Waitrose support canal restoration
Staff at the Droitwich Spa branch of Waitrose have raised £4,347 for the restoration of the town’s historic canals. The money, which came from donations from the staff team and the John Spedan Lewis Foundation, will help to restore 50 metres of the canal.
And their good work didn’t end there. At the end of August, members of staff from the supermarket got their hands dirty planting reeds in the new reedbed which has been created at Coney Meadows, near Salwarpe, which is part of the restoration scheme. £400,000 raised for restoration
The donation from Waitrose brings the restoration appeal total to £400,000. The Waterways Trust and Droitwich Canal Restoration Partnership are working hard to raise the remaining £600,000 to reach the £1 million needed to unlock the £11 million already promised to the project by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Advantage West Midlands. Kim Chester, Development Manager from The Waterways Trust, said: “It is fantastic that companies such as Waitrose are getting involved with this landmark project, we are very grateful for their donations – both money and time. There are so many ways people can be part of the scheme – from making a donation to the appeal to taking part in our volunteer days. Once complete, the restored canals will offer something for everyone – new business opportunities, new places to relax and enjoy the natural environment, and new tourism opportunities.” British Waterways is currently restoring the two waterways – the Junction and Barge Canals, and the Partnership aims to complete the £11.5m restoration project by the end of 2009. As well as preserving 40 heritage structures, creating a 21 mille linear park and canal loop with new wildlife habitats, the restored Droitwich Canals will generate over 320,000 new visits to the area within five years and an additional spend of £2.75m per year in the local economy.
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