Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust

@lhcrt.org.uk

2205 Followers 2563 Following

We are a volunteer-led charity, restoring two canals in Staffordshire, and reconnecting them to the BCN and national canal network. Follow our feeds: #WeDigCanals #UKCanals #FloatingTraders #Lichfield Find out more: https://lhcrt.org.uk/

Four people stand beside a fenced canal at Gallows Wharf, posing for a group photo with brick buildings and greenery behind them.

A canal channel with section ready for concrete - a black plastic membrane and a grid of steel rebar held up by yellow spacers. Stacks of large black pipes, bags of materials, wooden planks, metal fencing and orange safety netting surround the area, with trees visible beyond the site.

A group of construction workers in high‑visibility vests and hard hats stand inside a deep excavation, assembling a rectangular steel reinforcement frame. Some workers stand on the structure while others handle tools and materials around the pit, with exposed soil walls and dry vegetation surrounding the site.

A group of volunteers in yellow safety vests gather cut branches and leaves into a large white bag beside a grassy path, with tools lying nearby.

Completed reed bed at Tamworth Road Narrows, showing newly built brick retaining walls with dark coping bricks and low openings at the base that will allow water to flow through. The surrounding area is bare soil, with the restored canal structure visible in the background under bright sunshine.

A metal fence blocks a dirt path at an ecology park, with signs reading “Closure: Darnford Moors Ecology Park… Friday 17 July to Sunday 2 August” and “Footpath Closed.” Behind the barrier are stacked construction materials, and trees and vegetation surround the area under a clear sky.

A group of people walk along a gravel towpath beside a canal, surrounded by tall grasses and wildflowers in yellow and purple. The scene is rural and peaceful, with open fields, scattered trees, and an overcast sky.

A muddy, partially flooded canal under restoration, with brick and concrete walls, a large circular drainage pipe on the left, and construction tools and wheelbarrows on the right. A worker in a high‑visibility vest and helmet stands beside the fenced edge in the distance, with trees and buildings visible in the background.

A group of four people, including TV's Sam West, stand inside an event tent, smiling as they hold a large ceremonial cheque. The cheque is made out to Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust for £200 from Braunston Marina. Behind them are display boards showing canal restoration information and images.

A volunteer in a high‑visibility vest using pruning shears to cut back vegetation. Behind him is a bridge and it's a sunny day.

A group of nine volunteers in high‑visibility vests standing on a dirt path in front of a wooden gate and grassy embankment on a sunny day.

Three volunteers in high‑visibility vests dig and level the edge of a towpath next to a wooden rail fence.

A retaining wall sits against a steep soil bank, with grey concrete blocks forming the lower section and red-and‑white bricks creating the second (higher) wall. A drainage pipe emerges from the base of the blockwork. Two upright wooden poles stand in front of the wall, one topped with a blue hard hat. Behind the construction area, the slope rises to a line of trees and vegetation.

A volunteer in a bright yellow vest trims a dense garden shrub beside a wooden fence. Cut branches and leaves lie on the ground, and the area is surrounded by green vegetation on a sunny day.

Excavated canal channel under construction with water pooled along the base. Reddish soil mounds covered in black sheeting sit in the foreground, and concrete and steel retaining walls line both sides. Pipes, tools and ventilation equipment are scattered around the site. A brick tunnel entrance with a metal staircase and railings rises at the far end, with fencing and vegetation above the retaining walls.

Large black corrugated drainage pipe fitted into a circular opening in a brick culvert wall. Wooden shuttering sits directly behind the pipe, with concrete inside, forming a new support surface. Mud, water and construction materials surround the active work area.

Large black corrugated drainage pipe connected to a culvert, supported on metal scaffolding and straps. Freshly poured concrete sits beneath the pipe, forming a smooth new base within the muddy work area. Tools, gloves, a bucket and temporary metal barriers surround the active construction zone.

Collage featuring Rick the-brick Walters at work on canal brick restoration, wearing a white hard hat and high‑vis vest while holding a trowel. Smaller images show his green “Happy 80th Birthday” cake, Rick standing next to David Suchet, and Rick beside newly built brick arches at the canal site. The main text reads “Read Rick’s story.”

A group of four adults standing on a gravel path beside safety barriers at Darnford Moors Ecology Park - two judges and two members of WFEG. There are trees, grass and a blue sky in the background.

A neat stack of old, weathered bricks arranged beside a vehicle, showing mixed colours, worn textures and signs of past use, with bins and grass nearby.

Four volunteers in hi‑vis vests stand on a woodland path holding tools including loppers, a rake and shears, taking a short pause while carrying out vegetation‑clearing work.

Three volunteers in high‑vis vests stand on a towpath holding tools, ready for vegetation‑clearing work.

Construction volunteer in safety gear standing on a ladder beside a tall metal retaining wall in a flooded canal work area.

Canal restoration work around a brick bridge with tools, sandbags, pumps, and safety fencing.

Partially completed canal with concrete and metal retaining walls, standing water, sandbags, fencing, and construction materials, with a worker visible near a bridge in the background.

A small orange excavator digging into a soil embankment beside a wooden fence, with dense greenery and a concrete bridge section, with a blue car in the background.

