Volunteering has been one of Canal & River Trust’s great success stories since its formation in 2012, with 1,372 people in the West Midlands regularly giving their time.

Together, they contributed over 158,000 volunteer hours in the past financial year, helping to keep the region’s canals open and thriving for boaters, visitors and local communities.

This year’s winners were recognised for their work caring for the area’s historic canals, which remain some of the busiest and most culturally significant in the country.

Awards were presented to: Charlie Hannaford, Young Volunteer of the Year; Phil Garner, Lead Volunteer of the Year; Janet Brown, Volunteer of the Year; and Wild in Brum, Volunteer Team of the Year.

Volunteers were celebrated for a wide range of contributions, including lock keeping, towpath improvements, wildlife conservation, heritage restoration, community outreach and supporting boaters. They do a huge amount to make hundreds of miles of waterways safe, welcoming and full of life for the thousands of people who live and work nearby.

Henriette Breukelaar, director of the West Midlands at Canal & River Trust, said: “Our West Midlands volunteers are remarkable. Their dedication brings our canals to life, supporting wildlife, improving wellbeing and strengthening local communities. Every week they generously give their time, energy and passion to help us care for one of the most historic and diverse waterway networks in the country, and the difference they make is visible in every mile of towpath.

“Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, from helping boaters and maintaining locks to restoring heritage structures and inspiring local people to enjoy the waterways on their doorstep. If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, now is the perfect time to take that first step. Whether you can spare an hour or a day, we have opportunities for everyone, and we’d love to welcome more people to join us in caring for these much loved waterways for years to come. You will not regret it; our volunteers tell us how they enjoy being in nature, doing rewarding work, gaining skills and forming part of a caring team.”

Volunteering with Canal & River Trust offers people the chance to get outdoors, learn new skills, meet others and make a visible difference to their local environment. From hands on practical work to community engagement and specialist heritage roles, volunteers play a vital part in protecting the region’s waterways for future generations.

For more information about how you can volunteer for Canal & River Trust visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer