Canal & River Trust awards grants to waterway charities

The Canal and River Trust has awarded £31,500 in grants, shared across 43 local charities based on inland waterways in England and Wales. These awards have been possible due to donations from hundreds of people in response to the Canal & River Trust’s appeal to support small waterway-based charities.

Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, these charities, which provide vital support to some of the most disadvantaged communities in the country, have seen their income drastically reduce, putting the services they offer at risk.

Sue Wilkinson, Canal & River Trust trustee and chair of the grants panel, says: “These very local charities do invaluable work – providing people with opportunities in life where, and when, it is needed the most – from helping tackle loneliness and dementia, to supporting disadvantaged children and young people in many different communities across the country.

“We are very grateful to everyone who has contributed to the Waterways Charity Appeal. It is thanks to you that we have been able to give some support to a number of small charities at this very difficult time. The Trust is pleased to be able to match the personal contributions made.”

The charities benefiting from a Waterways Charity Appeal, each receiving a grant of £500 or £1,500, are:

The appeal was supported by hundreds of donors with the Canal & River Trust match funding public donations – including Trust chief executive, Richard Parry, who donated 20% of his salary for the first three months of the year.