Keith Ayling

Keith Ayling died early on Tuesday morning (30th March).

As you may be aware, he had recently been readmitted to hospital following a long period of remission from leukaemia.

Keith was Chair of the Society and Trust for eighteen years.

He stepped down a year ago. His period of office saw a small organisation with an apparently impossible dream become a major player in canal restoration. There is no doubt that he was the major driver to this progress. read more...

We will put a brief piece as a supplement in the Spring edition of Cuckoo which went to the printer on Monday. Doubtless there will be a full tribute in the Summer edition. I am sure that John Lower would welcome your letters about Keith for possible inclusion.

Vice Chair David Trickett has passed on the following information:

Thursday 8th April 2010 - Funeral arrangements for Keith Ayling

3pm - Memorial Service at Sherwood Forest Crematorium, Newark Road, Ollerton, Notts NG22 0DY (one mile south-east of Ollerton, off the A616 just north of the village of Wellow)

4pm - Gathering and light buffet / refreshments / bar at Talbot Suite, Rufford Mill, Wellow Lane, Rufford, Near Ollerton, Notts

Parking for Rufford Mill is free of charge in the Rufford Mill Car Park, Wellow Lane, close to Rufford Ford (watersplash) to the east of the A614 north of Rufford Abbey Country Park main entrance. If car parking charges are in operation, tell the attendant you are guests at a funeral in the Mill. Disabled visitors ONLY may park in the Mill Tea Shop Car Park.

If you intend to go to the gathering and light buffet, please email Rod Auton as soon as possible so that we can pass on expected numbers.

The Trust has set up an on-line tribute page where members (and non-members) can leave tributes to and memories of Keith. To do so, and to read what others have left, please visit this page.

The Chesterfield Canal Trust is a charitable company run entirely by volunteers, incorporated in July 1997. In 1998 it took over the assets of the former Chesterfield Canal Society (founded 1976).

The aims of the Trust are to promote the full restoration and appropriate development of the Chesterfield Canal, and to campaign for the construction of the Rother Valley Link, a navigable waterway to join the Chesterfield Canal to the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation.

At present the Trust has over eight hundred members, who for a small membership fee of 10 a year, receive regular copies of the society magazine Cuckoo, so called because of the local name for the canal, the 'Cuckoo Dyke'.

What's in your Christmas stocking?

Q: What do you get for the friend or relative who has everything this Christmas?

A: Membership of the Chesterfield Canal Trust of course!

We are having a major push on membership on the run up to the festive season in the hope that we can break through the magic 1000-member barrier. More members means we get taken more seriously as an organisation campaigning for canal restoration. More members means more volunteers to help us with the many projects we have under way. More members also means more funds coming in to the Trust to support those projects.

The James Brindley trailer will be out and about on the run up to Christmas in the centres of the major conurbations; Sheffield and Rotherham to name but two.

You can steal a march on those people and get your membership Christmas presents in early. Download, complete and return this form together with the necessary remittance to the address on the form, and if you get the form back to us before 7th December, we'll make sure the membership package is with the lucky recipient in time for Christmas.

Thanks, and, Merry Christmas!

The Trust welcomes contributions to the website from a wide range of authors in order to encourage discussion. Please note therefore that the content may not always reflect the policies of the Trust.

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