"Bringing the Uttoxeter Canal back to life"
An exhibition about the Uttoxeter Canal, its restoration and regeneration potential is now open at Uttoxeter Heritage Centre, Staffordshire and on display until 31 January 2009
The Caldon and Uttoxeter Canals Trust invite visitors to a fascinating, free exhibition exploring the route of the Uttoxeter Canal, from its junction with the Caldon Canal at Froghall through the Churnet Valley to Uttoxeter; the waterway connecting the heart of the Staffordshire Moorlands to the valley of the Dove in East Staffordshire. See how the Uttoxeter Canal would reconnect the market town of Uttoxeter to its rural hinterland and our nationwide network of inland waterways, and how the Trust’s plans to bring the Uttoxeter Canal back to life have already started with the restoration of the first lock and basin of the canal at Froghall.
Exhibits and artefacts also take visitors on a voyage of discovery about life on board a narrow boat, when Britain's inland waterways were busy with working boats carrying cargo.
The exhibition also features a free Wild Over Waterways (WOW) activity for children to design their own Boat Livery – invent a name for their boat along with a colour scheme and decoration. This has been provided by the Stoke-on-Trent branch of The Inland Waterways Association – the national charity that campaigns for canal restoration – with materials kindly sponsored by Staffordshire–based holiday boat company Stone Canal Cruising Co.
Updates will be added to the displays as the Trust prepares the launch of a feasibility study project to investigate the potential to restore and rebuild the canal to Uttoxeter.
The Trust welcomes comments, information and support on their plans, by signing the exhibition’s Uttoxeter Canal Visitors' Book or by e-mailing via the website.
Find the exhibition at: Uttoxeter Heritage Centre, 34-36 Carter Street, UTTOXETER, ST14 8EU. (Tel: 01889 567176). Open Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat; 10.00am to 4.00pm; FREE admission. On Saturday 13 December 2008 members of the Trust will be in attendance to answer questions between 10.00am and 2.00pm