A canal festival has been held in London for charity fundraising due to the government’s cuts in the next three years.
The Canalway Cavalcade, hosted by the Inland Waterways Association, marks its 41st anniversary this year.
More than 120 boats mostly come along out of London, and 30,000 people join the event to celebrate the beauty of canal life and art.
Paul Rodgers, chair of Canalway Cavalcade, said: “We add something new every single year.
“This year’s theme is funding Britain’s waterways because the funding of canals is really under threat, and with that will then come a threat to the beauty, environmental, and social benefits of the waterways.”
Since the River and Canal Trust was established in 2012, the government has agreed to fund the charity for 15 years with £739 million of the total value of the grant payments.
In 2027, the funding will be cut by 5% each year, as the government hopes the trust can find an alternative income and reduce their reliance on taxpayers as an independent charity.
Climate change effects, such as longer and more frequent periods of drought and extreme storm events taking their toll on ageing 250-year-old infrastructure, make maintaining the waterways more expensive.
Rodgers said: “The government has a really vital role to play in this, and I think they really should recognise the benefits.”
Watch the video for more about the waterways community and how important canals are to all of us.
Featured image credit: Cathy Chen
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