Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust
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lhcrt.org.uk
Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust
@lhcrt.org.uk
2.1K followers 2.5K following 1.8K posts
We are a volunteer-led charity, restoring two canals in Staffordshire, and reconnecting them to the BCN and national canal network.

Follow our feeds: #WeDigCanals #UKCanals #FloatingTraders #Lichfield

Find out more: https://lhcrt.org.uk/
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lhcrt.org.uk
13 DofE volunteers and 4 Green Team adults braved the rain yesterday! 🌧️

Tasks done around the compound and canal, hedging prepped for reuse at Darnford Moors.

Great leadership from the older lads too. 🌿👏

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
Volunteers in bright yellow safety vests load branches into a metal trailer on a muddy outdoor site. A green container and portable toilet stand nearby, with safety signage visible. The scene reflects teamwork and environmental care. Three volunteers in high-visibility vests maintain a roadside hedge on a leaf-strewn verge. Two trim foliage from the ground while the other is up a ladder. Trees, houses, and a passing car frame the autumn scene, highlighting seasonal care and community upkeep. Three volunteers in high-visibility vests work together in a tree-lined area, clearing branches and leaves. One handles a tool while another observes, with a third nearby. A large pile of cut foliage sits in the foreground, and stacked bricks and logs suggest ongoing maintenance. Dense greenery and bare trees frame the autumn scene. Two volunteers in high-visibility vests work on a gravel pile in a leafy public space. Traffic cones mark the area, and a wheelbarrow and upright shovel suggest active progress. Bare trees and fallen leaves hint at autumn.
November 30, 2025 at 8:01 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
The sun shines on the righteous…

Nige has captured some stunning shots of golden light streaming across Tamworth Road Narrows — beauty in progress.

📸 Narrowboat Nige

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals #Staffordshire
A large orange excavator rests on a dirt surface at sunset, surrounded by mounds of soil and construction materials. The low sun casts long shadows and a warm golden glow across the site, highlighting the machinery and trees in the background. The excavator’s arm is extended, its bucket touching the ground, suggesting recent earthmoving work. An orange excavator parked on a construction site in late afternoon light, with reddish soil and cylindrical concrete structures nearby. A narrow canal channel runs through the centre, bordered by equipment and materials. Bare trees and distant buildings suggest an autumn or winter setting, with long shadows and warm tones adding depth to the scene. A partially built retaining wall made of concrete blocks stands at a construction site, with two large cylindrical concrete structures behind it. The wall borders a steep, excavated slope of reddish soil, exposing tree roots. Scattered blocks and a leaning wooden plank suggest ongoing work. Trees surround the site, indicating a rural or wooded setting. A construction site at sunset, with long shadows stretching across sandy ground marked by footprints and tire tracks. Metal fencing encloses the area, with warning signs visible. Trees and residential buildings line the background, while the low sun casts warm, dramatic light across the scene.
November 29, 2025 at 8:27 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
Another productive day at Tamworth Road Narrows - more redundant Big Pipe finding a new life as structural support and more bricks laid in front.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
Four large vertical concrete piles stand onconcrete on reddish-brown soil at a canal construction site. Behind them, a steep excavated embankment rises, with trees and a building visible above. A partially built wall with exposed rebar and a black tarp sits in front of the piles, showing active restoration work. Four large vertical concrete piles stand on concrete on into reddish-brown soil at a canal construction site. Behind them, a steep excavated embankment rises, with trees and a building visible above. A partially built wall with exposed rebar and a black tarp sits in front of the piles, showing active restoration work. A large orange excavator sits on reddish soil at a canal construction site, its arm extended near stacked concrete pipes and construction materials. Nearby are upright concrete pipes and a curved structure with a ladder. The site is busy and is framed by fencing and trees.
November 28, 2025 at 8:08 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
We’re thrilled to share that we won the 'Charity or Social Enterprise Award' at the Lichfield Beacon Awards! 🌟

This is an amazing tribute to our incredible volunteers! 🙏

#WeDigCanals #Staffordshire
An award plaque sits on a table at a formal event, surrounded by wine glasses and bottles. The plaque reads “Lichfield District Beacon Awards – Charity & Social Enterprise Award – Winner – Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust – 2025.” In the softly blurred background, guests mingle and celebrate, with printed award category sheets partially visible on the table.
November 28, 2025 at 7:28 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
At Gallows Wharf, our volunteers mixed concrete for a base and l dug 5m each side of the pipe, ready for next week’s mix-on-site.

New volunteer Ellen joined, exploring civil engineering. Great to have you on the team.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
Five construction volunteers stand in the canal channel at Gallows Wharf, wearing high-vis clothing and hard hats. Behind them, an excavator and fencing mark the active site near a bridge entrance. Two volunteers in high-vis gear stand in a drained canal bed near an excavator bucket. A large pipe runs along the muddy bottom, flanked by brick walls and safety fencing. A bridge spans the canal in the background, with tools and materials scattered around. Freshly poured concrete slab bordered by a retaining wall on the left and a large cylindrical pipe on the right. Wooden planks and muddy ground surround the site, with brickwork and materials in the background.
November 27, 2025 at 7:49 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
More progress at Gallows Wharf!

Our inclined retaining wall is taking shape thanks to our regulars Steve and Alan – and a fantastic boost from Natalie, who joined us on one of her CSR days. She got stuck in bricklaying alongside the team, adding her energy to the project.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
Two volunteers in high-visibility gear build a brick retaining wall at a muddy construction site. A wheelbarrow filled with red mortar sits nearby, alongside a white container. Large concrete pipes line the path, with a grassy slope, wooden fence, and houses in the background.
November 26, 2025 at 7:57 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
This is Dave.

Last week Dave mowed all the grass verges from Lock 25 at Borrowcop Locks right through to Cricket Lane. The paths are looking fantastic, and it’s all down to his hard work.

Thanks Dave 💚

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
A person in a bright yellow high-visibility jacket stands on a dirt path beside a canal, operating a yellow and black manual soil compactor. They wear a dark hat, gloves, and rubber boots, suggesting outdoor maintenance work. Young hedging whips in plastic guards line the path, with houses, a road, and construction materials visible in the background under overcast skies.
November 25, 2025 at 7:23 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
What has this week got in store for us?

At Tamworth Road Narrows, the brickwork is ready for more on the offside bend and the towpath wall.

How many bricks will be laid? 🧱
Will the weather slow us down? 🌦️

Stay tuned!

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield #Staffordshire
A partially constructed retaining wall, built with bricks and concrete blocks. Construction tools and materials like buckets and wooden planks are scattered nearby. The wall supports elevated ground to prevent erosion. In the background, trees, a house, and a wooden fence are visible.
November 24, 2025 at 7:40 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
10% off for Black Friday! 🎉

Use code TAKE10 at checkout for sustainable, plastic-free clothing that’s better for the planet.

Shop: lhcrt.teemill.com

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals
Folded grey t-shirt resting on a festive gift box, surrounded by Christmas tree branches and twinkling lights. Bold white text reads “10% OFF – Use code TAKE10 at checkout,” with holly leaves and berries decorating the word “OFF.”
November 23, 2025 at 12:35 PM
lhcrt.org.uk
Now you see it, now you don't!

Our massive soil heap has finally gone. Huge thanks to Chase Town Civil Engineering and Persimmon Homes for giving our surplus soil a new home and helping us keep the site moving.

📷 photos by Narrowboat Nige

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals
A large orange excavator sits atop a mound of reddish-brown soil at a canal construction site. Its arm is extended downward, actively digging or moving earth. In the foreground, a concrete pipe lies partially buried among debris including broken bricks, wooden planks, and metal frames. A leafless tree stands in the background beneath a partly cloudy sky, glowing warmly with sunrise or sunset light. A wide construction site at sunrise or sunset, with reddish-brown soil marked by tire tracks and footprints. Construction materials and vehicles are scattered across the site. In the distance, partially built houses and power lines stretch across the horizon under a partly cloudy sky tinged with blue, yellow, and orange hues.
November 22, 2025 at 8:11 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
At Gallows Reach our volunteers have been busy realigning the path where the liftbridge will sit, getting everything ready for installation (date coming soon).

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
Three construction volunteers in high-visibility gear are working on a landscaped area near a path. One uses a shovel to level soil while the others assist. The setting includes grass, trees, shrubs, a wooden bench, and orange safety netting. Two volunteers dig along a pathway. One wears a red hard hat and yellow jacket, the other a blue hard hat and orange jacket. They’re surrounded by green grass, autumn trees, and nearby houses, with tools and safety netting visible, indicating infrastructure or pathway work. Two volunteers in high-visibility jackets and hard hats are working along a dirt pathway in a residential area. One kneels to work on the ground while the other stands nearby. Wheelbarrows, tools, and orange safety netting mark the active site, with trees, grass, and houses in the background. Three volunteers in yellow and orange safety gear are handling wheelbarrows and shovels at a suburban work site. They appear to be working on concrete or groundwork near a slab foundation. The area is enclosed by orange safety netting, with houses, trees, and a dirt path nearby under an overcast sky.
November 21, 2025 at 9:40 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
At Gallows Reach, it looks good, now that all of the shuttering has been removed.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
A construction showing a partially built concrete retaining wall below a brick wall with metal fencing. The ground is uneven and covered with dirt, tire tracks, and scattered debris including wooden planks, metal parts, and plastic. An excavator and bucket attachment rest on the right side. Trees and suburban houses are visible in the background.
November 19, 2025 at 8:40 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
A rare photo of the Gallows Wharf team posing for the camera (well… most of them!) and an action shot too. A brilliant bunch of volunteers doing brilliant work.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
Five construction volunteers stand in the canal at Gallows Wharf, wearing high-visibility clothing and hard hats. They hold tools and smile for the camera, with metal panels and a grassy embankment behind them. Two volunteers in orange high-visibility jackets and hard hats stand beside a large orange excavator on a muddy site. Autumn trees and construction equipment fill the background. Several volunteers in high-visibility clothing and hard hats work on a pathway or retaining wall at Gallows Wharf. The site is enclosed by metal fencing and surrounded by trees. Construction equipment, including a mini excavator and dump truck, is visible among tools and materials.
November 18, 2025 at 7:33 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
Did you know we're on TikTok? Pop over and watch our update videos. Here's one of our recent ones:

vm.tiktok.com/ZNdoN1nwL/

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
Screenshot of the TikTok profile for Lichfield Canal Trust (@lhrt), a volunteer-led charity restoring the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals. The profile shows 754 accounts followed, 1,166 followers, and 3,685 likes. Six video thumbnails are visible, featuring volunteers in high-vis clothing working on canal restoration. Titles include “Going for it at Gallows Wharf” and “Can we dig it?
November 17, 2025 at 5:37 PM
lhcrt.org.uk
🛑 Stop! Please read this — can you spare £1.25 a month? 🛑

For just £15 a year you will:
💦 Help reconnect the Lichfield Canal to the #UKCanals
🌿 Enhance biodiversity
📰 Receive our magazine

❌ No commitment to volunteer

🎁 Join in November and receive a free gift.

👉 lhcrt.org.uk/2025/11/09/j...
November 17, 2025 at 8:30 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
.... and here's the canal itself. 💦
A peaceful canal winds through an autumnal landscape, framed by two trees with scattered fallen leaves, grassy banks, and distant buildings under a clear blue sky. A narrow canal runs alongside a dirt path bordered by green grass and shrubs, with a fence and scattered trees in the background beneath a partly cloudy sky. A small white liftbridge with metal and wooden components spans a narrow canal, framed by leafless trees and open fields, with a green control box nearby - a rural setting in winter or early spring. A tranquil gravel path runs alongside a calm canal, bordered by grass, a wooden fence, and trees with autumn foliage, with a distant bridge visible under a mostly clear sky.
November 17, 2025 at 8:06 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
Brian sent us these lovely photos capturing Darnford Moors Ecology Park at its best — bursting with flowers and berries. A wonderful reminder of how our work helps wildlife and looks good too. 🌿💚

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
A tree with slender branches bearing small, round yellow fruits, possibly crabapples or cherry plums, set against a grassy field and a bright blue sky. A bare tree branch densely covered with small, round red berries, set against a clear blue sky with a few lingering green and yellow leaves. A small daisy-like wildflower with white petals and a yellow center blooms beside a closed bud, surrounded by feathery green foliage and scattered rocks and gravel. A single white-petaled flower with a dark purple center stands upright among green plants, fallen brown leaves, and scattered pebbles on a textured patch of ground.
November 17, 2025 at 8:03 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
🌟 Become a friend of the Lichfield Canal 🌟

Support the restoration of the canal without picking up a shovel, and at £15 a year it costs less than a cup of coffee a month.

🎁 Join in November and claim a free gift as our thank you.

lhcrt.org.uk/2025/11/09/j...

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
November 15, 2025 at 12:49 PM
lhcrt.org.uk
At Gallows Reach/Wharf, the final two formworks (for us) are now cast! The foundation has been extended by another 5 metres of wharf wall.

Concrete arrived perfectly, even though most others cancelled due to the forecasted rain.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
A muddy construction site with a concrete retaining wall on the left, supported by red and silver metal braces anchored into the ground. Wooden planks and black plastic sheets lie scattered nearby. A metal fence runs along the top of the wall, separating the site from higher ground. Construction vehicles and traffic lights are visible in the background under an overcast sky. A partially built concrete wall on a muddy construction site, held by red and silver metal formwork braces. Nearby are white plastic containers, a large white bag, wooden planks, and metal rods. Behind the wall, a brick retaining structure and a metal fence with orange safety netting mark the site boundary. A muddy trench alongside a canal, with standing water and a large cylindrical pipe running along the left. Wooden and metal supports span the trench, stabilizing the area for ongoing work. Scattered around are buckets, hoses, and concrete blocks.
November 15, 2025 at 7:53 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
Our Chair, Carole Mills, joined the team at Tamworth Road Narrows yesterday! Concrete bases, soil moving, and first-time bricklaying with Geoff’s guidance. Passers-by stopped to congratulate our volunteers – fantastic teamwork all round! 👏

