People in Bath are being encouraged to join the army of volunteers working alongside the Canal & River Trust charity to protect and preserve local waterways.
Volunteering with the charity | Photo © Aaron Scott Richards / Canal & River Trust
With volunteering by water proven to come with added wellbeing benefits for those taking part, the charity is appealing for its biggest-ever range of volunteer roles and activities.
From the iconic lock keeper to numerous community, administrative and professional support, wildlife and heritage conservation opportunities, there is something suited for everybody to support the Trust.
Over the coming months, the charity will be hosting a series of volunteer welcome events where people can find out about the variety of flexible roles and activities they can get involved in, find out how they can make a real difference to local communities, make great friends, and have fun.
Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, said: “Still used and navigated by boats just as they were hundreds of years ago, today’s canals have also become vital places in our urban and rural communities providing crucially important habitat for endangered wildlife and vital places for people to experience nature.
“With the nation’s canals used and enjoyed by more people than ever before, together with the constant threat of climate change, these historic places need constant care to look after them.
“We need the support of the community and conservation-minded people to help ensure that these precious places are handed onto future generations.”
Research in 2021 showed that volunteering by water is good for you. It discovered that people report being happier, feeling more worthwhile and feeling less anxious than other volunteers or those who don’t volunteer at all.
In a recent survey conducted on behalf of the Canal & River Trust, findings show that half of people surveyed said the reasons they get involved with volunteering are to give something back to their community (48%) and to meet new people and make new friends (31%).
Mental wellbeing was another key reason volunteers said they get involved (30%).
To view the range of volunteering opportunities available in the local area, visit: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer/opportunities.
