SUNDAY 9TH JULY:  This year’s summer camp for the volunteers of the Waterways Recovery Group will be based at Upper Trebanos Lock though there will be a second work site three hundred yards upstream where the canal descends into the piped section at Pontardawe Playing Fields.  Our Entertainment Officer, Alan Williams, will be meeting the volunteers on the Saturday evening (8th July) at the Ynyscedwyn Scout Hut which is their accommodation for the week’s stay.  As usual Alan will be getting their orders in for the traditional curry night on Thursday the 13th. A small group of us will join the WRG volunteers on Sunday at 9.30 to welcome them to the Swansea Canal and walk them along the canal between the two work sites. Unlike previous years camps there will be no crush to park all the equipment and vans at the Trebanso Locks as there is now a large car park belonging to the Trebanos Rugby Club just off the road to the Welsh Water Treatment Works. We thank the Trebanos Rugby Club for their support for the WRG week.

The Canoe and Kayak Hire will also be open this Sunday as usual from Coed Gwilym Park for trips to just south of the Trebanos Lower Lock. We hope some canoes will make it as far as the Lower Lock, though the canal is sadly very shallow from the Green Farm Riding stables northwards. For full details of terms and conditions see ‘THE WEEK AHEAD’  for the period 3/7/17 to 9/7/17 and also under Canoe Hire on the website.

MONDAY 10th July to FRIDAY 14th July: Work will continue to repoint and lay coping stones at both sites under the supervision of the WRG leader, David Worthington who has been a volunter at previous camps at Trebanos Lower Lock. His assistant is Rhiannon Smith. We welcome them both as well as  the WRG volunters who have come from all over the UK.

MONDAY 10TH JULY: David Viner, the Heritage Officer for the Canal and River Trust’s, South Wales and Severn Region, will be visiting the sites at 11.30am and in the afternoon, Kevin Phillips, the Waterways Manager for the Swansea Canal at CRT will also join us. We thank all the staff of the Canal and River Trust who support us with time, materials and expertise to make the WRG weeks such a success. Other members of the Canal and River Trust, including our new volunteer leader, Jade Hester, will be popping down to see and work with the WRG throughout the week.

TUESDAY 11TH JULY: Work Party meets at Brownsters Cafe, High Street, Clydach between 8.00 ad 9.00am. Work starts at 9.30am helping the WRG voulnters at Upper Trebanso Lock and at the Pontardawe Playing Fields. Lunch today at  1.00pm will be provided by the Swansea Canal Society and funded partly by the  Clydach Co-op who have given us a generous donation. We thank them for their generosity.

SUNDAY 16TH JULY; Canoe and kayak hire from the Canoe Store at Coed Gwilym Park. First hire 10.30, last hire 2.30pm. Canoes £7, single sit on top kayaks £4, doubles £5. Full details and terms and conditions under ‘Canoe Hire’ on the website.

SUNDAY 16TH JULY: Pontardawe Work Party  will work on tidying up around the Ynysmeudwy Locks, Upper and Lower. Meet up at the CRT car park that is just around the corner from the Ynysmeudwy Arms at 10.00am.  Michelle will stand at the side of the road at the entrance to the car park at 10am on the Sunday. All welcome. Tools, gloves and hi-vis vests provided.