Uttoxeter Canal Funding Boost

Parish Councillors invited to discover potential to develop Staffordshire's inland waterways

The Parish Councillors of Alton, Denstone, Farley, Kingsley, Oakamoor, Rocester and Uttoxeter have all been invited to a presentation to learn about the potential for the restoration of the Uttoxeter Canal. The Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust are hosting the evening at Denstone Village Hall on Thursday 20th September, where Chairman of the Trust's Uttoxeter Canal Restoration Committee, Cllr. Mike Maryon, and local historian Mike Beardmore will describe the route of the canal through each of the parishes and the Churnet Valley, along with the Trust's objectives to preserve the line of the Canal, to promote the creation of a walking route along its length of the Uttoxeter Canal and to investigate the feasibility and benefits of restoring the Uttoxeter Canal.

The Trust's fund-raising towards the commissioning of a Feasibility Study into the potential of restoring the Uttoxeter Canal received a recent boost when the Stoke-on-Trent branch of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) presented the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust with a cheque for £600 specifically for the Study. Both organisations regularly work together on events and projects along the canals of Stoke on Trent and the Staffordshire Moorlands - including the restoration of the first lock and basin of the Uttoxeter Canal at Froghall where it joins the Caldon Canal and took displays on the progress of that project to the National Waterways Festival when it was held in Burton on Trent in 2004.

Branch chairman Alison Smedley explained “IWA Stoke on Trent branch is pleased to be able to support the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust as its campaign to raise funds for a feasibility study of the Uttoxeter Canal gathers pace. The volunteers from both organisations have achieved much through our partnerships to date on the Caldon Canal – particularly at Froghall and also the study to investigate the potential to improve the canal at Leek. We look forward to working together to link these canals back into East Staffordshire. This initial contribution demonstrates our commitment to the project and hope it inspires others to support the funding of a Feasibility Study to investigate the exciting potential of the Uttoxeter Canal.”

Alison Smedley, Chairman of the Stoke-on-Trent branch of the Inland Waterways Association, presents an initial cheque toward the Uttoxeter Canal feasibility study to Mike Maryon, Chairman, Uttoxeter Restoration Committee and members of the Caldon & Uttoxeter Canals Trust.