Today was the last working day of 2024 for our volunteers, but nobody was getting ‘demob happy’ quite yet as we tackled a familiar problem – a fallen tree across the cut! This one was between Coed Gwilym Park and the Buried Lock and it wasn’t as big as some we’ve tackled. Gordon boarded ‘Nellie the boat’ to chainsaw the larger sections for easier recovery to the towpath, Mike F, Chris M, John Gr and Duncan did the chopping up and hauled the branches away for disposal.

Martin, Jan and Ronnie did some tidying and trimming at the flower boarders by the canoe store, still a necessary task at this time of year.

With those jobs done we finished early for coffee and a selection of festive fare, mince pies and Christmas cake by Mike and Ronnie, back at the Canal Centre.

For the final hour Gordon and Chris cut back shrubs that were growing on the waters edge behind the stone barge, with an eye to possibly renovating the adjacent stone wall later in the year. Gordon replanted a handful of healthy twigs, whilst the rest of the team fed waste wood through the shredder. The chippings went on the compost heap to nourish our borders next year.

So that was it for this year, we all look forward to a few weeks off, then seeing what surprises 2025 will surely have in store for us!