North West Region

Welcome to the IWA's North West Region pages.  The Region covers a very wide swathe of the country, including the Shrewsbury & North Wales branch, the Chester & District area, Merseyside, Manchester and the North Lancs & Cumbria area.  To find out more about each branch area and the activities going on there - please click on the branch links on the left hand side of this page.

DON'T MISS IWA's NATIONAL CAMPAIGN RALLY 2012

IWA's National Campaign Rally will be held at Preston over the August Bank Holiday weekend in 2012.  This will be a unique event as it links in with the Preston Guild Celebrations which only take place every 20 years.

Boaters wishing to attend the event will have to negotiate the Ribble Link, via the River Douglas and up the Savick Brook locks too - so this is a real opportunity for people to experience a very unusual cruising experience.  Then a stretch of over 40 miles of lock free water on the Lancaster Canal awaits.  See below for more information.

Local Rally News for 2012

Another "campaigning" rally is being planned for the River Weaver at Northwich over the weekend of 23/24 June 2012.  The aim is to promote the Weaver as a great destination and encourage more craft to come down onto this lovely river.

The Rally Committee will include members from IWA Chester & District Branch, the River Weaver Navigation Society and Acton Cruising Club - so the event will be a real partnership of local interests.  Using the old "Flotel" site before re-development starts, the rally site will be in the heart of the town and offer great opportunities for community involvement as well.

For further information click on the Chester Branch link at the side of this page.

NORTH WEST REGION AGM REPORT

Nearly 80 members attended the North West Region AGM which was held on the 5th March 2011 at the Anderton Lift.

With walks around the lovely country park, visits to the Lift Control Room on offer as well as a highly entertaining talk by Colin Edmondson, River Weaver historian, all those attending had a great day out.  Colin's talk concentrated on a "virtual walk" from the Lion Salt Works further down the Trent & Mersey canal, along the towpath through Marbury and thence round Anderton country park and back to the start point.  The scary images of where the many salt mines were located and how much of the landscape had changed over the years, due to "solid ground" collapsing into vast caverns was extremely interesting but no doubt gave many pause for thought regarding ever purchasing a house in the area!

The Anderton Lift staff also provided a superb buffet lunch before everyone settled down for the AGM itself.  Ably chaired by Audrey Smith, National Vice President, the Chairmen from the various branches gave reports on their branch activities during the previous year and then Alan Platt, North West Region Chairman,  brought members up to date with news from the Trustees and the proposed changes to the structure of British Waterways.

The AGM also gave us the opportunity to recognise outstanding contributions to the waterways from both IWA members and others outside the Association. 

The Kenwin Trophy for outstanding efforts by a non-IWA member went to Martin Clark whose work on the Pennine Waterways and Macclesfield Canal websites has been tremendous. 

The Tatlow Cup, presented to IWA members, went to Cynthia & Colin Greenall for their fantastic fundraising efforts over many years which have resulted in over £30,000 being raised for the restoration of the Sankey Canal.