Spooktactular events Halloween events to scare your socks off on Yorkshire canals

Things are getting very spooky around Halloween on our canals in Yorkshire, with frightening family-fun Halloween events to scare even the most intrepid ghost hunter. In association with Huddersfield Canal Society and the North of England Centre for Music & Arts, we are inviting brave souls to discover the spookier side of Standedge Tunnel and get involved…

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Essential repairs ramping up on iconic swing bridge

A programme of essential repairs on Sutton Weaver Swing Bridge enters a key phase later this month, and waterways charity Canal & River Trust is updating residents on the works. The bridge, which crosses the River Weaver near Frodsham, is undergoing vital works to replace and repair existing mechanical and electrical elements to ensure the…

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Boats returning to Foxton Locks as Autumn events programme gets under way

We’ve announced that Foxton Locks will be temporarily reopening to boats at the end of the month. The reopening will enable boaters to access vital services and give visitors the chance to once again enjoy watching boats navigate the famous staircase of locks. Maintaining water in the canal With the country experiencing one of the…

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Celebrate Diwali by the water with our River of Lights

We’re inviting people in Leicester to experience a magical celebration of Diwali as the city’s River Soar comes alive with lights. The event We’re hosting a free family event at the Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre on the evening of Saturday 18 October, which will involve spectacular light installations, illuminated displays on the water, as well…

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Celebrating Black History Month on Birmingham’s Canals

We invite everyone to join a vibrant celebration along Birmingham’s historic canals — honouring the contributions, cultures, and stories of Black communities that have helped shape the region’s waterways. The event will take place on Saturday 25 October at Brindley Place in central Birmingham, featuring live music, storytelling, community art, spoken word performances, guided heritage walks,…

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Campbell Robb joins as Chief Executive

Today we welcome Campbell Robb who joins our charity as chief executive, after six years leading the social justice charity Nacro. Campbell Robb Before joining Nacro, Campbell was chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, steering the organisation through a significant change programme. Prior to this he spent seven years…

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New trustees appointed to our Board

We’re delighted to announce the appointment of Angela Cluff, Clare Montagu, and Peter Hudson to its Board of volunteer trustees. The appointments, for an initial three-year term, were approved by our Council on 24 September 2025. Who are the new appointments? Angela Cluff is currently trustee of the Migration Museum and co-vice chair of Freedom…

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Commercial electric fishing boat pioneers

Polyboatglobal.com is not only about widening the uses of pleasure-boating – but also about commercial e-boating, including electric professional fishing vessels. It started in 2008, when the diesel-electric Shinei Maru No. 66 became the world’s first hybrid fishing trawler, operating from Otoshibe, Japan. In Norway, the hybrid-electric Scania-Corvus Angelsen Senior and the Siemens pure-electric Karoline. Norwegian…

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We’ve published our Annual Report & Accounts 2024/25

We’ve published our Annual Report for 2024/25, which sets out the scale of work undertaken to safeguard the nation’s historic canals and their modern-day contribution to society. Highlights from the report Over the year, and in the face of the rising cost of materials, additional environmental regulation and more extreme weather events, we delivered wide-ranging…

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Protecting Huddersfield’s canals against climate change

We are to begin the construction phase of a multi-million-pound scheme to upgrade the reservoir. Slaithwaite Reservoir The statutory maintenance and improvement works will strengthen the centuries-old structure against the impacts of climate change and improve the performance of the reservoir’s overflow spillway – which channels away water when the reservoir is full.  History of…

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