really grateful to Maurice and Jean for letting me join their cruise. It was hugely interesting and I’m sure it will prove to be valuable experience for my job.”

Contracts supervisors Rob Adcock (West Midlands) and Adam Hooper (Central Shires) enjoyed a day with Neville Reeves on the Stratford Canal. Rob says: “It was great to see things from a different perspective. Neville took a huge interest in our jobs, not realising how much went into maintaining the canals, and we had some very positive feedback. We thought initially that people would use the chance to have a moan at us all day, but it was the complete opposite.”

Boating Buddies offers you the chance to spend a day on the water with one of our boating customers, learn about life afloat and give them an insight into the work that we do at the Trust. Most boaters can accommodate between two and four people so you can hook up with colleagues. Take a look at the dates on Gateway. Please remember to log your trip on the spreadsheet and don’t forget to email sian.ferry@canalrivertrust.org.uk afterwards so that she can capture your feedback.

l to r waterway operative Garry Haddon, waterway manager Mark Evans and waterway operative Simon Kirby

Richard Parry recently led a naming ceremony for The Wanderer, a new work boat on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.

The boat, restored by the Trust with funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, will be used by local community groups and volunteers carrying out litter picking on the offside, painting over graffiti, vegetation clearance and

generally keeping the canal in great condition.

The boat’s name was chosen after school children were invited to make suggestions as part of a competition.

KNW’s Andy Delve and solicitor Anna Barton work on Resussi Annie during the Basic Fire, Water and Save a Life course

Customer support co-ordinator London David Ireland

First community led workboat named

Volunteer development coordinator South Wales & Severn Caroline Kendall (left) and Richard Parry (right) with school children who chose the name of the community workboat

scheduling and in July we started work on the reactive/arising ZC03s.” To contact the team: scheduling.team@canalrivertrust.org.uk or 01926 622780

FT Im

ages

News

4 5The Source | July 2015 The Source | July 2015

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Trust staff doing their bit:Check out the back page

Sara Hill, ecologist Manchester & Pennine and North Wales & Borders, based at Northwich

» Joined in 2014» Family: Has recently bought a

house with her partner» Hobbies: Wishes she had a

creative streak, but generally enjoys getting out and about in the fresh air, walking the dogs or going for bike rides

» Favourite holiday destination: Anywhere warm and sunny with nice scenery and good food

» Ambition: To see more of the world: “I’d love to go back to Kenya where I volunteered after university.”

» You may not know: “I have Grade 8 piano (achieved many moons ago)”

Sara Hill:

Focus: Waterways Alive Awards

“My role is extremely varied, with a lot of time spent out and about on site visits or undertaking surveys. I work across the Trust to provide ecological support ranging from advising on appropriate management of our statutory wildlife sites, supporting the delivery of various partnership schemes or assessing potential ecological impacts of waterway operations, as well as routine maintenance and major construction projects, and supporting opportunities to enhance the biodiversity value of our canals.

“Sometimes this requires liaison with external regulators, but also offers opportunities to work closely with organisations such as wildlife trusts. Some of the more interesting projects I’m involved with include a great crested newt mitigation scheme for the Montgomery Canal restoration as well as plans for the rehabilitation of a

wetland site along the Weaver Navigation.”

What is the best part of the job? “The variety of projects and opportunities. There’s always lots going on and no week is ever really the same which definitely keeps things interesting.”

And the worst? “It’s an occupational snag of being an ecologist: most of our subjects are nocturnal or early risers which can mean lots of late nights and early mornings through the survey season. Although one of the more fun aspects, this does eventually catch up with you!”

Our Heritage

My work, my life

Horsepower

Waterways

Alive Awards

2015

» Details of other

finalists coming

soon

Leeds & Liverpool Canal circa 1900

Our waterways, especially our canals, were built around the horse. And although these days a horse-drawn boat is a rare sight, the remains of this centuries-old source of power are scattered across the Trust’s network.

If you look carefully, starting with the towpath (which speaks for itself), it becomes clear how much historic infrastructure was designed with horses in mind. Bridges had rope guards or rollers to ease straining ropes. Some were specialised turnover bridges with leading and trailing edge parapets that allowed ropes to slide up and over as the horse crossed the water. Locks had strapping posts and starting pins to control towed boats and some canals, like the Regent’s, had ramps leading down into canal to help horses out of the water if they got dragged in.

