Canal Workers Highly Commended In National Award Crinan Canal

18 August 2006

Local people asked to celebrate the achievement by taking a trip down memory lane

A small team of canal workers who look after the Bellanoch Bridge on the Crinan Canal have been highly commended in a prestigious national award that celebrates the outstanding way they maintain the canal.

Up against stiff competition from canal workers from across the country, the team join an illustrious group of canal workers who have been acclaimed for their work since the Lock & Bridge Award was first presented half a century ago.

In being highly commended the team from Argyll were nominated as maintaining the best kept waterway in the area before going through to the national final where they were up against teams from across British Waterways' 2,200 mile nationwide network of canals and rivers.

The team, Jim Hatton and Nils Aksnes, who are both seasonal workers, have been responsible for this part of the Crinan Canal for a number of years.

David Lyon , Customer Operations Manager, Crinan Canal , British Waterways Scotland said : "I am delighted that Jim and Nils have been highly commended in the 50 th Lock & Bridge Award. They are out on the canal bank in all weathers and the award is recognition of the excellent way they look after the Bellanoch Bridge on the Crinan Canal ."

Call for local peoples' recollections of the Crinan Canal

To mark the 50 th year of the Lock & Bridge Award British Waterways is inviting local people with memories of the Crinan Canal over the last half a century to take a trip down memory lane by submitting their recollections, pictures and stories that will be collated with a view to holding a local exhibition. They will also be published on British Waterways' website www.waterscape.com.*

Please send memories and pictures of the Crinan Canal from the last 50 years to: Memory Lane , c/o Jonathan Ludford, British Waterways, Willow Grange, Church Road , Watford , WD17 4QA or email jonathan.ludford@britishwaterways.co.uk. Please include a note with photographs detailing the approximate year and location of where the photograph was taken. Please also include a return name and address so that all photographs can be sent back to their owners.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of British Waterways Scotland by Wave PR. For more information contact Chris Bell or Alison Jack on 0141 303 8390.

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Notes to editors

British Waterways cares for a 2,200-mile network of canals and navigable rivers throughout the UK and works with a broad range of public, private and voluntary sector partners to improve the social, economic and environmental benefits of the inland waterways.

Waterscape.com provides information on ALL of Britain 's waterways, and guides visitors through the complete waterside experience in an easy to use, fully comprehensive online resource. The site includes a full range of services including:

*Submissions may be subject to minor editing prior to publication on Waterscape.com