Last minute again, I’m afraid. Barbara’s daughter sprained her ankle badly the day after the Paper Chase and needed help with the baby so we have been away almost continuously since then.

I don’t have a lot of information about either of the last times out. I understand that the rearranged one on the Lancaster on 6/7th March, was pretty successful with a lot of vegetation being removed from various spillways and chambers on the Tewitfield Flight and that Warton Village Hall was comfortable, though the parking was severely limited. I have no information whatsoever about that at Hollinwood over the weekend of 20th/21st but assume that it happened and did useful work.

next time out will be a joint dig with Essex WRG on the Lichfield Canal on 10/11th April. The work will comprise some or all of the following: bulding a footpath round the circular drop shaft we started on our last visit, tidying around the outlet of the bywash channel, path clearance at Fosseway and Darnford in preparation for a public walk, and enclosing some “no man’s land” on the corner of Cricket Lane with a view to its adoption into the canal site. Accommodation will be at the Chase Terrace Scouts’ Hall, access being available from 7-30pm on Friday. (First one there contact Bob Williams on 01543-671427 or 07973-293834 about 10 minutes before arriving.) Enquiries and bookings to Malcolm please.

The following weekend, 17/18th April, is the BCN Cleanup. Details in Navvies. This is a Centrally-Booked Weekend so book with Jenny Black. SAD, which we will have while RFB is being serviced, will be going and RFB will be returning.

Mike Palmer is still looking for more volunteers for the Burslem Port/Cheshire Locks dig which will take place on 22nd/26th April, inclusive. Details have already been circulated. Queries to Malcolm please.

after that it will be our regular annual joint dig with Essex over the May Bank Holiday weekend, 1st/3rd May. This year it’s on the Mon & Brec. The accommodation will be in the usual Church Hall at Cross Keys and the work will be on and around the site of the Trailboat Rally (see the Mon & Brec website) at the end of May. Likely tasks are repointing part of the lock above the site, painting balance beams and cutting back vegetation on and around site. Enquiries and bookings to Mike please.

The next Paper Chase will be on Saturday, 8th May - usual arrangements. The next ad hoc will be on Wednesday, 9th June, at Mike Chase’s (31 Gordon Street, Abbey Hey, M18 8SL).

The above paragraphs are part of a single-page news sheet compiled by Malcolm Bridge and sent out to those people who are actively involved in any aspect of our work. If you would like to be sent a copy of North West News, which is published about three weeks before each Dig, or to receive North West News by e-mail, contact Malcolm Bridge.

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