AWCC News

At the request of the NEC, I had the privilege of presenting the “Inter club magazine trophy” to this year’s worthy winners “The Ashby Canal Association” for their magazine “SPOUT”, it’s a quarterly publication sent by post to the Association’s members, and with an annual subscription for a single member of only £13 you will not be surprised to learn the Association has around 600 members.

The Associations big project is the reinstatement and restoration of the Ashby canal from Snarestone all the way through to Moira, this section closed in the 1960’s due to mining subsidence, for more information   https://ashbycanal.org.uk

Seen in the photograph, from right to left, Arran Jenkins, ACA magazine editor, Peter Oakden, Chairman of the ACA and Mick Griffin, Vice chair, Midlands AWCC.

Thanks, Nigel Smith (ACA rep) for making sure the magazine got entered and to Ian Palmer for taking the photo.

At our AGM on the 4^th of March the election of Officers resulted in a number of changes, either in role or with the addition of new volunteers coming forward.

In no particular order, as they say!

 Alan Heeley of Ash Tree Boat Club stepped down as our Vice Chairman, only to be proposed for the position of President. Recently vacated by Graham Churton Alan brings with him many years of experience and service to the AWCC, very much an excellent choice by the members.

With the Vice Chair becoming vacant it was proposed that our secretary, Mick Griffin take on the role this leaving the Secretary’s position vacant, to which end led to Erica Martin , our previous Secretary being approached. Agreeing to been nominated Erica was supported by all and warmly welcomed back, another excellent outcome.

Des Barnard retired as our Treasurer, a position he has filled on a temporary basis for just over a year, but with his normal efficiency found and proposed a suitably qualified person to take on the Role, in the form of Kate Cownley from Lichfield Cruising Club, a warm welcome Kate. With Graham Myatt standing down as auditor he proposed Des for the position which he accepted.

Finally, Graham Myatt agreed to continue as our Quartermaster.

Continuing as Chair until 2024 it is good to see that at a time of real difficulties in recruiting volunteers for these important roles that we have been able to fill all officer positions within the Region leaving none vacant. My thanks go to all who have stepped forward, stepped aside into a new role or stepped down from a Regional post. It is much appreciated.

Jon Jones

Chair, Midland Region

The replacement moorings funded by HS2 as equivalent reinstatement of facilities lost to construction of the railway are nearing completion. They comprise like-for-like linear moorings in a basin, a dry dock as a more space efficient replacement for the existing slipway, parking area, emergency access and landscaping.

Whilst HS2 have funded these structures, the Club has elected to upgrade the dock cover and add other facilities from its own funds.

After approximately 6 years of negotiations with HS2, work is now well under way on the construction of a new mooring basin and dry dock facility for Lichfield Cruising Club to replace the facilities being lost due to the construction of the new railway line.

The line of the new HS2 passes directly through the existing Cappers Lane bridge which was rebuilt in 2006 as part of the restoration of the Lichfield (ex Wyrley & Essington) Canal. It also obliterates the existing slipway and, along with the consequent realignment of Cappers Lane, causes the loss of 12 of the Club's moorings and the associated car park. The new development, funded by HS2, will provide replacement for these facilities on a like-for-like basis. It is planned that construction will be completed by late spring / early summer 2022 so that the moorings can be relocated before HS2 takes possession of the existing moorings.

So far the bulk of the excavation has been completed, the existing winding hole has been enlarged to meet current standards, the concrete dry dock constructed and the majority of the piling work completed.

Once the new moorings are available and the Club vacates the existing moorings which will be lost, HS2 can progress with the realignment of the canal line for the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust, thus ensuring that the new railway line does not prevent the ongoing restoration work. Cappers Lane is also to be diverted, to cross the new rail line further North where the rail line is at a lower level. Both these two diversions take place on land that has been compulsorily purchased from the club. This land originally had been designated by the club for replacement of moorings due to be lost as the canal restoration proceeds. It is for this reason that the existing slipway is being replaced with a dry dock, which reduces the land take required.

Unfortunately we have reluctantly made the sad decision to cancel our event due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We are contacting directly and providing refunds to all of our fellow boaters who have already entered their boats to the event. If you are reading this and have entered your boat but have not yet heard from us please do not worry because we will contact you in the near future. Like so many others our workload is presently extremely high owing to the need to contact many other organisations and people who have pre-booked our club facilities.