Email: Montgomery restoration

I would like to respond to the personal thoughts of Dave Hancock, regarding the restoration of the Montgomery Canal.

I totally support Mike Chase in rectifying Dave's inaccuracies about what the Waterway Recovery Group have achieved, and plan to do on the canal. I would like to add that these days all works on the Montgomery Canal restoration are specified and approved by British Waterways, who oversee the planning and execution of all work on its canal.

Because each of the volunteer groups work at different times through the year, it would be very difficult (for many reasons) to share sections of the canal. For our own group of Shropshire Union Canal Society volunteers, I know that a feeling of 'ownership' of a section that they have worked on from the very beginning, is an important factor in their continued support.

All volunteer groups on the Montgomery Canal are working towards a common goal which is being managed and supported by British Waterways. I hope that Dave Hancock will take time to see the work in progress during the summer and applaud the effort being made by everyone to restore this beautiful canal.

Mike Friend

Shropshire Union Canal Society's Restoration Project Officer, Montgomery Canal