The 18th AGM held on Friday, 25th April 2008 at Whittington Village Hall was attended by nearly 50 members and supporters who heard heart-warming reports of achievements made during 2007. Chairman Brian Kingshott stressed how much the efforts of Directors and volunteers had contributed in the year, but sounded a note of caution in that more and younger people were needed to take part in moving the Trust forward into the future. Success brings added burdens which must be spread across a wider operating base. Presentation of the annual accounts audited by Dains - supplemented by those for the Retail Trading Company examined by West - confirmed draft figures published in the last issue of “Cut Both Ways”, certified as upholding the Trust’s accounting records and financial statements. Directors retiring by rotation were duly re-elected as also were Dains as main auditors.

Following the formal business, Cllr Terry Thomas, Sheriff of Lichfield announced that the Trust will receive a donation of around £1,000 from among the charities he has chosen to support during his present year in office. Also, a cheque for £1,000 was presented by Tim Burgin on behalf of the Inland Waterways Association, Lichfield Branch, from their successful fund-raising activities last year to go towards the cost of a Feasibility Study needed for the Lichfield Canal. The Chairman expressed particular thanks for these generous donations which greatly assist the Trust in its work. The meeting ended with an encouraging talk by Ivor Caplan on the rewards being reaped by the Droitwich Canal Trust after some 35 years of determined efforts in moving soon towards completing the restoration of the two historic canals in the Droitwich area.

The Prize Draw for 2008 is now up and running. First prize £500 CASH. Winning tickets will be drawn at our Social Evening at Whittington Village Hall on 8th November. Before then we need to sell lots of tickets, so if you can help us by selling some to friends and family do please get in touch. It would be great if we could beat all previous records and raise £5,000 this year.

We are very pleased to be able to offer Boatwoman's Bonnet kits for sale containing fabrics and full instructions for making a traditional Boatwoman's Bonnet. Available in women's and children's sizes.

Trust supporters can now raise funds for L&H through selling their surplus goods on the Internet auction site E-bay. The Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust is one of E-bay's recognised charitable causes, so sellers on the site can donate a percentage of the proceeds from goods that they sell direct via the E-bay web site, and E-bay will then donate a matching percentage amount of their commission to the Trust as well. If the seller donates all the proceeds to L&H, then E-bay will donate all its commission too. There is also an option to enable the donation to qualify for Gift Aid. Those with goods to sell can take advantage of the scheme by logging on to the site (www.ebay.co.uk) in the usual way and proceeding to the 'sell' section. During the listing of the goods, there is an option to donate a percentage of the proceeds to a charity, at which those charities recognised by E-bay are listed – the Trust is listed under 'L'. Goods that are sold to benefit charities, either in whole or in part are highlighted on the E-bay site with the “E-bay for Charity” blue and yellow ribbon symbol to make them more attractive to buyers. Full details of how the scheme works and on-screen instructions are given on the E-bay web site.

What do you do with your old mobile phone handset when you get an upgrade? A recycling company will pay up to £10 for them (possibly more).

New Trust member Martin Woodhouse has offered to organise a collection on behalf of L&H to raise funds for the Trust. All proceeds from the recycling company would come to the Trust in full, Martin seeks no recompense for expenses.

Phones can be delivered to the address below, or if members could gather 4 or 5 together, Martin would collect them from anywhere in the Cannock - Lichfield areas.

Mike Battisson, Kate Griffiths, Verona Murphy, Hilary Smith and Stuart Hickson

On Saturday 6th May 2006, staff from Trust sponsors Dains Chartered Accountants fulfilled a long standing promise to confirm their Company’s commitment to the environment by participating in a bulb planting exercise along the towpath-side banks at the back of Lock 26 on the Tamworth Road in Lichfield.

Patience had been necessary to wait until restoration volunteers had completed much of the excavation and building work needed to restore the towpath wall.

Many thanks are due to Dains’ sterling volunteer group (On the far right) Stuart Hickson with Hilary Smith LHCRT Trust member who co-ordinated the planting (next from the right), then Verona Murphy and Kate Griffiths, with Mike Battisson in typical pose (his words) leaning on a fork ‘supervising?’

The bulbs principally bluebells, but also some single snowdrops had been collected from local gardens by Hilary and Mike Battisson but hugely supplemented by a collection given by Pat and Peter Magee, many thanks to them also.

They all agreed to return at the same time next year by which time the results of their labours should there for all to enjoy.