Fearns Wharf

I have spent today at Fearns Wharf. The scene is beautiful but bleak. Not just because of the weather but because this is a valuable asset operating at well below its potential. 

How do we use lessons learnt elsewhere to ensure that the waterways support the social and economic recovery within our cities?

The wealth of experience within the Partnership Board is evident when they look at the region from the Tees to South Yorkshire, examining the significant issues and barriers, but also exploring the opportunities and big ideas for increasing use and engagement. We have to balance the tensions created between managing the current assets whilst looking to the future. 

On a personal level, this left me thinking:  

How does Canal Connections demonstrate that the importance of our work through the waterways is not just about the well being of the waterways but that it is also about creating vitality for the benefit of people, the majority of whom face personal challenges in their everyday lives.

How do we manage the current assets whilst looking to the future?

How do we manage aspiration? 

Water Ways

Image courtesy of Yvonne Roberts, Artist In Residence

Fabric Lenny and Yvonne Roberts have been working with Canal Connections recently to capture the waterways based around Leeds using digital stills cameras and mobile devices. This has accumulated in a series of photographic artwork and moving image footage, including a short film: Water Ways

Conference Update: Waterways Heritage Conference - “A new vision for Waterways Museums” (May 2012)

I received an invitation to facilitate a workshop at Ellesmere Port on “How can museums meet social needs?” I telephoned Peter and queried “have you got the right person? I don”t know anything about museums.” His re-assurance surely meant they could not get anyone else!

On arrival I was met by an ‘army’ of volunteers – administration, catering, guiding. Some were dressed in period costume but they all wore a smile. This wasn’t a museum it was a vibrant venue to bring history alive. The noticeboard was full of events – “knit and natter” alongside the “Youthy theatre” – bringing young and old together naturally.

The day was again a full packed agenda with a variety of quality speakers but it was not about dusty relics it was about people. How people had brought the museum to life and more importantly how it had transformed peoples lives.

Time for my workshop – ½ hour to find the answer but 29 minutes was spent discussing what we meant by social needs!!

The points raised were consolidated for the feedback but a brief summary was 2 elements: people and story telling. The museum holds so many stories about our past but which are relevant to our future. We need people to tell that story, we need people to bring the story to life, different people have different skills, different abilities but they can all come together for different aspects – I learnt a new phrase of “job slicing”.

The summing up included the comments of “giving people a stake in Society – giving them value.”

Before I left I sneaked around the corner to see the Royal Yacht. How appropriate that The Queens accomadation whilst she toured some of the North East waterfronts, which demonstrate how the waterways are breathing economic and social development into some of our more disadvantaged towns and cities, should be moored here reinforcing our vision for the future – people are important.

A tiring but rewarding day. 

Conference Update: NCBA AGM (March 2012)

This is the third year of holding a conference in the capital as it was felt important to position the organisation as a key stakeholder within the Waterways and be accessable to other major stakeholders and political allies.

The setting of the Union Jack club put us within striking distance of Westminster and the River Thames and its magnificent interior evoked images of a bygone age of British spirit. The photographs and models reminding me of the sacrifice of our countrymen but the group coming through the door showing that sacrifice was still being met by our current generation.

The day was filled with a range of speakers with projects speaking of how they were meeting current needs of the community –“respite care for Armed Services” to “Partnership working” to the key topic of “sustainability”. These presentations were complemented by Alun Michael M.P. (Chair of the All Parliamentary Waterways Group) and John Bridgeman (Vice chair of British Waterways Board and transitional trustee of Canal and River Trust). We were able to demonstrate how the work of Community Boat Organisations bring so much value and benefit to individuals but should be a valuable and valued partner to the emerging Trust.

It raised  questions of “are we remote from the membership?’  - “you are doing so much but you don’t  tell members” but brought an enthusaiasm from the floor for individual projects to work closer together, share knowledge and resources.

I spoke later with John who commented “ You are doing a fantastic job – its not about the boat it’s what you do with that boat. It’s about people.”

At the End of the Conference Day London NCBA