Canal Connections Conference

The Boat Office

 Two days of working out of the ‘boat office’; introducing people to this wonderful resource on their doorstep. Very few having actually experienced the waterways, some not even realising it was so close to their communities.

The first trip was an interesting mix of people business and educational settings, showing them the countryside in the heart of the city. One of the teachers stated that he usually takes trips to the dales but here he could save time and money but still do similar activities. The business people were looking at underused properties adjacent to the navigation, linking that to education and employment.

The discussion finished with the business people asking ‘What can we do for you?” and refreshingly seeing a potential partnership for mutual benefit rather than a cap in hand for cash.

 Day 2 was entirely different. The JDI club being held on the boat and not in Moyes. The first comment from a member of the group was, “I work with young people so I look at the risks of being close to water.” The comment being reinforced by the sight and sound of the River Aire in flood going over the weir. Another member stated that you have to look at risk benefits - assessing and managing the risk and balancing that against the benefits from the activity.

The trip finished with a variety of comments but they all saw how their clients would benefit from this wonderful resource on their doorstep.


Housing: “We have young warden groups. This could bring the team together and reward them for their behavior.”

Family intervention: “What a wonderful way to get members of the family working and learning together.”

Group leaders: one working with women and the other with men but both seeing how they could link into breaking social isolation, a calming environment and the other relating it back to risk taking.


Others saw how they could link it into event management, community cohesion, inter faith and binding it all together through creative arts. Experienced practitioners alongside trainee youth workers. All this in the space of 20 minutes on a boat!!!!!

Get Out And About

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? 

Reflections: DYCA Santa Cruises!

The highlight of last year was the DYCA Santa Cruises. 

We provided 12 families with a canal experience culminating in a trip to Santa's Grotto to receive their present. They were escorted by young ambassadors (from the very first day of the Horse Boat Project). Performing Arts students dressed in a 1940’s theme to show what it would have been like in the war at Christmas. I am delighted to say that these students are now wanting to do more on the waterways.

Volunteers staffed the boats, moorers set up the grotto, cakes were baked and refreshments provided for the guests. Most rewarding was the comments, not just from the children but from the adults too:

A support worker, through her emotional tears said, “He does not engage, but here he is loving the canal and smiling for a camera!”

A moorer said, “I have been on the canal for 9 years and this is the most wonderful community – I want to be involved.”

Museum Staff, “This is brilliant – to transform a shed into a grotto!”

Volunteers, “We should be doing this all year round!”

School staff, “This is the best grotto I have ever seen!”

Family support worker, "What a brilliant site – we could do so much here.”

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!