A Tesco employee sits at a table displaying a selection of Tesco groceries, including granulated sugar, napkins, instant coffee, decaf tea bags, original tea bags, blackcurrant squash, a yellow drink bottle, and a stack of disposable cups. Behind them are green chairs and a colourful wall mural with leaf shapes and the words “be creative and let your skills grow.”

Two people stand indoors smiling at the camera. One holds a jar of Tesco Decaff Classic Instant Coffee, and the other holds a red box of Tesco Original Tea. Behind them is a wall decorated with colourful leaf shapes.

Huge thanks to Tesco Lichfield for donating tea, coffee and sugar for Eric's Easter Garden Party. Your support means a lot and will make a real difference to our fundraising.

lhcrt.org.uk/2026/03/30/e...

#WeDigCanals

Two construction volunteers are building a brick wall on a muddy outdoor site. The worker in the foreground wears a blue hard hat, yellow high‑visibility vest, gloves, and boots, holding a trowel beside a partially built wall. Another worker in an orange high‑visibility jacket and blue helmet is laying bricks further along the wall. A cement mixer, buckets, and tools are scattered around, with metal fencing and vegetation in the background.

The countdown is on at Gallows Wharf!

It’s a race to finish the final brickwork in time to bring water back to the first section of canal this May. Will they manage it? Of course they will!

📷 photo by Narrowboat Nige

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals

A person in an orange sleeve points toward a partially built brick wall of a canal channel. Metal fencing surrounds the area, and scaffolding and a large pipe run across the foreground. Leafless trees and greenery are visible in the background.

Close-up of newly built blue bricks steps with fresh mortar between the bricks. The top layer shows angled brickwork detailing, and the inside reveals the hollow cavity. Some plants are visible at the base of the wall.

Two compact excavators are parked in a canal channel with a sloped grassy bank and metal sheet piles to one side. The area is fenced off, with soil, machinery and construction materials visible around the excavation.

A canal channel with concrete lining one side and metal piles on the other side. The channel is under construction, with muddy ground, wooden planks, metal beams and a small trolley scattered inside. Metal fencing runs along the top edge beside a dirt path and dense vegetation, with trees and buildings visible in the distance.

Here's a quick update from Gallows Wharf and Gallows Reach. Bricks, steps and channel preparations. 😃

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield

Brick wall with large dark‑brick Roman numerals ‘MMXXVI’ visible now that the scaffold platform has been lowered. Metal scaffolding and orange safety netting stand in front of the wall, with a blue hard hat resting on one of the bars.

Construction site with several empty wire gabion baskets laid out on reddish soil. An excavator sits on the slope above, with trees in the background under a clear evening sky.

Curved brick wall in progress, with loose bricks placed along the top. Behind the wall is a slope of exposed soil, wooden planks, and construction materials, with scaffolding visible further back.

The scaffold is down at the Narrows, which means the Roman numerals are fully on display, and they look fantastic.

Work is moving on quickly - the gabion baskets are being prepared, ready to be added to the top, and you can really see the wall is nearly ready for them.

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals

Graphic announcing a new group member. Text at the top reads ‘Introducing our latest group member’. Centre shows the Lichfield Running Club circular logo with a green running figure. Bottom right displays the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust logo

On your marks, get set… please welcome our newest group member, Lichfield Running Club

We’ve enjoyed a long partnership with the club over the years, so it’s fantastic to now make it official.

And what better day to announce it… it’s #MedalMonday too!

lichfield-running-club.co.uk

#WeDigCanals

Excavated construction site with a new path leading away from the camera. A handrail is set against the path. Bare soil, tools, and construction materials are scattered around, with safety fencing and nearby houses in the background.

Restoration work on a brick retaining wall, with scaffolding, soil piles, bricks, and a yellow generator on site. Orange safety netting runs across the foreground.

Part‑built brick retaining wall set into an excavated slope, with scaffolding and a black tarp in front. Construction materials lie on uneven ground, with trees and a green wooden building behind.

