Volunteering

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Tonight (Tuesday) we attended an Inland Waterways Association  (I.W.A.) meeting in Burton upon Trent, the meeting was part of the build up to the I.W.A. Festival which is due to take place at the end of July, it was an opportunity for local people to hear what was going on, although I don't know how many of those at the Meadowside Leisure Centre were locals, most seemed to be boatie people. There were a few red shirts ( Waterways Recovery Group) (W.R.G.) around as well.

The proceedings got underway with a presentation by Harry Arnold M.B.E. who showed before and after photographs of various Restoration projects that the I.W.A. had been involved with, he also showed photographs of previous I.W.A. Festivals going back to 1950.

At the I.W.A. Festival last year I seem to remember filling in a Volunteer form offering to help with the setting up and dismantling of the 2011 festival site but as I had heard nothing since I wasn't sure, but, after checking with an organized looking lady in a I.W.A. shirt it was confirmed that I was on her list and to be at the Festival site on the Friday 15th of July, I then had a quick chat with "Moose" a W.R.G. member who will be organizing the other volunteers at the show.

Wednesday saw us down in Wiltshire, we had offered to pick up ( in his van ) a set of boat curtains and cushions for someone who is having a new boat built, the lady who made them lives on a Narrowboat at Foxhangers which is on the Kennet and Avon Canal at the bottom of the Caen Hill Locks, I had to walk the last 50 yards to her boat as Land and Water were laying water pipes across the track.

The modern Navvie, no picks and shovels here.

The Field in the background is due to be dug out for a 248 berth Marina , a local newspaper report from November 2009 tells us that British Waterways will need 11700 new berths across the system by 2015 !!!!! I think they make it up.

Busy Weekend coming up for me, Friday I will be at Braunston preparing Nutfield and Raymond for this weekends Boat-share Show where they will be on display, the show is on Saturday and Sunday in Braunston Marina.

Saturday I will be at The Midlands Garden Rail Show at Leamington Spa. Sunday it's back to Braunston for more boat tinkering and Sunday night in the Old Peculiar at Handsacre for a meal and a couple of pints, it's a tough life.