The Canal & River Trust is appealing for volunteers to join its team operating the 18 swing bridges along the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal.
Bridge support rangers act as friendly faces on the canal, talk to the public, make sure people are kept safe, and open the bridges for boats to travel through.
Volunteers are invited to a welcoming session at Sims Bridge on Thursday 25 January between 11.30am and 1pm. They will discover more about how they can help keep the canal running smoothly while benefiting from working in a beautiful spot surrounded by wildlife and heritage.
Once the broadest and deepest canal in the world, the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal still stands out from other navigations because of its sheer scale and impressive engineering. Its immense swing bridges run down the entire length of the canal from the historic Gloucester Docks to the picturesque village of Purton, home to the Purton Hulks, also known as the Ship’s Graveyard.
James Ryan, area operations manager at the Canal & River Trust, commented: “As a charity, we are focusing our resources on our key work to keep the canals open for boats, people, and wildlife. With the support of more volunteers, we can do even more to look after the network. The bridge support ranger role is a great way to meet people, learn new skills and give something back to the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal and the heritage and wildlife that it supports.
“We are hosting a volunteer welcome session where people can speak to colleagues and volunteers and get a taste of life on the waterways. We would love local people to come along and see how they can make a positive difference to our work, including being involved in operating the giant swing bridges which play an important role for boaters navigating the canal.”
People can find out more about the upcoming welcome session at Sims Bridge on Thursday 25 January between 11.30am and 1pm by visiting the volunteering opportunities section on the Trust website at canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer.