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Volunteer John Varley Administrative Co-ordinator VacancyThe Chesterfield Canal Trust has a vacancy for volunteer co-ordinator for the John Varley trip boat. The boat, based at Tapton Lock, has enjoyed another exceptional season during 2008 and continues to grow in popularity with visitors using the boat for public trips, charter cruises and Santa Specials. The full details of this role are on the vacancies page.
Learning Boat for the Chesterfield CanalThe Chesterfield Canal Trust is about to take out a five year lease on a historic ex-British Waterways workboat called Python. 53' long, she was built in 1929 by Yarwoods in Northwich. She came into the hands of the British Transport Commission (which eventually became British Waterways) in 1949. She has been out of service for a year. Her sister boat, Panther, is owned by the Coventry Canal Society. In late May, Arthur Naylor of the Chesterfield Canal Trust and Tony Mann of the Coventry Canal Society collected Python from Adelaide Dock in London. They took her up the Grand Union to attend the Stoke Bruerne Festival and the Braunston Historic Boat Rally in partnership with Panther as they are 80 years old this year. She will then be taken to Redhill Marina on the River Soar to be taken out of the water for a thorough check over and to have essential work done. The official handover from British Waterways to the Chesterfield Canal Trust is planned to take place on Monday 13th July at Redhill Marina. Thereafter she is to attend the IWA National Rally before being taken down the River Trent to the Chesterfield Canal and her permanent mooring near Shireoaks. The Learning Boat Project is a long-held vision of Dr. Geraint Coles, the Development Manager for the Chesterfield Canal Partnership. The plan is to use Python as a resource, not a trip boat. She will stop at village and town wharves along the length of the canal and will be used as a flexible, multi-purpose platform with workspace, exhibitions, artefacts, a stage and lockers full of resources, costumes and props. Over the coming months, a whole series of modules in drama, history, science & technology, ecology etc. will be developed for children of different ages. Eventually there will be resources for adult learning as well. In the age of high speed internet games, many children are not inspired by a cruise down a waterway, however beautiful, at 4 m.p.h. However, get them to re-enact a scene from 1879 when the murderer Charlie Peace jumped out of a train window right by the canal or teach them some physics by getting a six stone girl to open a two ton lock gate or pull a fifteen ton boat and we may catch their interest and imagination. Python will probably be used for canal work in the winter and as a learning resource in the summer. She will also be on hand for rallies and festivals, performances and events. It is hoped that by the time the five year lease is up, the people living on or near the Chesterfield Canal will insist that she stays having become an essential part of their lives. (Click on image to enlarge) 
Stavely Town Lock fund opensThe Chesterfield Canal Trust has opened a fund towards the costs of building a new lock in Staveley. At the eastern end of the five restored miles of the canal in Derbyshire there is currently a major roadworks scheme installing the Staveley Northern Loop. These works should be complete by the autumn. They include three new canal bridges that will bring a further half mile of restoration. When the road is complete, the new Staveley Town Basin will be built. Funding for this work is already in place. In order to lower the canal so that it can get under the railway bridge further east, a new lock must be built just beyond the basin. This will be Staveley Town Lock. It will be lock number 5a. At the very successful Chesterfield Canal Festival held at Kiveton Park at the end of May, �900 was donated by the public to aid restoration of the canal. This money has started off the Staveley Town Lock Fund. �800 donated by the Retford and Worksop Boat Club was added to the fund. Anyone who would like to donate should write to David Fox, The Chesterfield Canal Trust, The Old Parish Rooms, Church Street, Eckington, S21 4BH. (Click to enlarge photos)