Brick wall under construction with scaffolding and a black tarp. Large Roman numerals ‘MMXXVI’ are built into the brickwork. Tools and materials sit at the base of the wall.

Down at the Narrows, our brickie volunteers have been busy. The towpath wall is nearly there, just the final few courses to go.

The offside is almost finished too, and Geoff & Tony’s masterpiece will soon be revealed. Final gabion baskets are up next to top it all off.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield

A promotional graphic titled “Introducing our latest business member.” Below is a business‑card style panel for Cut N Crank Marine, featuring a piston logo and the tagline “Engine Experts for the Waterways.” It lists Marine Engineer John Hallam with contact details including phone number, website, and email, and notes service across the West and East Midlands. The Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust logo appears in the bottom right corner.

Delighted to welcome Cut N Crank Marine as our newest business member. Expert marine engineering and brilliant local support - thank you, John.

Find out more:
cutncrank.co.uk
lhcrt.org.uk/membership/m...

#WeDigCanals #Staffordshire

Several volunteers in high‑visibility vests working along a treelined path beside a canal. One person is placing long dead branches into a natural‑fencing line, while others work further along the path. The scene is outdoors with bare trees and overcast skies

A volunteer wearing a high‑visibility vest, helmet, gloves and ear protection is using a grass trimmer on a grassy embankment beside a brick wall. A small metal sign reading ‘Millenium Lock 25' is in front of them, with fencing, trees and construction activity visible in the background.

A volunteer in a high‑visibility vest is mowing grass along a dirt path beside a canal. A wooden bench sits to the left, with trees and bushes surrounding the area on an overcast day.

A volunteer wearing a high‑visibility vest is raking leaves and debris from a stone‑edged bypass. Bare trees, grass, and a road with two cars are visible in the background.

Fantastic effort from our Green & Grounds team yesterday at Borrowcop.

5 adults and 14 DofE volunteers = a huge impact:
• Dead branches cleared
• Natural fencing at Bobbie’s Bend
• Grass cut / brambles tackled
• Canal debris removed

Give them a task and they get stuck in!

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals

Check out the latest fantastic video on our progress from @courtabovethecut.bsky.social

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield #UKCanals #Staffordshire

youtu.be/ULhW0F8aEmM?...

A bright green promotional graphic for the Lichfield District Community Lottery. Large text reads “Enter our Super Draw – Win a Home Robot Bundle! Or £1,000 Cash Prize.” The image shows a black robotic vacuum with docking station and an orange robotic lawn mower. Two logos appear at the bottom: the Lichfield District Community Lottery logo and the LHCRT circular logo with stylised spires.

Relax with a cuppa while robot helpers tackle your home and garden!

Win a Roomba vacuum/mop and Lawnmaster robot mower in tonight’s Lichfield Lottery Super Draw or £1,000 cash.

Get your tickets and support us:
www.lichfieldcommunitylottery.co.uk/support/lich...

#WeDigCanals #Staffordshire

Canal towpath on left side canal in water on the right showing reflection of tree. Purple flowers on a wall to the right and arch of canal above framing the photo

A lovely view under Crickheath bridge on the Montgomery Canal. This section has been restorated by hundreds of volunteers, well done everyone. #UKCanals #Shropshire #WeDigCanals

A quiet rural canal scene with a small white liftbridge crossing over calm water. A dirt path runs alongside the canal, bordered by green grass and low vegetation. Yellow blossoms on branches frame the foreground. On the opposite bank are leafless trees and a small wooden structure. Soft late‑afternoon light casts a warm glow across the landscape.

A peaceful canal at sunset with a white metal drawbridge on the left. The still water reflects the sky and surrounding trees. A gravel path follows the canal’s edge, bordered by grass and low vegetation. In the distance, the sun sits low on the horizon, colouring the sky with warm orange light over open fields and trees.

A narrow rural canal at sunset with still water reflecting the sky and leafless trees. A dirt path runs along the right bank beside a wooden bench. Power lines cross the sky diagonally, and the low sun casts a warm orange glow across the landscape.

