Equal Opportunities Policy
The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Ltd encourages the participation of all sections of the community in its activities without discrimination by race, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, class, religion, gender, sexuality, employment status, age or disability, subject only to compliance with legal requirements including Health and Safety and insurance on its construction sites. The Trust will expect any contractors or consultants working for it to subscribe to similar policies on equal opportunities. All canal restoration works undertaken by or on behalf of the Trust will so far as is reasonably practicable be designed to maximise access by the disabled, consistent with conservation of heritage features and the safety of users of the waterway.

Health and Safety Policy
The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust will fully comply with all Health and Safety legislation and relevant good practice guidance relating to the activities of volunteers and contractors working on its restoration and construction sites and to members of the public having access to those sites. The Trust will give priority to ensuring that all reasonable and practical measures are taken to protect the safety and health of all persons working on or visiting its sites at all times.

For each site the Trust will prepare and periodically review a Site Safety Plan based on detailed Risk Assessments of all physical features, materials, machinery and activities which could give rise to avoidable risk. The Site Safety Plan will take into account both the likelihood and the consequences of each identifiable risk and will recommend actions or procedures to minimise those risks to health or safety.

This will apply to all land owned by the Trust and to land leased or licenced to the Trust for restoration work. Where sites are owned by local authorities, British Waterways or other public bodies the Trust will comply with any requirements of the landowner on health and safety matters.

Environment Policy
The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust is enrolled as an Environmental Body under the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.

The Trust is concerned to ensure that its restoration activities protect and enhance the natural environment and the wildlife habitats along the Lichfield and Hatherton canals corridors.

The Trust will seek to restore the waterway ecology that developed in harmony with its operational functions during the 150 years of the canal’s working life, but was extinguished when the canals were abandoned and filled in.

The Trust will seek guidance from British Waterways and apply the BW Environmental Code of Practice to ensure construction and maintenance techniques are consistent with the current best practice.

The Trust will liaise with other appropriate environmental bodies such as the Environment Agency, English Nature, and local Wildlife Trusts and will support County and Local Authority Biodiversity Action Plans in re-creating waterway and waterside habitats appropriate to the local terrain.

Education Policy
The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust will contribute to developing and sustaining an understanding of the inland waterways system of this country and especially of the key issues associated with the restoration of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals amongst people of all ages in the wider community encompassed by the project.

The Trust will foster links with all interested groups but particularly with local colleges and schools. Using the restoration project as a vehicle for learning, it will develop within the community an understanding of the key educational issues associated with the restoration of canals, namely:

- Historical Aspects		The contribution the canal system has made to the nation's industrial, social and ecological heritage.
- Conservation		The contribution that restoration makes to the conservation of the built heritage and enhancement of the natural environment.
- Regeneration		The social and economic benefits that accrue from restoration.
- Sustainability		The development and maintenance of canals in a manner which enables the fulfilment of their environmental, economic and social potential.

Child Protection Policy

Children and young people are encouraged to take an interest in the canal restoration and the other work of LHCRT through education and community programmes.

Planning
Carefully plan activities involving young people to ensure that maximum possible protection is provided at all times.
Give particular attention to health and safety requirements, seeking appropriate advice from your supervisor or events organiser.

Supervision
Ensure that parents, teachers, leaders, carers or other accompanying adults are with young people wherever possible.
LHCRT would strongly recommend that all young people and children are in the care of a responsible adult and do not become the direct responsibility of LHCRT volunteers.
(If for any reason at any time you are solely responsible for any young person, know exactly who you are responsible for, the extent of that responsibility, where the young people are and what they are doing.)
Arrange for an appropriate number of adults to be present, bearing in mind the type of activity, the number and age range of the young people attending and any special needs.
Try to have responsible accompanying adults for every educational group of young people in a ratio of 1:10 or better (1:8 desirable for children under 8).
Ensure that at least one other LHCRT volunteer or an external adult (eg parent/teacher) will be available to help.
Try to have both male and female helpers where practical.

Avoid one to one contact
At all costs, a one to one situation should be avoided, but if unavoidable, ensure it is for a short period only, within earshot and preferably sight of others and never behind closed doors. Tell someone where you are going, with whom and for how long. Speak to your supervisor if you are worried that you are going to be left on your own with a young person or you are concerned about a young person's safety.
You should not take a young person alone on a car journey, however short, or take them home without parental approval, except where unavoidable in emergencies.

Conduct
Be alert to any potential harm or inappropriate behaviour in relation to young people.
If circumstances arise where a single child needs attention, offer to stay with a class or group of children while the teacher/carer attends to the individual.
You should not allow or engage in suggestive remarks, gestures or touching of a kind that could lead to misunderstanding.
Do not hesitate to tell your supervisor if you have any concerns regarding the behaviour of any young people or other staff/volunteers who come into contact with them.

General Health & Safety
Please be aware of the following general health & safety concerns:

The suitability of the task to be tackled by young people
The provision of safety information to leaders and participants
The provision of first aid facilities should also include trained personnel wherever possible
Communications and emergency procedures, including action in the event of an accident
Fire precautions
The provision of appropriate training

If harm is suspected
If a child or young person wants to talk about something that is concerning them:

Never promise to keep it a secret
Reassure them and if possible get advice from your supervisor
Listen carefully and calmly
Write down what they say as soon as possible
Never ask leading questions, eg. Did someone hurt you?

Notify your supervisor, and an LHCRT Director. The police should be informed and they will call on the local Social Services.
Contact the police, social services or NSPCC if a young person is in imminent danger and your supervisor or events manager are not available. An LHCRT Director should be contacted as soon as possible.

Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Checks
The need for CRB checks for individuals has been discussed by the Council of LHCRT and rejected for the following reasons. This policy will be reassessed from time to time or if and when these criteria change.

• LHCRT volunteers do not work directly with children and young adults.
• Where a service in support of children and young adults is provided, it is a requirement that they will always be in the care of teachers, carers or group leaders.
• No young adults (under 18) are eligible to join LHCRT work parties as an insurance requirement.

1.	Waterways for Tomorrow.	Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. June 2000.
2.	A Second Waterway Age.	Review of waterway restoration and development priorities. Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council. June 2001.
3.	The Lichfield Canal.	A report considering the costs, benefits and possible time scale of the restoration, including potential funding sources. L&HCRT Ltd. December 1993.
4.	The Lichfield Canal Survey - 1997.	The Economic Benefits of Restoring the Lichfield Canal. M H Smith for L&HCRT. August 1999.
5.	A Report on The Potential Impacts, Environmental Benefits and Disbenefits of the Restoration of the Lichfield Canal.	Ed Sharkey Associates. February 2000.
6.	Planning Policy Guidance Note 13, Transport.	DETR. March 2001.

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