Get involved

From events and consultations so far one message has come across loud and clear. Residents are passionate about the Bridgewater Canal and want to be actively involved in its future.

There are a number of ways that you can get involved in the Bridgewater Canal project. Why not come and see one of the events to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Bridgewater Canal this year? Or if you prefer to be more hands on why not volunteer and make a real difference to your local area?

Volunteering on the Bridgewater Canal

The Bridgewater Canal and Salford sparked the Industrial Revolution. Industrialists valued the canal for the cheap coal it brought to their mills and factories. Now residents value the canal as their heritage and a waterside retreat. Overgrown shrubs and lack of use mean some of our most historic spaces are being lost to residents.

Earlier this year the city council was awarded funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund to kick-start volunteering across the Bridgewater Canal in Salford and you can be part of reclaiming our canalside. Why not support wildlife by building bat and bird boxes? Be involved in the Big Clean Up with litter picking, tidying up and clearing overgrown shrubs or improve the canal side habitat with bulb and tree planting? There are opportunities to build new paths and steps and if you have more time you can be part of putting woodland management plans together for crucial sites along the canal.

Reclaiming the canal also means reclaiming the story. Do you want to be part of discovering the Bridgewater story near you? Opportunities may include involvement in an arts project, helping design an access point to a park, or researching the fascinating story. You could even create a whole new heritage walk as you think about the route and the interesting nuggets of history along the canal.

The Heritage Lottery Fund and Salford City Council are supporting this programme of volunteering until 2013. If you would like to get involved, call the Ranger Team on 0161 793 4219 or email Jill Tyson for more information.

Bridgewater Canal 250th anniversary

2011 sees the 250th anniversary of the Bridgewater Canal in Salford. Opened in 1761, the canal is arguably the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, with the engineering and social innovations shaping modern society. To mark this momentous occasion a number of exciting events are taking place throughout the year.

In February, we started the celebrations at Worsley Court House. Members of the local community were entertained at Worsley Court House in order to thank them for their hard work, passion and enthusiasm in making the canal what it is today. Acts included the Barton Theatre Company, Pete Martin, Jo Bell, who gave a passionate performance of her specially written poem ‘The Duke's Cut' and the Walkden and Farnworth brass band who performed a series of traditional songs from the minstrel's gallery.

In April, Worsley Green provided the stage for a specially commissioned play which took us back to 1761, when three men had a vision and hundreds of others toiled to make it a reality. 170 people brought along their chairs and picnic blankets to watch two open air performances by the Mikron Theatre Company on Worsley Green.

In July, 1,200 people visited the Bridgewater Canal to see Queen Victoria and her royal consort, Prince Albert, grace the area with their presence. Crowds lined the towpath to cheer and wave flags as the Queen engaged in wakes games, led a sing along with pupils from local schools in Patricroft and took tea with the ladies of Worsley Village.

September saw the latest up and coming bands at Escape from the City.

But the celebrations don't stop here! There is lots going on throughout the year and whatever you choose to do, there is something for all the family to celebrate the Bridgewater's birthday!

In November, at the Lowry Theatre, watch a choir of local school children recreate the story of the Bridgewater with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, along with a very special guest. For more information please visit The Lowry website.

In December the Bridgewater Canal becomes a spectacle of colour and light at the canalight festival.

More information, and the full list of events and activities, is available on the Visit Salford website.

The Friends of Salford Museum and Art Gallery are coordinating a series of community based activities and events across the anniversary year. These events will culminate in an exhibition which celebrates the 250th anniversary year.

• Volunteer with the Friends to investigate the Bridgewater archive and select pieces to exhibit
• Record people's memories and stories of the Bridgewater canal
• Create a film to tell people your tales and experiences with the Bridgewater Canal (in partnership with Creative Industries in Salford)
• Explore the canal through the ‘Bridgewater Canal, a waterside trail' mobile app for iPhone users
• Take part in the creation of a tapestry to commemorate the 250th anniversary
• See all these fantastic objects at the ‘first cut' exhibition from 8 October 2011 until 22 January 2012

If you would like to share your stories get in touch. Telephone Fay Flatt on 0161 606 6736 or email fay.flatt@salford.gov.uk.

Through our bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund we want to make sure that local residents, school pupils and visitors can connect to their heritage and want to get involved. We aim to build on the work done in the anniversary year to:

• Inspire people to tell us how they would like to get involved and what they would like to do
• Learn how to record other people's memories of the canal and use them to tell the amazing story of the area
• Provide opportunities for people to get involved in volunteering and walks along the canal
• Use new media, play and physical activity to engage people
• Work with schools to inspire a new generation of Bridgewater enthusiasts

This page was last updated on 17 October 2011