A quiet canal scene at sunset with calm water reflecting the sky and bare trees on both banks. A gravel path runs along the left side, while a dirt path follows the right. Power lines and pylons stand in the distance, and the low sun creates warm light and long shadows across the scene.

Rob has been out with his camera again and aren’t we glad he has.

Just look at these stunning shots from Darnford Moors Ecology Park.

📷 photos by Rob Clayton

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals #Staffordshire #UKCanals 🌅

Still scratching your head over the Big Pipe, the diversionary pipe, the attenuation tank and all that jazz?

Narrowboat Nige has you covered and breaks it all down in this video.

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals

youtube.com/shorts/hSGe-...

Black-and-white historic photos show a group of men in suits and workwear gathered beside a canal works site, talking and observing construction with tools visible on the ground. A closer image shows a small group in conversation by the water’s edge, with industrial buildings in the background.

A colour photo shows an open members’ magazine on a table, with the cover titled “Cut Both Ways” featuring volunteers in high-visibility clothing and hard hats, alongside an article page that includes the historic photos.

Back in Feb we asked where/when these BCN photos were taken.

It was Smethwick, 1982!

Read the full story in our latest members’ magazine.

Get your quarterly copy for just £15pa (£10 concessions) + other benefits. A small sub = big difference.

lhcrt.org.uk/membership/m...

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals

Four people stand at a canal construction site. Two wear high‑visibility jackets—one orange holding a blue hard hat, one yellow—and two wear business attire with ID badges. They are standing on a towpath beside fencing and earthworks, with houses and daffodils visible in the background.

Gallows Reach welcomed officers from Lichfield District Council yesterday for a look at how CIL funding is driving real progress.

Their verdict:
“It’s really exciting to see the canal taking shape… great to see so many people supporting the project.”

#WeDigCanals #Staffordshire

A construction volunteer in a blue helmet and high‑visibility vest stands beside a large drainage installation. A black corrugated plastic pipe is strapped into a concrete pipe section, surrounded by muddy water and brick canal wall.

A canal construction site showing a black corrugated pipe connected to a concrete culvert set into brickwork. The area is muddy with scattered building materials, and safety barriers sit above the site near nearby houses.

At Gallows Wharf, it took five valiant volunteers, four ratchet straps, and a fair bit of pipe fitter’s ingenuity to fit a 450mm pipe into a 28" concrete pipe at the interception point.

A brilliant bit of teamwork - well done all!
Now we just need to fix it in place.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield

Clear plastic charity donation boxes inside a Waitrose store, filled with green tokens, with shopping trolleys visible in the background.

There's still time to grab your green tokens at Lichfield Waitrose! 💚

If you’re shopping, we’d love your support - just pop your token in our box. We’re one of three fantastic charities to choose from.

#weDigCanals #Staffordshire

A three‑image collage showing construction site welfare facilities. The top image shows five construction volunteers in high‑visibility jackets and helmets standing in mud with excavation machinery behind them. The bottom‑left image shows the old welfare setup: a small white cabin beside a green portable toilet marked “TOILET HIRE,” with a mini‑digger behind temporary fencing. The bottom‑right image shows a modern eco‑welfare unit on hire for trial, branded “euraloo” and “eco welfare,” with solar panels on the roof and enclosed by temporary fencing

What do volunteers who build canals really need on site?

Warmth, hot water, a kettle… and somewhere to dry off.

We need your help to provide these essential facilities.

Find out more in this blog 👇
lhcrt.org.uk/2026/03/23/b...

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield #Staffordshire #UKCanals

Things are really taking shape at Tamworth Road Narrows and Gallows Reach.

Check out the latest weekly update from Narrowboat Nige to see the progress for yourself.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield

youtu.be/Jnc0co2VPPU

Two men stand in a bright room with green and white walls, smiling at the camera as they shake hands. One wears a light grey sweater and brown trousers; the other wears a blue plaid shirt and dark jeans while holding a £500 donation cheque made out to the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. Behind them is a projection screen reading “IWA Lichfield Branch Annual General Meeting, Thank you for attending".

