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Next Generation Waterway Support – Where will it come from?
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- Category: Other Live Issues
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Helen Hutt attended the recent conference and reports:
Held in Birmingham, 21 March 2015, organised jointly by Worcester, Birmingham and Droitwich Canals Society and Canal & River Trust. About 70 attendees.
Speakers: Rob Jackson, Rob Jackson Consulting (volunteer programme management); Charley Johnston, BCNS; Daniel Haynes, Birmingham University Conservation Volunteers; Sophie Bond, Army Cadets; Beverley Gobbett, CAMRA; Aniela Kaczmarczyk, Tinder Foundation; Nicky Wakeford, C&RT
The main theme was how to recruit, motivate and retain volunteers; as such it had limited relevance to NABO but was nonetheless interesting and informative. These notes concentrate on points that could be of use to NABO.
New NABO Council member from RCTA
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- Category: NABO
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‘Disastrous’ EA Report
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- Category: EA and others
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Another ‘Disastrous’ EA Report
Louis Jankel reports on the ongoing saga of Thames lock-keepers
Since 2008, the Environment Agency has been toying with the concept of replacing River Thames residential lock- and weir-keepers with ‘runners’. The justification is that the EA thinks it can save lots of money by letting out the cottages. After much to-ing and fro-ing, with almost unanimous objection from users, a study group was instituted to justify the policy, using the four (out of 45) lock cottages already having non-waterway tenants. After two years, the EA report was published with ridiculous figures. Sadly, the remaining two of the original four users, who were participants on the study group, inexplicitly agreed with the report and its content.
Don’t burn damp logs
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- Category: Boater Safety
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Don’t burn damp logs
- new advice from the Boat Safety Scheme
Boaters using damp wood and logs in their stoves could risk increased costs, stove damage and carbon monoxide poisoning. To burn effectively, wood needs to be dried out, or seasoned, to a maximum of 15-20% water content. A fresh 1kg log with 60% moisture may be able to give out just under 2kW of heat, whereas a 1kg log dried to 25% roughly doubles the heat output to about 4kW. You should use wood that burns easily and cleanlywith a good heat output, feels dry and has a hollow sound when tapped. Suitable wood often has cracks in the end where it has dried out.Wood fuel should be kept in a dry, well-ventilated area.