Record year for volunteering | Canal & River Trust

We’re today celebrating a record 12 months for volunteering across its 2,000-mile network of waterways in England and Wales.

In the year up to the end of April, 8,043 volunteers supported us, up from almost 5,500 volunteers the year before.  For the first time, they collectively donated over three quarters of a million hours, adding to the scope and scale of what the charity can achieve. 

So far in 2026, over 1,000 people have joined us after we appealed back in January for more people to volunteer by highlighting the vital role volunteers play.

Volunteers are integral to all aspects of our work, from helping to repair canal locks, pulling out invasive plant species detrimental to navigation and wildlife, working the locks to assist boaters, carrying out surveys of waterway heritage, talking to schoolchildren about water safety, adopting a stretch of towpath and caring for it, or overseeing us as one of our trustees, amongst other roles.

A testament to our volunteers

Christine Mellor, our head of volunteering & safeguarding, comments: “I’d like to thank our charity’s amazing volunteers who make an extraordinary difference across so many aspects of our crucial work.

“As we strive to keep the 250-year-old canal network open and thriving, last year volunteers gave a record amount of their time and skills to support our charity. This incredible contribution is testament to the passion and commitment of our volunteers, and the enduring importance of canals to people’s lives and their community. With the challenges facing our waterways growing, from ageing infrastructure to the devastating impact of extreme storms followed by periods of drought, the canal network needs help now more than ever.

“Volunteering at the Trust is open to everyone, it is flexible and offers a rewarding experience where you can really make a difference. Those who help our charity are doing something positive for their local community, connecting, meeting new friends, and making a big difference to the canals and rivers that matter to them.”

The Big Help Out

We’re a lead partner in the Big Help Out/Big Do taking place from 5 to 8 June. This year, in honour of Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday, the initiative is championing the call for people to take action for nature in what will be the UK’s biggest celebration of community. We will be celebrating its volunteers who make a significant contribution to the canal network.

Around nine million people live within a ten-minute walk of a canal or river cared for by us, yet many don’t realise these spaces – including thousands of locks, bridges, aqueducts and 2,000 miles of wildlife habitat – are maintained by a charity. We urge people to see volunteering on their local canal as one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to give back to their community. It’s a fantastic way to meet new people, enjoy the great outdoors and make a meaningful difference.