Published on: 06 July 2023
Recently, British Marine’s public affairs team met with organisations which share British Marine’s concerns about the level of government funding being made available to Britain’s inland waterways and the uncertainty about future funding as current grant arrangements come to an end. For example, DEFRA had been due to announce future funding for the Canal and River Trust months ago and yet those details have yet to be published.
Given these concerns, and mindful of a General Election looming within the next 18 months, we agreed it was timely to launch a dedicated, time-limited, action group, ‘Fund Britain’s Waterways’ (FBW). This is all about bringing together the widest possible group of organisations and individuals, independent of navigation authorities, with the sole purpose of “campaigning collectively for an increase in government funding of Britain’s inland waterways to avert their decline, and to promote awareness of the huge economic, environmental and social wellbeing value they provide”.
Since FBW’s first media release in June, the response has been hugely encouraging, with now over 30 organisations having already joined FBW. Further information about FBW’s members and forthcoming activities will be published on www.fundbritainswaterways.org.uk.
We urge all British Marine members to consider adding their own weight to this important campaign by joining FBW today and encouraging their contacts to do the same. By helping to build up FBW’s membership, a strong message will be sent to government and to others about the widespread concern and the significant value businesses and individuals alike place on caring for Britain’s inland waterways and retaining all their associated benefits.
To join FBW please email Les Etheridge, Chair of the FBW Steering Group, at membership@fundbritainswaterways.org.uk stating:
- The name of your organisation;
- Name and contact details;
- Your organisation’s logo and a brief statement about it for publication on FBW’s webpage;
- Written confirmation that your organisation agrees to FBW’s sole purpose as stated above.
For further information about British Marine’s engagement with FBW please contact Joanna Richardson, senior public affairs executive, please email publicaffairs@britishmarine.co.uk
