Head of Enterprise

SINCE Richard Parry took over at Canal & River Trust, there has been an upsurge in appointments, and people being promoted.

The latest is Julie Sharman who was previously Head of Enterprise but is now Head of Asset Management & Performance, whom we are told will make sure the Trust's '200 years old bridges, tunnels, locks and aqueducts are kept in the best condition possible.

In charge of a team

A spokesman for the Trust tells us that 'Julie will be in charge of a team that is responsible for prioritising the repairs carried out across the canal network each year—targeting the money available to the structures most in need of refurbishment. She will also be in charge of the environment, heritage and water teams. The Trust needs to meet environmental standards for the canals and rivers in its care and the work it carries out, and is the third largest owner of listed structures in the UK, that require special processes and attention. As guardian of 2,000 miles worth of waterway and 73 reservoirs, the Trust needs to ensure that the water supply is managed effectively.

Passionate

Of the appointment, Julie remarked:

"I am passionate about the future of our waterways and excited about taking on this role that is central to protecting the fabric of the network. I'm looking forward to getting back to my engineering roots, and making sure our historic structures can continue to be safely used day in, day out by boaters and others on the towpath. We have a fantastic team of experts who really understand our waterways but we are always looking for volunteers, so if any boaters happen to have the expertise and desire to want to work alongside us I would be very interested in talking to them."

Enterprise Manager South, Richard Rutter, will act as Head of Enterprise while recruitment for the role goes ahead.