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
A smiling volunteer wearing a bright orange high-visibility jacket with reflective stripes and a blue hard hat stands near a canal-side worksite. They hold a brick in one hand, with fencing, building materials, and other workers visible in the background. The jacket features a LHCRT logo patch. A volunteer in a bright orange high-visibility jacket and blue hard hat carefully lays bricks along a narrow trench. They stand on wooden planks beside stacked bricks, with other workers in similar gear visible further down the outdoor site, which is bordered by fencing and surrounded by soil and vegetation. A construction site with volunteers in high-visibility orange and yellow clothing and hard hats. One volunteer in orange stands in the foreground near a red Kubota mini excavator on muddy ground. One in yellow is working atop a multi-textured brick wall with steel reinforcement bars. Shovels lean against the wall, and standing water is visible on the ground, with trees and materials in the background. Three volunteers in high-visibility clothing and helmets mix and transport concrete on a muddy site. One operates a yellow concrete mixer, while two others manage wheelbarrows filled with mixed concrete. The area is surrounded with cement bags, buckets, and tools, and bordered by a layered brick wall and wooden fence.
November 14, 2025 at 8:29 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
Ar Tamworth Road Narrows, two pipes are in place, with another spot dug out ready for the next concrete pad. The pipes will be filled with a mix of concrete and recycled cement from cleaned bricks.

A new wall will be built in front, with concrete filling behind.

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield
Excavated construction site with red soil and two large vertical concrete pipes embedded in the ground. A curved brick wall with a concrete top borders the right side, lined with white bags of materials. A partially-built retaining wall stands in the background near a wooden fence and small shed, surrounded by trees and greenery.
November 13, 2025 at 8:10 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
At Gallows Reach yesterday, our volunteers paused their work to stand together in silence.

At the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month — we remember.

#LestWeForget
Seven volunteers in high-visibility jackets and hard hats stand together at a muddy construction site in Lichfield, pausing work for a Remembrance Day tribute. Surrounded by trees and fencing, they gather in quiet reflection at Gallows Reach.
November 12, 2025 at 7:56 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
At Tamworth Road Narrows our volunteers have been hard at work - digging out at the curve and laying another concrete base (ready to extend the wall), bricklaying the towpath wall and clearing the canal channel of vegetation.

Well done team!

#Lichfield #WeDigCanals
An orange excavator lifts a bucket of soil at a fenced construction site surrounded by autumn trees. The machine sits on reddish-brown earth, with residential houses partially visible through the foliage in the background. A deep excavation site with curved retaining walls made of bricks and concrete blocks. Water flows from a pipe at the bottom, surrounded by scattered construction materials. A wooden fence, green shed, and houses are visible beyond the site. A volunteer in a high-visibility vest and rubber boots stands in a canal channel, working near the brick wall. Scaffolding and wooden planks line the canal, with tools, buckets, and a large white bag placed on the canal bed. The scene shows active restoration work in a historic waterway. A person in a high-vis vest and blue hard hat uses a shovel beside a wheelbarrow filled with debris in a narrow, brick-lined canal channel. Above the channel, a grassy embankment with shrubs leads up to a white picket fence and residential garden.
November 11, 2025 at 7:09 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
Our brand new members’ magazine is out now! Packed with stories and behind-the-scenes action that you won't see anywhere else.

Avoid FOMO - become a friend of LHCRT and get your copy – plus a FREE gift if you join this month. 🎁

lhcrt.org.uk/2025/11/09/j...

#WeDigCanals #Lichfield #Staffordshire
A stack of LHCRT’s “Cut Both Ways” magazines, Issue 125, November 2025. The cover shows a person unveiling a blue cloth from a sign in a wooded area. Headlines include “Bull Wood unveiled,” “Festival roundup,” and “New digger and new ambassador.” The magazine is priced at £1, free for members.
November 10, 2025 at 8:20 AM
lhcrt.org.uk
🌟 Be a Friend of the Lichfield Canal 🌟

Support restoration for just £15 a year, no shovel required!

Stay connected, get updates, and show you care.

🎁 Join in November for a free thank-you gift.

lhcrt.org.uk/2025/11/09/j...

#WeDigCanals #Staffordshire
Promotional graphic for Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. Blue background with white text reads: “Become a friend of the Lichfield Canal. Claim your free gift if you join in November.” A white gift box icon reinforces the offer. The Trust’s logo appears in the bottom right corner, and a call to action at the bottom says: “Sign up today at lhcrt.org.uk.”
November 9, 2025 at 5:23 PM