Huge thanks to @iwa-uk.bsky.social Lichfield Branch for a £500 donation to our Volunteer Welfare Appeal.

This fab support will help us provide essential facilities for our hardworking volunteers;somewhere to warm up and have a hot drink, handwashing and PPE drying facilities.

#WeDigCanals

A man (John) wearing a white suit jacket, white shirt, and red polka‑dot tie, smiling at the camera in a softly lit indoor setting.

A man with light hair (Robert) wearing a blue‑and‑white checkered shirt, smiling while seated outdoors with greenery and people at tables in the background.

Two new faces have joined our trustee team. A big welcome to John Atkins, our Company Secretary (designate), and Robert Brasher, Land & Property Trustee (designate).

They’ve been co‑opted ahead of formal election at our AGM in June, and we’re excited to have them on board.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield

A construction volunteer in an orange vest and red helmet works beneath a brick bridge beside large concrete and plastic pipes, surrounded by bricks, tools, and safety barriers.

A construction volunteer in high‑visibility gear sprays and treats a concrete wall near a large concrete pipe, with fencing and materials around the site.

A partially built concrete and brick structure in an excavation pit, with a metal ladder, wooden planks, and large black pipes visible around the site.

A large concrete pipe with blue markings sits in a walled excavation while workers in high‑visibility clothing operate equipment in the background.

Loads going on at Gallows Wharf/Reach!

Bob and Chris finished the tank wall and so Dave has coated it with tanking slurry.

The concrete pipe has also been marked, in order for Andy to open the pipe up.
Steve has made progress with the pipe supports.

1/4

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals

We haven't had any photo from Tamworth Road Narrows for a while so here's the latest video from Narrowboat Nige.

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals Reconnecting the BCN to the #UKCanals

youtube.com/shorts/0wC3r...

A fundraising graphic for Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. It shows three volunteers in hard hats and high‑vis jackets standing in front of a modular eco‑welfare unit. A pie chart displays progress toward a £30,000 target: £7,780 raised and £22,220 still needed. Large text reads “Help us improve volunteer welfare.” Icons highlight features of the welfare unit, including canteen, carbon neutral, and 100% renewable energy.

Time’s running out - we’re still at 18%.

Our volunteers give everything on site; they need somewhere warm to rest and wash up.

If you can, please chip in, every bit helps.
www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/lhcrt-welf...

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield #Staffordshire

A group of volunteers in high‑visibility vests manage a controlled burn of cut gorse on a grassy path. Several people stand around the burning pile of branches, monitoring the flames and smoke. The surrounding area is open grassland with low scrub and a small rise in the background, suggesting conservation or land‑management work.

Several volunteers in high‑visibility vests work together to clear dense vegetation along a rural path. One person in stands in the foreground, while others cut and gather brush offcuts further down the track. The scene is set in a hilly, wooded landscape with thick scrub on both sides of the path, showing an organised conservation or maintenance task.

Two volunteers carry out conservation work along a grassy path bordered by dense scrub. One volunteer wears a blue coverall marked and is adding gorse to a small, controlled burn of dry vegetation, with smoke rising from the pile. Another volunteer, wearing a high‑visibility vest labelled “LHCRT VOLUNTEER,” stands nearby observing and assisting. Tools such as loppers and a rake lie on the ground, and the surrounding area is a nature‑reserve‑style landscape with dry bushes and greenery.

Two volunteers carry out conservation work along a grassy path bordered by dense scrub. One volunteer wears a blue coverall and is watching another volunteer adding gorse to a small, controlled burn of dry vegetation, with smoke rising from the pile. Tools such as loppers and a rake lie on the ground, and the surrounding area is a nature‑reserve‑style landscape with dry bushes and greenery.