Four different editions of the LHCRT magazine in blue and green, with the title Cut Both Ways. The magazine appear to rise from the floor and land in a person's hand.

Person in a hi‑vis vest and red helmet using a strimmer to cut long grass beside a hedge and an information board at Borrowcop Locks Canal Park.

A female mallard swims across calm water with three small ducklings close behind, the surface reflecting soft greens and browns.

Empty canal channel with a fresh section of concrete. Muddy water is in the foreground, and exposed brick and concrete walls, and construction materials along the edges during restoration work.

Five volunteers in high‑visibility vests standing in front of a wooden fence with large cut‑out letters, posing together before canal‑side work on a sunny day.

A narrow canal under restoration with newly built brick walls, metal sheet piling and a newly installed metal handrail running along the path edge. A shallow flow of water moves through the channel, with construction materials and tools visible nearby. Temporary safety fencing lines the work area, and houses, gardens and flowering plants sit just beyond on a bright day.

A volunteer in a hi‑vis vest operates a red all‑terrain mower along an overgrown grassy path, cutting back tall vegetation. A trailer and equipment sit further down the route, with trees and dense greenery on both sides.

A long gravel path under construction, lined with black geotextile fabric, runs beside the Lichfield Canal channel. A metal handrail runs parallel to the path and wall. A yellow cement mixer and tools sit near the wall, while an excavator is parked further along the fenced‑off site.

Five volunteers in yellow hi‑vis vests standing on a leafy path, smiling after outdoor work. They’re wearing gloves and casual clothes, with dense green vegetation behind them.

A muddy canal channel at Gallows Wharf with shallow water along the base, brick and concrete walls on both sides, and a large black pipe running beside the right wall. Construction materials lie around the site, with a bridge crossing the channel in the background. In the centre of the channel is a shallow trench where the big pipe once sat.

A canal channel under restoration with temporary fencing, construction materials and workers along the banks; shallow rainwater sits in the channel, making it appear almost like a completed canal even though construction is still underway.

A young moorhen perches on a clump of floating vegetation in a canal, surrounded by tall green reeds. The water is calm and reflective, creating vertical green streaks and soft ripples around the bird.

A graphic showing a map of the UK with percentages marking where LHCRT members live. The West Midlands has the largest share at 67%, with smaller percentages across the South East, East of England, South West, North, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A list on the left shows overseas members from countries including the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and several European nations. Text invites people to join the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust community of supporters.

A person wearing a dark purple beanie and jacket stands on a breezy beach, their hair blowing in the wind. Behind them are waves, sandy shoreline and distant hills under a bright, partly cloudy sky.

Three volunteers in yellow high‑vis vests stand beside a wooden fence in an overgrown grassy area. Their backs face the camera as they look toward the site, with houses, trees and a crane visible in the distance under a bright, partly cloudy sky.

A group of eleven volunteers in high‑visibility yellow vests stand together outdoors in front of a blue container and fenced compound. They’re smiling for the camera after a work session, with tools and equipment visible around them.

A volunteer in a red hard hat and bright orange hi‑vis jacket stands beside a large concrete pipe suspended by red lifting straps. He points upward to guide the machinery operator. The scene is a muddy canal channel with concrete walls and wet ground.

Audience members attending the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Annual General Meeting. A panel of trustees sits at the front of the room while the chair addresses attendees from a lectern beside a projected presentation. Members are seated in rows, following the proceedings and holding copies of the Annual Report. A video recording and livestream setup can be seen to one side of the room.

A volunteer in a hi‑vis vest operates a red heavy‑duty mower on uneven ground, cutting back long grass and weeds beside a metal fence. The area shows patches of soil and overgrowth, highlighting active vegetation‑management work.

A volunteer in a high‑vis vest uses hand tools to cut back overgrown vegetation beside a small white‑and‑black wooden fence. Another volunteer in full PPE works further back with a strimmer. The area is grassy and rural, with tall growth, trees, and open fields behind them.

A close‑up view of an excavation showing a partially exposed concrete chamber with stepped edges, surrounded by loose soil and rubble. A brick canal wall runs along the back of the trench, and the scene suggests ongoing structural work.

A group of four volunteers stand together in a wooded area, all wearing high‑visibility yellow vests and work gloves. They’re smiling at the camera with trees and greenery behind them. Colourful geometric shapes and a blue banner reading “#VolunteersWeek” overlay the image.

A volunteer sits at a desk working on a Dell computer, wearing glasses and a dark blue polo shirt. Headphones, a notepad and small electronic equipment sit nearby. Bright geometric shapes frame the image, and a blue banner along the bottom reads “#VolunteersWeek.”

A group of LHCRT volunteers in hard hats and high‑visibility jackets stand smiling in front of a brick wall. One volunteer in the centre holds an award plaque. A colourful “#VolunteersWeek” banner frames the image, celebrating the team’s contribution.

A group of around a dozen volunteers stand together on grass, all wearing bright yellow reflective vests. One person in the centre holds a wooden plaque frpm the Lichfield and District Beacon Awards reading “WINNER 2025” Several people have gardening or work gloves, and the group smiles toward the camera. Colourful geometric shapes frame the corners of the image, and a banner along the bottom reads “#VolunteersWeek”.