Lock keepers needed to help boaters this summer

Lock keeper Brian Orwin has volunteered on the canals around South Yorkshire for the last 10 years.

A narrowboat owner himself, he wanted to do his bit to help maintain the waterways with the charity Canal & River Trust, who are looking to recruit more volunteers like Brian to help look after the locks over the summer.

He said: "I started on the Tinsley Flight for two years and then I moved down to just outside Doncaster to Long Sandall, and I've been there for about eight years."

Orwin, who used to be in the Merchant Navy and was stationed on the QE2 for more than 20 years, said as well as operating the locks when a boater wants to pass, the volunteers help maintain the grounds around the canals.

He said: "Where I am at Long Sandall, there are a lot of gardens, a picnic field, there are lawns that need moving and flower beds that need weeding.

"I tend to push the lawnmower about and another guy does a lot of painting.

"Everybody pitches in to make the lock a welcoming place for our visitors."

The Canal & River Trust is looking to recruit volunteers on its network and help narrowboaters, as it anticipates an increase in people holidaying in England and Wales this year.

The charity said lock keeper volunteers play a key role in welcoming people and giving local information about the area.

Volunteers are needed to help in South and West Yorkshire, on the Tinsley Flight on the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal and on the South Yorkshire Navigation in Rotherham, Mexborough, Swinton and Doncaster.

People are also needed to help freight barges in Wakefield, and for those with some experience, tidal lock keepers are needed at West Stockwith and Keadby locks.

Anyone thinking of signing up in Yorkshire would be joining the team of 215 volunteer lock keepers in the region.

Volunteer lock keepers help the charity on a shift basis between April and October, while many stay on over the winter months.

Full training will be provided and anyone over 18, of any level of experience, is encouraged to apply.

Sean McGinley, regional director at Canal & River Trust, said: "It promises to be a busy year on our waterways with boaters heading out onto the water and people taking the opportunity to book boating holidays.

"Our volunteer lock keepers play a key role in keeping things running smoothly and helping visitors and boaters with their local knowledge, with the opportunity to chat with people face-to-face in the great outdoors.

"Volunteering at the trust is open to everyone, it is flexible and offers a rewarding experience where you can really make a difference."

He added: "It's a wonderful opportunity to keep the tradition of lock keeping alive."

Those wanting to apply for a volunteer lock keeper role in Yorkshire are being asked to visit the Canal & River Trust website.

Canal & River Trust said there are three types of lock sites which have vacancies in South Yorkshire. These are:-

• Manual locks, which are operated by hand using a windlass and mainly assist narrowboats.
• Freight/river locks, which are mechanical locks, pushing buttons in a lock control tower. Inland waterways freight passage is booked twice a week through these locks, volunteers will assist freight barges by opening several locks along the journey each way.
• Tidal locks, which are the biggest locks on the network, where river meets canal. These posts are usually offered to either existing lock keepers or people with a boating background. As the tide times range from early morning into the evening, this role requires most commitment.

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