Volunteering Opportunities with Kennet and Avon Canal Trust

About

The Kennet and Avon Canal Trust was responsible for the reopening of the canal after it fell into disuse and disrepair. It now exists to promote the use of the canal and its historic canal side buildings. The trust is a small charity and receives very little in grants. We survive on public donations and the goodwill of our volunteers. We run public trip boats in Reading, Newbury, Hungerford, Devizes and Bradford on Avon. Vintage steam engines in Crofton and tea rooms in Aldermaston, Newbury, Devizes and Bradford on Avon. We also have boats designed for the use of people with mobility issues and these are based at Great Bedwyn. All of these are crewed and /or staffed by volunteers and we are also responsible for the routine maintenance of our boats to ensure they are safe for public use and conform to Maritime and Coastguard Agency standards. In Newbury we have the Jubilee, which is the only narrowboat in the fleet. Our season normally runs from March to October and we carry out 6 public trips a week. We also do themed trips in school holidays and you can see the boat dressed up, as well as the volunteers, cruising on the canal as pirates, halloween characters and even Santa and his helpers in December. New for this year is a summer season, where we will be working with local businesses to provide evening cruises, with prosecco or gin and beer tasting.