Charity launches #ProtectOurWaterways campaign to combat mounting threats

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is launching a new campaign to ‘Protect Our Waterways’.

The British waterways charity says it is deeply concerned about the threat to our waterways posed by funding cuts, with, for example, Canal & River Trust‘s and Scottish Canals’ financial situations being ‘especially critical.’

Despite being recognised in the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan, the IWA says the condition of the national waterways continues to deteriorate while government funding is decreasing.

The IWA’s #WaterwaysForToday report highlights that canals and rivers are valuable assets that can contribute to the country’s economic recovery, help to mitigate the impacts of climate change and enrich the lives of local communities. ‘Ongoing funding is therefore critical if we are to not only save the waterways for today, but for the future too,’ the charity says.

As part of its new #ProtectOurWaterways campaign, IWA is calling on national and local government to fund all waterways at a level that keeps them as major assets that can continue to contribute to the economy, people’s health and well-being, and coping with the climate crisis.

IWA says it will raise awareness of the threat through national, local, and social media; launch a petition; ensure Members of Parliament and local politicians are fully aware of the benefits of the waterways and the threats to them; and arrange high-profile events and activities including waterways festivals and towpath stalls. The charity says it will collaborate with local communities and is ready to work alongside the government to offer expertise and solutions.

David Pearce, chief executive of IWA says: “Our waterways benefit millions of people in the country, and it is essential that government continues to invest in them to ensure that these benefits can be maintained and increased.”

To join the campaign, contact IWA via email.