Not our usual type of task day!

	Not our usual type of task day. Clearing frozen snow and slush from the Museum car park and around the Top Lock followed by our 'Christmas lunch'. Thanks to those who braved the slippery conditions to come and help us.

A serious prune was overdue...

By Helen Westlake on 11th October 2017

A successful working party met on a fine, if windy, October day and the main task achieved was to reduce the height and width of the hedge alongside one boundary of the Museum car park. The shrubs and bushes had grown well above the height of the neighbouring wall and out into the car park bays so a serious prune was overdue. The border now looks very tidy and the neighbour is much happier.

The volunteers then changed tack and went on to prepare and paint the pair of gates at the main entrance into the Quarry Field, another useful job before the winter. These gates, made by blacksmith Bob Nightingale, now look very smart.

Other smaller autumn tidy up jobs were carried out in the gardens around the Museum and around the Ash box by Lock 15, together with a general litter pick along the Woodland Walk.

Many thanks to all the volunteers involved.

Thanks to a great group from Santander and IWA Northampton

Second Task day this month and another planned for next week!
We had done all we could do to prepare the centre of the village for this weekends Village at War event, we focused our energies down at the Lower Locks area, including the Residential Moorers parking lots.
Lots of grass and hedge cutting, litter picking, lock painting and siding out achieved.
Thanks to a great group from Santander - Milton Keynes and the Northampton IWA Adoption Team who came and helped along with Ben - CRT.

Did it rain? Yes all day!

Assisted by Northampton IWA Adoption Group and a Team from Network Rail. Great day and a huge amount achieved along the towpath, in the Quarry Field and around the Museum Green. Did it rain? Yes all day! Thanks to everyone who helped in appallingly wet conditions. Great team effort - a medal to everyone.

Eating CAKE - to celebrate Canal and River Trust's 5th birthday

Hedge Cutting, weeding and painting and then eating CAKE - to celebrate Canal and River Trust's 5th birthday. Our thanks to the Staff at the Canal Museum for letting us join in.

A Great Day's Work

Another great day today painting the steel fence around the Dry Lock which is alongside the Top Lock outside the Museum.
We were joined by 4 enthusiastic volunteers from Carrillion plc / Nationwide Building Society. Our thanks to them for travelling from all over the country to be ready to start at 9.30 and you all did a great days work.

Siding out and tidying back the vegetation

Siding out and tidying back the vegetation along the Woodland Walk and the steps leading down to the Boat Horse Road. Path originally constructed in the 1990's as one of several projects initiated by the Northamptonshire Canal Partnership.

Urgent 'call to tools'

Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership Adoption Group helped by IWA Northampton Adoption Group members - assisting the Canal and River Trust Construction Team with a temporary repair to the pound wall on the Stoke Bruerne flight. This collapse of the stonework was discovered during the de-watering of the flight - hence an urgent 'call to tools'. Ballast and cement filled bags were used to fill the open voids as a temporary measure - to prevent further erosion. A permanent repair can then be undertaken during the next seasons stoppage programme - after the formal permissions and resources are put in place.