Pocklington Canal Amenity Society (PCAS) has formally ‘adopted’ part of the 9.5-mile Pocklington Canal, further enhancing its partnership with the Canal and River Trust.
PCAS was formed in 1969 by local people keen to restore the Pocklington Canal.
The volunteer working group began immediately, and was responsible for restoring and opening the 5-mile stretch between the River Derwent and Melbourne. As well as carrying out restoration to locks, the volunteer group helps maintain the canal through weed cutting and maintaining the Canal Head area.
Tim Charlson from Pocklington Canal Amenity Society said: “We were formed to protect, restore and encourage use of the canal. We now have several hundred members and are well supported with people giving their time and money to help.”
“We’re really pleased to ‘adopt’ this section of the Pocklington Canal and be working with the Canal and River Trust to help it thrive.”
Pocklington Canal this year marks its bicentenary, and the Canal & River Trust is leading a Heritage Lottery Fund project to carry out a variety of restoration and enhancement work and host community events and activities.
This Heritage Lottery Fund project complements the current PCAS restoration project, and has included the restoration of the Grade II Listed Church Bridge near Melbourne. More recently, approximately 8,000 tonnes of silt was dredged out of the canal to create more open water, essential for the survival of rare aquatic plants such as pondweeds.
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