Village news from Helen Price – 8/3/18

Village news from Helen Price – 8/3/18

Published 4 March 2018

Helen Price
01543 472203

Kings Bromley Open Gardens, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th 2018
If anyone from the village would like to open their garden this summer to raise funds for much needed village causes, please contact Alison and Allan Howard on 01543 472720. We will be meeting at 36 Alrewas Road on Tuesday 13th March at 8.00 pm to discuss plans.

Kings Bromley Historians
The Lichfield to Hatherton Canal
1954 could have gone down in history as marking the closure of the Lichfield Canal (opened in 1794) and Hatherton Canal (1841). That it didn’t has been the result of the continuing innovative and ingenious work of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT).

The double-hander presentation by Bob Williams (Director – Finance) and Peter Buck (Director – Engineering), showed how much work has already been completed. “There are still major projects to undertake. Our latest appeal ‘Tunnel Vision’ has a target of £1million. It’s another ‘Suchet Appeal’ and will see the Lichfield Canal run under major crossings, like the new Southern Bypass on the A461 and the railway”.

Restoration of the Lichfield Canal began 20 years ago, combining work by volunteers and by contractors for the more difficult sections under roads and railway lines. Importantly, the two canals are at the centre of what leading canal engineer, James Brindley, called the centre of The Cross linking the four main estuaries of the country – Liverpool, Hull, London and Bristol.

Like the original navvies, the Charity continues to show real grit and determination assisted by all its volunteers, and donors to re-establish what in its heyday was a commercial success. Huge amounts of coal from the Cannock Coal Mines were transported. A single slide during the presentation amply illustrated the significance of this one cargo.

The Charity’s aims of reclaiming derelict land, job creation and economic regeneration, recreating a living waterway for leisure and wildlife, and promoting tourism have remained its core values. “Donors make a real contribution to restoring our canals by helping to fund these major, essential tunnels”. Significant progress has already been made by the charity’s volunteers, in completing the rebuilding and renovation of many of the derelict or destroyed sections of the two canals.

Major fund-raising spearheaded by actor and canal champion David Suchet CBE, Vice President of LHCRT, has enabled the completion of major construction works enabling the ‘new’ canals to be reconstructed. Already new sections are passing under and over major obstacles that cut through and destroyed the original routes

The latest restoration works now include a Heritage Tow Path Trail with sections already opened and attracting increasing numbers of visitors.

More information on the work of the Trust can be found at lhcrt.co.uk and @LHCRT