"Hey, its a nice sunny day! Why don't we go and walk the line of that canal that the L&H are restoring? It goes through some lovely countryside and we could take the kids and the dog and a picnic - wouldn't that be a great day out?"

If this excellent idea occurs to you and you set off to explore some of the more remote parts of the line of the Lichfield or the Hatherton Canal you could perhaps be making my job more difficult. Landowners get very touchy if people wander across their property without permission and the good relations we try so hard to build up are very easily destroyed by enthusiastic exploration by our supporters. So here is some information about walkable lengths and our hopes for extending them.

Where can one walk at the moment? The Hatherton Canal towpath is walkable, thanks to the sterling efforts of our Hatherton Working Parties over many years, from the back of the Roman Way Hotel to the M6 (the Western access is at the Oak Lane bridge). On the Lichfield Canal there are four suitable areas. From Darnford Lane the public may walk through Trust land to the Lift Bridge and some 100 metres beyond. There is NOT a through route to Cappers Lane and walkers must not go past the notice board as this is a particularly sensitive area. Similarly sensitive, the length of in-water channel between Cappers Lane and Huddlesford Junction is leased to, and is the private mooring area of, the Lichfield Cruising Club. The Club has been co-operative in the past and has on occasion allowed organised walks along their towpath. I am glad to say our relations with the Club are improving steadily but we must not jeopardise this by intruding onto their land without invitation.

The Lichfield City Council owns the line of the canal from Lock 25 beside the Tamworth Road all the way through the London Road Bridge and past Wordsworth Close to Shortbutts Lane and this is a very pleasant grassed length to walk. There is also a well used but unofficial path running from the Chesterfield Road (starting beside the former Sandfields pumping station) along the former line of the canal to Fosseway Lane. Darnford Park lies between Boley Park and the A38 and stretches from the A51 Tamworth Road flyover to Cappers Lane. This is Public Open Space owned by the Lichfield District Council and it is possible to walk over the planned route of the Lichfield Canal from the A51 flyover down the hill to the point in the bottom of the valley where the canal will pass under the A38.

I hope the above will be useful to newer members and those living outside this area. Local members and older hands will be familiar with these routes - particularly those who participated in the Lichfield Canal Walk in 2002 when we were able, by agreement with landowners, to include some additional areas and provide a wonderful day out.

Members will be aware that the Trust registered for VAT towards the end of 2003. However, we still await a decision from HM Customs & Excise as to the extent to which they are prepared to permit the Trust to reclaim VAT on expenditure. This is a high value item in our accounts where we hope to be able to recover many £'000 every year.

The Regular Giving Scheme, since its launch just before the start of this year, has generated an income of nearly £10,000 in cash and medium-term pledges. We thank those who have participated, and would welcome more by way of the donation form sent with CBW No.37.

The Grand Prize Draw is going well this year, thanks to the attraction of Alvechurch Boat Centres providing the generous first prize of a 4-day holiday worth £500. Ticket sales have already raised over £2,000 - and we still have to the 6th November before the draw is made. Many thanks to Members who have already returned their counterfoils from those issued with the last Cut Both Ways. Please keep them coming in to help with fund-raising, and give yourselves the chance to win one of the many valuable prizes.

Government Inspectors have paid us a visit to examine accounting and output records for the European Regional Development Fund grant, followed by a tour of the relevant sites to observe progress. Seeming well pleased with our achievements so far, a report will become available in the coming weeks which should help us as we move forward with the specific project work.

Lichfield City Council have again this year made another grant of £500 to assist the Trust with restoration work on the Tamworth Road section.

Bob Williams, Finance Director