PEOPLE in Gloucestershire are being asked to help look after the historic Gloucester and Sharpness Canal by joining a fortnightly volunteering team that helps maintain and improve the waterway.

The call comes from the Canal and River Trust, the charity that cares for 2,000 miles of waterways in England & Wales, which is recruiting people to its Gloucester Towpath Taskforce team.

The taskforce encourages people to come out, get their hands dirty and help protect some of the most important heritage and wildlife habitats along the canal.

Projects can include heritage repairs to listed structures, creating wildlife habitats, tree planting, litter picking and towpath maintenance, among others.

The team meets every other Tuesday from 10am to 3pm and works at various sites along the 16-mile canal, which runs from Gloucester Docks, through Saul Junction, finishing at Sharpness.

Volunteer leader Suzanne Byrne said the canal was an extremely popular and varied waterway.

“It is a great place to spend some time, whether you are boating, walking, cycling, fishing or spending a day out with your family. We do need to work hard to keep it in the condition it deserves, as well as improving it further in the future. Volunteering with the Towpath Taskforce is a great way to meet other people and learn about the wildlife, history and day-to-day happenings along the canal. We want to see the community take real ownership of the canal. Volunteers don’t need to have any experience, they just need to be willing to get stuck in. And the more people that join us, the more work we can do.”

For more information, email Suzanne.byrne@canalrivertrust.org.uk