Lancaster Canal Bicentenary (1819-2019)

As part of the Lancaster Canal Bicentenary celebrations, the Canal & River Trust is asking the public to help with two important initiatives during 2019.  It is asking people to help with a project to reinstate all of the milestones along the waterway and to capture the 41-mile canal’s story by taking part in a summer photo competition.

Both campaigns are part of the Trust’s celebrations to mark the 200th birthday of the ‘Black and White’ waterway. 

Amateur snappers are invited to submit any image that showcases the heritage, wildlife, or people of Lancaster Canal.  Photos will be featured in a number of pop-up galleries to showcase the best entries throughout the year and the winning entry will be printed onto canvass.

Working with the Lancaster Canal Trust, the Canal & River Trust is also replacing missing milestones along the Lancaster Canal as part of a legacy project.  Working with local stone mason, Alan Ward, as part of a school education project, over 24 missing mileposts will be handmade, and installed.

To help make the milestone project a reality the Trust is calling on the public to ‘sponsor a milepost’ by donating towards the cost of fabricating and installing it. The Trust is looking for sponsors to donate up to £200 to restore each mile marker and volunteer work to celebrate the canal’s 200 years. For further information contact andrea.barrett@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Andrea Barrett, partnerships & external relationships manager at the Canal & River Trust, said: “The Lancaster Canal is such a special waterway and it’s fantastic so many people want to celebrate this landmark anniversary with festivals and other events.

“To leave a lasting legacy, we’re replacing missing mile markers along the canal from Preston to Kendal. There’s 24 missing so it’s important that we put back this important heritage. We’re asking the public to help with this by either donating to ‘sponsor a milestone’ or volunteer, any help is greatly appreciated.

“We’re also launching our photo competition to really capture what the Lancaster Canal means to people.  Whether you have a stunning shot of a kingfisher catching his dinner, the perfect photo of people on a boat trip or an image that highlights the canal’s important history – we want to see it.”

Upcoming events and activities in the Lancaster Canal Bicentenary celebrations include:

•    IWA Trail Boat Festival – As part of Countryfest and the Westmoreland County Show dozens of trail boats will be taking part in the event from 1 - 3 June
•    Wildlife and bat walks between May and September – learn how to identify species of trees, birds, bugs, pondlife, bats and more!
•    Bicentenary community festival on 23 June in Lancaster – a whole weekend of activities for all the family 
•    Library and Museum exhibitions – a range of venues hosting displays around the history of the Lancaster Canal including the Lancaster Maritime Museum exhibit entitled ‘Barging Past’ – which will run from 11 May to 31 August 
•    Garstang Scarecrow Festival – Part of the festival to celebrate the Canal’s bicentenary in July
•    Kendal Torchlight procession – Part of the procession on Friday 27 September - a specially commissioned piece of art around the history of the Lancaster Canal will be part of the celebrations.

Photo competition details:
•    Entry is free and submissions must be made online at www.Canalrivertrust.org.uk/lanc200 or share it on Instagram or Twitter with #Lanc200.  The closing date for entries is 31 October
•    Prizes will include goody bags for the runners-up and the winning entry will be printed onto canvass.
•    Full terms and conditions are available on the entry page.

More information about photo competition, bicentenary events and festivals can be found on the Canal & River Trust website: www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/lanc200
 

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