On Saturday the Green & Grounds team and DofE volunteers tidied up after recent gorse cutting at Fosseway Heath. Gorse doesn’t compost, so the piles have been safely burned.

Thanks to everyone who helped, the area looks much tidier!

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield

Only 28 days to go! ⏳️

Please help us fund a welfare unit so our volunteers can warm up, change clothes and wash their hands while working on the Lichfield Canal.

Find out more and donate:
www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/lhcrt-welf...

Thank you!

#WeDigCanals #UKCanals #Staffordshire

A person in outdoor work clothes, including a beanie, gloves, and knee pads, waters a prepared planting plot with a red watering can. The soil is divided into string‑marked sections with red and white markers. Behind the plot are grassy fields, leafless trees, and electricity pylons under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

A person wearing gloves works in a sectioned planting plot beside a canal. The soil is divided with string tied to wooden stakes, and small seedlings are visible in the marked squares. Red and white flags mark specific points in the plot. A dirt path, a green shed, and a large black signboard sit in the background.

Tan and Richard planted more snowdrops at Darnford Moors Ecology Park earlier in the week. 🌿

Can't wait to see the display next year.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield #Staffordshire

Two ducks swim in a large puddle that has formed in a canal construction site. The shallow water reflects the surrounding materials, including a wheelbarrow, scaffolding, a cement mixer, black drainage pipes, a wooden pallet, and a mound of red soil. A brick wall borders the site. The unexpected presence of ducks in the flooded work area creates a humorous contrast with the industrial setting.

A female mallard and a male mallard stand in shallow, clear water. The female has mottled brown plumage with a blue wing patch, while the male has a green head, white neck ring, and brown body. The male is dipping his head into the water, creating ripples. The sandy bottom and reflections of the ducks are visible through the water, giving the scene a calm, natural feel.

Look who's already enjoying the Lichfield Canal at Tamworth Road Narrows. 😃🦆🪶

#WeDigCanals #UKCanals

Three volunteers in high‑visibility vests walk along a gravel path beside a canal, each pushing a wheelbarrow filled with wood chips. To the left is a small orchard area with young trees in protective sleeves, and to the right is a grassy field with football goals. A large leafless tree and distant buildings sit under an overcast sky.

Two volunteers in high‑visibility vests work on a grassy area covered with fallen leaves. One person crouches to plant bulbs, while the other stands nearby pointing towards something out of frame. A pale blue/green wooden bench and a moss‑covered old lock structure with a wooden gate sit behind them, with bare trees surrounding the scene.

A volunteer wearing a bright yellow vest marked “LHCRT VOLUNTEER” stands on a dirt path, scattering seeds across a soil area with scattered young plants. A small green shed, a black signboard, and a tall electricity pylon rise in the background under a cloudy sky, with a trowel lying on the ground near their foot.

Two volunteers in high‑visibility vests work in an overgrown grassy area, cutting back vegetation. One person uses long‑handled loppers while the other stands nearby, with another pair of shears lying on the ground. A wide green field, scattered trees, and a tall electricity pylon stretch into the distance under a cloudy sky.

On Saturday 6 Green and Grounds, and 16 DofE volunteers laid more bark chip paths, finished the first part of the wildflower meadow, planted snowdrops, daffodils, poppy seeds, repaired the site shed roof, fixed fencing and cleared brambles.

Hard graft at Darnford Moors 👏

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield

A collage of ten photos showing women volunteers working on the Lichfield Canal restoration. They wear high‑visibility jackets or vests, and some wear hard hats. The images show them carrying tools, using equipment, clearing vegetation, planting trees and helping at outdoor volunteer events. The backgrounds include construction areas, woodland, and event tents, highlighting women actively involved in hands‑on restoration work.

Today we shine a light on the wonderful women restoring the Lichfield Canal because canal restoration isn’t just a man’s world. Their skills, dedication, and leadership are shaping the future of this historic waterway for everyone.

lhcrt.org.uk/2026/03/08/b...

#InternationalWomensDay #WeDigCanals