Horses needed a lot of looking after and canalside stables still survive in places, some with their interiors and stalls little altered. Others have been converted into shops or cafés or for residential use. There are fine examples on the Shropshire Union, the Leeds & Liverpool and the Dudley canals. Historic archives for the Oxford Canal record ‘Stables for four horses with a boathouse over’ at Rugby Wharf.

Commercial horse drawn boats dwindled away, for the most part, in the 1960s – but if you are lucky enough to see a horse pulling a boat these days, waterways heritage comes alive and suddenly it all makes sense.www.horseboating.org.uk

Nigel Crowe, national heritage

manager

Waterways Alive Awards 2015

Judging the awards gives me the perfect opportunity to go out and see the Trust at its

best. Whilst the projects are very different in size and scope, in every case, things didn’t just ‘happen’ – it took all the resourcefulness of those involved and they can be very proud of what they have achieved. Chief executive Richard Parry

Small project winner: Volunteer discharge surveys and Yellowfish initiativeEnvironmental scientist Alex May, technical volunteer co-ordinator Amanda Morgan, graduate environmental scientist Emma Bird, mobile technology support specialist Danielle Wynne, volunteer environmental scientist Ian Willey and utilities surveyor John Thompson Nearly 700 discharges into 15 Midlands canals were mapped by volunteers to gain a better understanding of outfalls in order to avoid major pollution incidents. The data was analysed and cleansed by volunteer Ian Willey, who compiled detailed records of the source, type of discharge, pollution risk and a rough estimate of monetary value to the Trust (via discharge licences). Yellowfish – a pollution prevention plan for business owners – is being implemented as a result.

A yellow fish is stencilled next to drains leading to the canal – acting as a striking reminder that what enters the drain ends up in a waterways – promoting ‘Only rain down the drain’.

Lessons learnt Environmental scientist Alex May said: “If you find the right volunteer(s) they can enable us to do things like this which would otherwise be shelved due to lack of resources. I think we often underestimate what volunteers can gain from spending time with us – a great amount of satisfaction and new skills. They gained lots of experience and many have gone on to find employment in the sector.”

Judges’ verdict“This innovative project looked at a widespread issue and made excellent use of volunteers providing them with useful work experience. The scope for broader use as best practice brought a fairly low profile, but significant, issue to life with creative and practical measures, and good engagement with communities and businesses.”

Facts and figures

» 45 entries» Small, medium and large categories» 21 colleagues sat on judging panels in Milton Keynes on

23 April» Nine finalists chosen after moderation exercise» A further three entries highly commended by panel» Richard Parry visited finalists to choose overall winner» Winners declared at awards evening at Anderton Boat

Lift on 9 July 2015

Back l to r Ian Willey and Danielle Wynne, middle l to r Emma Bird and John Thompson, front l to r Amanda Morgan and Alex May

Only rain down the drain

Medium project winner: HS2: Wood End LockRegional engineer south Peter Walker, strategic planning manager Ian Runeckles, solicitor Tom Deards, strategic planning manager Helen Edwards, heritage advisor Audrey O’Connor, economist Brian MacAulay, project team manager Antonia Zotali and urban design manager Marcus Chaloner (with former principal hydrologist Peter Roberts and former head of asset management & performance George Ballinger)When in 2012 HS2 published its initial preferred route for the new railway it was shown crossing the Trent & Mersey Canal at Wood End Lock on four viaducts, with two additional temporary bridges being needed for construction access. This, in addition to the associated 10m high embankments would have had a devastating effect on the canal environment in this very special place near Fradley Junction. Although the Trust’s initial challenge was rejected, consultants Hyder were appointed to redesign the railway and prove that an alignment avoiding the canal was not only technically feasible, but actually better. In addition, the Trust project team prepared a detailed case for the proposed realignment, demonstrating that the railway could avoid the canal, save HS2 over £50m and have a reduced environmental impact – a powerful case. HS2 eventually accepted our proposal and will be submitting an Additional Provision (AP) to the HS2 Bill this summer. It is amusing to know that in the higher echelons of HS2 this AP is known as ‘The CRT Amendment.’

Lessons learnt Regional engineer Peter Walker said: “Get the right team together, fight your case on an equal footing, and don’t give up!”

