Reflections: Welcome To Thwaite Mills

Thwaite Mills is our home. We came here with signs saying “Welcome to Thwaite Mills” alongside an empty pontoon saying ‘Private – No Mooring.” 

The pontoon is now filled with 8 boats and the canal is starting to come to life. The Museum is a haven for both Heritage and Nature – connected to a similar haven at Armley Mills Industrial Museum by a heritage infrastructure. It has created the inspiration for the Heritage Canal Zone project of “Learning through the Waterways.”

Reflecting on Developments

Last year saw a mammoth development at Canal Connections which is usually indicative of a multitude meetings but we now have:

An office

An operating base

3 boats

A core of volunteers

A core of young ambassadors

Interest locally, nationally and internationally of our work

Very exciting times!

Reflections: Welcome To Moyes!

I remember meeting Alan Bolton and introducing him to the waterways. He was captured by the potential and how it could help him in his work. 

I shared my fears and he said, “You can have a space at Moyes. I’ll introduce you to the JDI club.” 

That one introduction has led to a multitude of introductions which is usually started by, “What do you do?”

I now just introduce myself as Trevor the Boat and they immediately respond, “Alan has told us all about you” and no more needs to be said. 

The Moyes is a fantastic place because it is filled with activity to support people. Organisation reps use it to share concerns and come up with solutions.

I have now joined the JDI (Just do it )club. !!

Reflecting on the Horse Boat Project

Horse Drawn: By Yvonne Roberts

I love this image. It evokes so many thoughts.

I see Sue trying to maintain the heritage and traditions of the Canal. Taking a horse drawn boat along the Leeds – Liverpool canal for the first time in 60 years. The event started in Leeds on a very wet miserable day. The event was unheralded and passed without recognition other than a very small party of hardy volunteers.

I remember my fear of coming to Leeds. I did not know anyone, I was on my own, I did not know the area, I was frightened of working on a river, I did not have an office and I did not have a boat !!!

I remember that the Horse Boat Project introduced a group of young people to the waterways. They contributed over 250 hours of activity which included cutting back saplings to prevent the horse boat snagging, learning about lock operating, learning something of the history and techniques of horse boating, filming the event, walking from Leeds to Bradford over 3 days in order to set the locks and acting as guides at World Heritage day.

Reflections of Last Year

 Image by: Yvonne Roberts, captured during the Multi-Story Water Performances at Shipley in Sept 2012

The New Year is a great time for reflection. 
And throughout January I have been doing just that – reflecting on the year gone by and making plans for the year ahead. Over the next few posts I would like to share with you some of the thoughts, feelings and ideas I have been mulling over…Please keep checking back!

THANKYOU!

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