Support Ways To Get Involved Volunteer
Volunteer with us
Our volunteers are an essential part of what we do
Why volunteer with IWA?
It directly benefits the waterways – their environment & heritage
You can have fun and meet new people
You can learn new skills or use existing ones
It’s safe – with equipment and insurance provided
Ways to volunteer
Help from home
Keep your eyes and ears open and let your local branch know of anything that may be detrimental to the waterways. Plus you could support our campaigns, share what we are doing or fundraising for us.
Dip your toe in
Pop along for an hour or two to join your local branch’s canal clean-ups & work parties helping you to get outdoors and make a visible difference to the waterways in your area.
Jump right in
If you have more time to offer, we have a number of committees at local, regional and national levels that make sure we’re listening and talking to the right people and reacting appropriately. There are lots of ways to get involved from website editing, organising events or even monitoring planning applications.
Come on holiday with us
If you’ve got a week (or even just a weekend) to spare then you could restore a canal with modern day navvies, across England and Wales. No experience required!
Unique offers
We’ve got volunteer roles that don’t fit into the above, and if you have a skill you’d like to donate then chat to us and we’ll explore how you can help.
Interested in volunteering?
If you are interested in volunteering, sign up to find out more.
Events
Waterways heritage
Our waterways heritage is what makes Britain’s canals and rivers special and it must be actively protected – through the local planning system and sufficient funding – for the future.
Waterway restoration
Restoring the UK’s blue infrastructure – our inherited network of navigable canals and rivers – is good for people and places.
Waterway underfunding
Hundreds of miles of waterways – along with their unique heritage and habitats – are currently starved of funding and rely on constant lobbying by us to safeguard their future.
Waterways affected by HS2
We’re campaigning to protect canals and rivers from the damaging effects of HS2, especially where the tranquillity of the waterways is under threat.
Waterway businesses
The government needs to intervene at the earliest possible opportunity to save this vital sector of the British economy and what could be a core element of the British stay-at-home leisure and holiday sectors in the coming years.
Sustainable boating
We want boating on canals and rivers to be more sustainable and – even though the current overall contribution to UK carbon emissions is very small – we want to help reduce emissions on the waterways.
Love your waterways
Together we can protect and restore our waterways; the UK’s 6,500 miles of canals and rivers need your help.