Judges’ verdict“This demonstrated excellent working with stakeholders, communities and volunteers which led to mitigation of a major third party infrastructure project and revision of government plans that would have blighted a key honeypot site.”

Large project winner: Fiddle & Bone pub, bistro, chandlery and boating facilitiesStrategic planning manager Richard Newton, business consultancy manager David Wooley, heritage advisor Elizabeth Thomson, urban designers Peter Chowns and Rachel Ingham and former head of business boating Phil SpencerThis is a great example of bringing a run-down property – the Fiddle & Bone Pub in Birmingham – back into use after it had lain empty for 12 years. At the same time, the opportunity was seized to enhance its relationship to the waterway and provide a new and vibrant destination on the Birmingham Main Line Canal. The project has also provided new and much needed boating facilities on this busy canal whilst at the same time creating new job opportunities. The long term benefit is a restored building producing income for the Trust, attracting customers and visitors to the water space and setting an example of how partnership working can yield positive results, hopefully for the next phase of development at The Roundhouse next door.

The skills of the Trust team, working with the tenant’s

professional team were used to ensure that the finished project enhanced the property’s relationship with the canal, and provided additional and enhanced boating facilities that would benefit customers whilst conserving and enhancing many of the historic features and creating a potentially vibrant destination.

Lessons learnt Cheryl Blount-Powell said: “It pays to demonstrate outwardly, strong internal collaboration and teamwork.”

Judges’ verdictBreathing life back into this asset saw the improvement of a previous poor tenant relationship, the restoration of a heritage building which revitalised the surroundings, improved access, facilities for boaters and good public engagement.

Back l to r Brian MacAulay, Tom Deards, Peter Walker, Marcus Chaloner and Peter Birch. Front l to r Audrey O'Connor, Ian Runeckles, Helen Edwards and Antonia Zotali (not pictured Peter Roberts and George Ballinger)

Wood End Lock Cottage

l to r Peter Chowns, Cheryl Blount-Powell,

Richard Newton, Rachel Ingham

and David Wooley (not pictured Phil Spencer

and Elizabeth Thomson)

The Trent & Mersey Canal near Fradley Junction

6 The Source | July 2015

A conference initiated by environment manager Oda Dijksterhuis brought together experts from around the Trust to discuss and review the opportunities for green channel and bank designs on our waterways.

Environment, engineering, project management, water management, enterprise, fisheries & angling and other key staff took part in the Life on the Edge one day conference in Birmingham. The importance of green channel and bank design for wildlife and water quality; the engineering opportunities of soft design, and how environment and wildlife are at the heart of the waterway experience, influencing the success of grant bids, were discussed.

Outputs included a better understanding of constraints and opportunities when considering channel design and greater awareness of possible design options. Extensive knowledge on channel and bank design was pooled, laying the foundations for a Trust design options library (a collection of previous designs and solutions).

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45 9 3Waterways Alive Awards

entriesWaterways Alive Awards

judgesWaterways Alive Awards

finalistsWaterways Alive Awards

winners

Canal & River Trust people

21

Environment matters A knotty problem

Canal & River Trust ‏@CanalRiverTrust Our 2015 #WaterwaysAliveAwards have been announced! See the winners here: http://ow.ly/PzYD4 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJ4rM8sWcAA8pXW.png:large

www.twitter.com/TheSource_CRT

@CRTHeritage retweeted Mark Clifford ‏@CRTMarkC As a heritage adviser I tend to spend a lot of my time doing this - https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJy_iv_WsAAdRIW.jpghttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJy_iwCWcAAZlJY.jpg

Canal & River Trust @CanalRiverTrustCould you get involved in the Trust Council election 2015? Find out more here: http://ow.ly/PD01V

CRT Press Team ‏@CRTComms With @ARDde today, discussing the importance of research before deciding to live on a boat http://ow.ly/PAPRf https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJ4Z9ZuW8AA8vp8.jpg:large

Top Tweets of the month

Earlier this month Tony Hales announced that he is to step down as our chairman in September.

On a personal level I am hugely grateful to Tony for supporting me in my first two years at the Trust, and on a broader scale for leading us all through the changes we have undergone in the past five years – from conceiving the plan to create the Trust; negotiating it skilfully through Government and securing our long term contract; launching the new organisation three years ago; and seeing us take our first confident steps in our new guise as a charity, able to draw in new sources of funding and support. On any measure Tony’s contribution has been immense, and he is still full of passion and enthusiasm for our cause.