Archived NewsOur news page was starting to get a bit long, so we've split it. If you're looking for older news, you'll find it here. Campaign Festival Day One (24-May-09)If you've not been able to get to the Festival so far this weekend, there's still chance. To give you an idea about what you've been missing, here's our photo stream from day one. The weather is still looking good for the remainder of the Bank Holiday weekend, so come on down, say hello and have a look what's on offer. There's more information on how to get there on the Festival web site. See you later! Updated event list (13-May-09)Our events page has been updated with the 2009 Publicity Events list. Plese take a look - if you think you can help with our Publicity Event programme, there's an email address there for you to contact the relevant Trust officer. Retford Ride and RambleDave Blackburn has sent in details of the Cnal Walks programme for 2009. These include the popular Ride and Ramble walks which are done in conjunction wth the Seth Elis trip boat. For more information the walks programme in general, please visit our towpath walks page. If you can help with publicity, please print off this poster which has more information about the Retford Ride and Ramble programme. Memorial ServiceAt a Memorial Service to Sir Reresby Sitwell held in the Parish Church of St. Peter's & St. Paul's, Eckington on�20th. April, the Canal Trust was represented by Vice-President, Keith Ayling. Stone to WestminsterNo doubt, as many regular visitors know, the canal was used to transport stone to London from Kiveton for the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster following the fire in 1834. To mark this major event in the history of the canal, on Saturday 25th April 2009, a new commemorative panel was unveiled at Alberts Dock close to Kiveton Park. As canal historian Christine Richardson explained to the assembled invited guests and Trust members, Alberts Dock was the location where stone was moved from road transport on to narrowboats at the start of the stone's journey by water to London. After a welcome from new Trust chairman Robin Stonebridge, outgoing chairman Keith Ayling said a few words and local MP Kevin Barron read out a letter from the current Speaker of the House, Micheal Martin MP which reinforced the historical significance of the location. Kevin Barron then unveiled the panel. After a buffet lunch for the guests, Trust trip boat Seth Ellis was on hand to provide short trips on the top pound of the canal for the guests. The boat and crew made the trip through the 21 locks from Shireoaks that morning. A second panel recounting the parts played by the villages of North and South Anston in the history of the Houses of Parliament was also unveiled in the Garden of Remembrance in South Anston.
Sir Reresby SitwellIt is with sadness the Chesterfield Canal Trust notes the passing on 31st March 2009 of its President Sir Reresby Sitwell Bt. Sir Reresby was a great supporter of the Trust and its ambition to see the Chesterfield Canal fully restored from West Stockwith on the River Trent through to Chesterfield. The route of the canal passes close to the family home at Renishaw and has recently been the location of a major restoration scheme. The Trust wishes to convey its condolences to Lady Sitwell and to the family at this difficult time. Chesterfield Canal Trust Chairman retires
The Chesterfield Canal runs for 46 miles from the River Trent to Chesterfield. When Keith became Chairman of the Chesterfield Canal Society in 1991, only the easternmost 26 miles to Worksop were navigable. He was one of the leaders in the formation of the Chesterfield Canal Partnership which has representatives of all the councils on the canal plus waterways bodies and conservation concerns. Keith oversaw the transition from Canal Society to Canal Trust Ltd. with its extra responsibilities and professionalism. Within the last ten years, five miles of the canal have been restored in Derbyshire and five miles, including thirty one heritage listed locks, have been restored in Nottinghamshire and Rotherham. Further work is currently underway in both Staveley and Renishaw. Much of the rest of the missing nine miles is in the planning stage. Keith's final duty as Chairman was to conduct the Trust's Annual General Meeting. He thanked the huge number of members who have given their time working for the project. He said that he would miss the support and friendship that he had received during his long period of office. David Trickett, Trust Vice-Chairman, and Geraint Coles, Partnership Development Manager, both paid warm tributes to Keith. Both were unequivocal in their belief that his drive and enthusiasm were key factors in the Trust's success. Both doubted that as much progress would have been made without his leadership. Keith was presented with a framed certificate commemorating his service and a satnav to guide him on his walking and boating in the future. Limited opportunity : climb the Giant's Staircase!It's not often the Seth Ellis gets a chance to cruise the upper reaches of the canal, and even less often that we get a chance to take passengers up there, but if you want the chance to witness some of the most scenic canal this area of the country has to offer, and some of the oldest flights of locks, here's your chance! All these four hour trips are £10/person or £120/group and the boat for your own group (we still get to crew!):
If you're interested in any of these trips, email info@sethellis.org.uk or phone Pete on 01246 280660 as soon as possible to reserve your place.
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