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Hello, again.
Things are quietening down now after a very busy Summer with the Society’s events. The Summer rally was well attended with Atlas & Malus on display together with the Spoon Dredger restored and owned by Malcolm Braine at present displayed at the Black Country Living Museum. I have just returned from a very successful Explorer Cruise organised, as ever, by Brenda and Brian Ward which was enjoyed by all. I managed to do my bit towards cleaning up the canal by getting a lounge carpet in the blades along the Wyrley and Essington Canal which took half an hour to get off but other than that there were no major problems. I would like to thank all those who have worked so hard to make our events such a success. Chris Morgan, Chairman of the Monmouth and Brecon Canal Society completed the half marathon from Wolverhampton to Birmingham in July, running to collect funds for the BCN Society. I’m afraid that sponsorship from BCN Society members has, so far, been very sparse. If you can sponsor Chris you can send a cheque directly to him at 32, St David's Drive, Machen, Caerphilly, Wales. CF83 8RH. I am very pleased to be able to tell you that the BCN Society has attained Self Supervising Workparty Status with British Waterways after a long process to get our policies and procedures documented. In addition, the Society is to be presented with the West Midlands Region Volunteer Organisation Recognition Award by British Waterways. The presentation will take place at the Pumphouse on 16th September. Thanks to everyone who has helped with this project, especially Arthur Farge and also Andrew Price and Murray Woodward of British Waterways. More good news: The Society has made a successful application for a grant from Awards for All which will be used to update our website so that we can put on a catalogue of our archive material and also make it easier to put event entry forms on the web. In addition it will enable us to purchase digital projection equipment for the pumphouse. Thanks to Anne Parouty for her hard work in preparing the bid. After the good news comes the bad: I am sorry to tell you that Simon Walker will be resigning from the Governing Council at the AGM due to his increasing work commitments. I would like to thank him for all the hard work hat he has done for the Society, both with BCNS Sales and also promoting the Society at events with Phoenix, in addition to his hard work at workparties and events. I would like to wish him every success for the future. If anyone is willing to take over the BCN Sales duties could they please let Ivor Caplan know so that nomination to the Governing Council can be arranged for the AGM. Atlas and Malus have been out and about, publicising the Society at the Half Marathon, a week in Birmingham and at the Tardebigge Rally, as well as being at the Summer rally. Recently, Atlas has been to collect 15 tons of coal for Coombeswood from Awbridge and Malus has been loaded with 15 tons or so of rubble in bags to load her down. The boats will remain loaded for the Black Country Boating Festival, the Tipton Community Event and the Black Country Living Museum weekend and are a fine sight. Thanks are again due to Ivor Chambers with this project. He has worked to prepare the boats so that they reflect what they would have looked like in the late 1950s and 60s. The cabins especially are a tribute to his dedication and eye for detail. If anyone has an old primus stove or radio from the period that they are prepared to donate to the project, Ivor would be very pleased to receive them . It doesn’t matter whether they work or not. Because of Ivor’s work on the boats he has not had time to carry out any of his archivist work for several months. If anyone is prepared to assist Ivor with this work he would be pleased to hear from you. I look forward to seeing you at the AGM and Bonfire rally. Best Wishes Graham Whorton