With the retirements of Philip Ridal and Simon Salem last month also, most of those who were instrumental in the creation of the Trust will have

departed once Tony steps down. This process of renewal was inevitable in our early years as the Trust, and it is a clear indication of our progress that we are able to look confidently to the future even without such key figures. Our new chairman, Allan Leighton, brings massive experience of business and public sector alike and will undoubtedly be able to help us take the next steps towards realising our ambition.

Whilst board level changes may seem remote from our day-to-day experience, they are vitally important for our long term health, creating the environment in which we can all do our roles. This is just one of a number of changes that we’ve made to the Trust over the past year, and you are all to be applauded for the way you have responded.

Everywhere I go I speak to colleagues who are eager to embrace the new future we have before us. The next step in this journey is to look at how we go about

doing things, to instil our values in everything we do. That is why the ‘Growing Our Trust’ programme

is so important, and I am delighted to see so many people come forward to be our champions.

This programme will touch all of you, I hope, in the months ahead and I urge you to give your commitment to it, and the better future it will yield for us all.

Richard’s reflections

Retirements and renewal

The Trust spends around £700,000 a year on the control and eradication of Japanese Knotweed – one of the most invasive plants we manage.

West Midlands length inspectors have been recording when they suspect that Japanese Knotweed is encroaching from third party land. Whilst the Trust is taking reasonable steps to control the plant, there is little value in us doing this unless adjacent land owners are also treating it.

With the help of volunteer Laura Parry, we have pulled together a list of 40 sites where we believe encroachment is an issue. We are in the process of providing GIS plans and postcodes to the estates team who will undertake land registry searches to identify land ownership so that we can make contact with relevant land owners and request that they treat the Japanese Knotweed affecting our property.

The environment team now has its very own Facebook page. Search for Environment Team, Canal & River Trust, take a look and see some of the weird and wonderful things our colleagues are involved in – and please don’t forget to like the page!

Laura Parry and Japanese Knotweed on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal

Life on the edge

Mark Stephens and Oda Dijksterhuis hosting the countdown workshop

A new electronic expenses system for volunteers that allows claims to be submitted direct from the towpath is being rolled out.

ReachOut will increase efficiency and

provide volunteers with a slicker, more secure and greener system than the paper based one. It also offers a range of benefits to volunteer task managers: removing the need for handling, storing

and disposing of paperwork (often containing bank details) securely.

For further information on the volunteer electronic expenses roll out please contact Cassie.Weaver@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Volunteers invited to reach out to new expenses system

At the Braunston Boat Gathering l to r David Powell, Richard Parry, Lawrence Williams and Tony Hales

Tim

Cog

hlan

7The Source | July 2015

Retirements Best wishes for a long and happy retirement:Chris Bailey, enterprise manager, after 39 years’ serviceDave Blount, waterway inspections operative, Midlands, after 38 years’ servicePat Harris, marina supervisor, Hull Marina, after four years’ serviceJohn Peplow, waterway operative, construction Midlands, after seven years’ servicePhilip Ridal, finance director, after ten years’ servicePeter Roberts, principal hydrologist, after seven years’ serviceSimon Salem, marketing director, after 27 years’ serviceLes Sumpter, waterway operative West Midlands after 28 years’ service

Leavers Goodbye and good luck:Heather Airlie, engineer, engineering west, after ten years’ serviceMathew Bradley, duty manager, Canal Museum Stoke Bruerne after a year’s serviceCarol Buchan, regional fundraising ambassador, after a year’s service Suzanne Byrne, volunteer leader South Wales & Severn after five years’ serviceEddy Cooke, waterway operative North West after two years’ serviceHenry Fitzgerald, finance analyst, after two years’ serviceEdward Harling, local fundraising ambassador, Museums & Attractions, after a year’s serviceTom Jones, student hydrographic surveyor, engineering north, after a year’s serviceAmy McEleney, business support administrator South East, after two years’ serviceAdam Nickerson, chartered building surveyor, Sawley Marina, BWML after six years’ serviceKelly Robinson, waterway operative, construction south, after three years’ serviceAdrian Skelton, waterway operative, construction north, after six years’ serviceAndrew Uncles, student hydrographic surveyor, engineering north, after a year’s serviceJulia Vipond, senior customer service assistant, Sawley Marina, BWML after ten years’ service

