WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUST

West Vale Branch regular workparties are always held on the Saturday following our branch meetings (second Wednesday of every month). What work will be done and the labour available is discussed at the meeting.

We always meet at our 'compound' (known by branch members as 'the cupboard)', where our tools and machinery are kept, any time after 9am. The compound is located in the Canalside Park in Stainswick Lane Shrivenham.
Stay as long as you like - but we generally work until mid afternoon. Bring refreshments with you, we have a tea hut. ( known as 'the brewery').

People of all ages and abilities are welcome but there are restrictions on the jobs that under 16s and the untrained will be allowed to do. However we do provide training in all aspects of canal restoration from digging mud with shovels to driving machines that dig mud with shovels. We are good at machine maintenance as well (budding mechanics please note).
Canal restoration encompasses every skill known to mankind!!! ( Believe me it does!)
So most of us don't dig mud!

We do have mid-week and weekend ad hoc workparties as well (as and when required) usually in the spring and summer. Much more info can be had by contacting West Vales WPO - Chris Forward ( see contacts page).

Irregular, but frequent, workparties are also held on Steppingstone Bridge (no under 16s here though as it is a building site). These workparties or work camps range from 1 to 15 days long. Skills required range from bricklaying to labouring, surveying to mixing mortar (again training is available). This project has many visiting volunteers from all over the world and especially other branches. It is also a Waterways Recovery Group (WRG) Project as well . The only way to get more info on dates etc. is to contact Martin Thompson the bridge project officer (see contacts page). Or for WRG camps via their web site.

 Waterways  Recovery Group

See more of Steppingstone Lane Bridge