Lichfield’s canal restoration trust has been presented with a cheque for £1,000 by the local branch of the Inland Waterways Association.
Christine Bull, chairperson of Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust, who received the cheque at the November meeting of the Lichfield branch of the IWA, said the donation will be put towards the Trust’s Tunnel Vision Appeal. The campaign, to raise £1m by early 2019 to build a tunnel for the canal under the Cross-City railway line at the same time as a road tunnel is constructed to take the extension to Lichfield Southern By-pass, was launched earlier in the year by David Suchet, the renowned actor and Trust Vice President.
The appeal has already raised over £400,000 and IWA Lichfield Branch chairman Phil Sharpe said: “The IWA is pleased to be able to support this vital project to help secure the continuing restoration of the canal. “This represents another good year of fundraising for Lichfield Branch, chiefly from the sales stand run by Helen Whitehouse and helpers at meetings and at waterway events including Fradley Junction, Moira and Huddlesford. “Over the past 30 years Lichfield Branch has donated £44,000 to waterway restoration projects, including £23,000 to Lichfield & Hatherton.”
Christine said: “Not only was I able to enjoy a superb presentation by Phil Clayton on
The Caledonian Canal but I was, on behalf of LHCRT, amazed to be given a cheque for
£1,000 from Lichfield IWA.
“What I'd been told would be a ‘significant donation’ in the event far exceeded what I'd
expected.
“I’m extremely grateful to all at Lichfield IWA branch for the time they put into sales
events such as Huddlesford.”