Starters Welcome: Lise Andreassen, senior environmental scientist, Milton Keynes

David Bence, M&E operative, M&E delivery, south westNaomi Boult, waterway operative Manchester & PennineGareth Brown, waterway operative LondonThomas Cousins, finance assistant, cashiers SSC Conor Duffy, data collector, enforcement LondonDeborah Fifer, senior area planner, NorthwichLauren Garner, business support administrator, Hatton John Gilman, regeneration & development manager, NorthwichEmile Khan, hydrologist, water managementAlan Lloyd, finance/commercial director BWMLTom Oliver, waterway supervisor Docklands, LondonHolly Richardson, credit controller/senior cashier, SSCNaomi Rose, social media manager, Milton KeynesMatt Thurtell, individual giving officer, Little VeniceSally Turner, senior utilities surveyor, NewarkSamantha Tyrer, finance assistant, cashiers SSCGeorgina Wood, business boating manager, Milton KeynesDawn Wright, accounts payable assistant, SSC Rhys Wynne, Rochdale & Huddersfield project officer, Manchester & Pennines

And welcome to all our casual and seasonal staff

Movers & ShakersCongratulations:John Gilman has been appointed regeneration development manager. Working with public and private organisations to secure new canalside regeneration opportunities, John will have a national remit but focus on the north and midlands. John, who is based in Northwich, was previously development manager at Seddon Care Partnerships and formerly worked as regeneration director at Miller Homes.

MarriagesCongratulations: Ecologist Laura Plenty was married to Jim Mullholland on 4 June 2015 in Cripps Barn, Bibury, near Cirencester. The couple had a short break in Cornwall and plan to honeymoon in Australia next year.

Volunteer leader South East Waterways Miriam Tedder was married to Craig Linforth on 6 June 2015 in Lilley, Hertfordshire. The couple honeymooned in Cyprus.

Your news

Let us know your news:liz.waddington@canalrivertrust.org.uk Canal & River Trust people

Retiring: Les Sumpter was voted lock keeper of the year in 2006

New regeneration development manager: John Gilman

Why not take advantage of the fantastic discounts on days out? You can get up to 55% off standard admission charges to many top attractions, including Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures, Legoland Windsor and Manchester, London Sea Life Aquarium and Manchester Sea Life Centre and many more.*

And if it’s raining you can catch up on the latest blockbusters with up to 40% off cinema tickets at Cineworld, Hollywood, Showcase and Empire cinemas.

Have a look at the offers on www.personalgroupbenefits.com/canalrivertrust

And if you haven’t got a password, email HRServices@canalrivertrust.org.uk *Exclusions may apply, please see full Terms & Conditions.

Not sure what to do with the kids in the holidays?

Employee benefits

Just married: Miriam and Craig Linforth

Just married: Jim and Laura Mulholland

Job evaluation project gets under way Work has recently begun on a job evaluation project to update the role profiles for the 300 different positions in the Trust, making sure we attract and retain the best people, and that we are paying employees a competitive rate compared with the market. The evaluation will also lead to a simpler and more transparent grading structure and uncover any equal pay issues.

The Hay Group – world leaders in job evaluation – will look at 50 core roles across the Trust and train an internal panel to evaluate the remaining roles in a consistent way. It’s a big task that will take around 12 months. Senior managers will get a briefing on how the Hay approach to evaluation works to help them explain it to their teams.

There are more details on Gateway and at your July team talk.

Value of the month:Involvement

Involvement means building effective partnerships and embracing a diverse range of people both inside and outside the Trust. It means that we’re ‘joined up’, working as one organisation, ensuring that others are given opportunities to contribute. It means seeking new ideas and valuing everyone’s opinion.

In your team talks you agreed that it isn’t difficult to involve colleagues. Most of you said that your day-to-day activities means you have to interact with other departments or teams in the Trust. But you did say that it would be helpful to be aware of colleague’s workloads and not overwhelm them on busy days. Some of you even suggested inviting external groups into your team meetings so that there could be an exchange of ideas and views.

The value being discussed this month is Excellence – the results will be reported next month. Return your completed forms to staff_feedback@canalrivertrust.org.uk or in the post to internal comms in Milton Keynes. You could win a branded tin of biscuits, just like Construction South, Kennet & Avon and ICA/SCADA who last month were selected at random from the completed forms.

8 The Source | July 2015

The National Staff Fishing competition was held on Saturday 4 July at the Trust’s Blythe Waters fishery. The weather was hot and sunny, the fish were biting and the banter flowing as fish were caught and lost.

Everyone who fished received a goody bag before the match and there were tackle and cash prizes for the top 12 anglers on the day.Results 1st Gail Hooper (Blythe Fishery bailliff) – 101lb 4oz2nd Eric Walker (waterway supervisor North East) – 57lb 5oz3rd John Billingham (works engineer, Midlands) – 55lb 15oz4th Carl Nicholls (fisheries & angling manager) – 43lb5th John Blunn (team leader Central Shires) – 39lb 11oz

Fisheries & angling manager Carl Nicholls said: “Home advantage proved key as this is the second year in a row that Gail, the fishery bailiff, has won. On behalf of all the anglers, I would like to say a big thank you to the Trust and John Ellis for all the continued support with the event.”

Employees and pensioners are eligible to receive free of charge fishing facilities on the majority of Trust fisheries. To claim your free fishing facilities email barbara.wilder@canalrivertrust.org.ukor call 01908 302510 and ask for an authorisation letter. We regret this offer does not extend to partners or children.

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheSource_CRT

Catchy caption

Last month’s winner:“Paul, are you sure you didn’t leave the car keys in your jacket pocket?”Congratulations to Gloucester & Sharpness operative Tim Barnard

How to enter:» Email your witty caption to:

liz.waddington@canalrivertrust.org.uk » Or text your caption and name to:

07710 175445» Closing date: 6 August 2015

The Source is published by the Canal & River Trust (registration: 1146792) and a company limited by guarantee (registration: 7807276), First Floor North, Station House, 500 Elder Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 1BB Editor: Liz Waddington (liz.waddington@canalrivertrust.org.uk) • Printed by Warwick Printing Co Ltd 01926 883355

Patron: H.R.H. The Prince of Wales

References to and quotations from articles may be made providing an acknowledgement of source is given but requests to reproduce articles in full should be made to the Editor. The views expressed in the newspaper are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Canal & River Trust

Back to you

Thank you for sending in your funny pictures, which we hope to use over the next few months. Keep them coming.

Contact the editor with news of your charity activities,

hobbies and otherachievements outside work

This month’s picture is of Darren Parkinson with a virtual reality system that one of our contractors is using to plan maintenance works.

Look out for our first TV commercial

WINNER£25 GIFT VOUCHER

Our youngest reader?Standedge Tunnel chaperone Terry Sigsworth says his seven month old son George enjoys catching up with all the news.

And finally … (don’t try this at home!)Manchester & Pennine craft operative Andy Gould was working on the Macclesfield Canal when he accidentally dropped his Motorola phone in the water. Unable to retrieve it, he went back the next day with a keep net to fish it out. Not only was it still switched on, it was – and still is – working!

Gail Hooper

Eric WalkerJohn Blunn

Staff national fishing competition

Between 20 July and 24 August our first TV ad will be screened during weekdays on digital channels such as ITV2, ITV4, Sky 1, Sky Living, Good Food and Nickelodeon Junior. The commercial, part of our wider marketing campaign, encourages people to text us to get a free summer ‘What Shall We Do Today’ activity guide and sticker pack.

Behind the scenes at the ad shoot that features head of individual giving Nick Marsh and his family

This summer Londoners have been invited to help clean up the Regent’s Canal at a series of volunteering events with a twist.

At the monthly events students from Queen Mary University have provided live music and cocktail making; there have been opportunities to try swishing (ethical clothes swapping) and paddle boarding as well as the more traditional canal jobs such as painting, flower planting and litter picks.

The Love London Canals programme is designed to offer people a chance to try after-work volunteering, and make the most of the waterways in the warmer seasons.

Volunteer team leader Becky Williams said: “Volunteers already do so much, but we wanted to try something a bit different. We’ve planned these events for the evenings

so that people who work during the day have every opportunity to enjoy helping out on the canals.”

Waterway operative London Tim Mulligan who joined in with the planting said that volunteering was helping to ‘add colour’ to his front line role and that the programme was attracting a different audience.

Volunteering with a twist in London

Waterway operative Tim Mulligan joins the volunteers after work on a warm summer evening