Welcome to the Web site of

The Kennet and Avon Canal Trust

Latest update: Tuesday, 02 June 2009 14:33

The KACT e-newsletter

A monthly email-only newsletter for members, covering news of the day, Trust activities, comments, events etc has been started. If you have not received your copy, please send an email to our office manager, Katherine Langford‑Jones.

Annual Report

Following the Annual General Meeting of the Trust, held on Saturday the 7th of May at the Claverton Pumping Station, a summary report on the activities of the Trust has been published. Detailed copies of the Annual Consolidated Financial Statements can be obtained from our office manager, Katherine Langford‑Jones.

Employment and Volunteering Opportunities

From time to time, there are employment opportunities and there are always opportunities for volunteers as directors of the Trust and its trading subsidiary, K&A Enterprise Ltd as well as a host of other volunteering opportunities in our shops at our Heritage sites and along the canal in organised Volunteer work parties, click here for details.

WHY NOT JOIN THE TRUST TODAY?

Did you know that you can Join the Trust on line today by clicking here. By joining you help us to ensure we can continue our work to keep the UK's Favourite Waterway open and thriving.

You can also make a donation at any time towards the ongoing work of the Trust by clicking the Donate button at the foot of this page.

For existing Members you can now help us save money by allowing us to send your subscription reminders and other correspondence by E-mail

Did you know you can have your renewal reminders and other correspondence sent by e-mail? Doing so will save the Trust postage and help the environment by reducing the amount of paper used and transported. 

To sign up for both email subscription reminders and to allow us to correspond with you by e-mail, please send us an e-mail to the Administrator at the address on the left from the e-mail account you want the reminders and correspondence sent to. 

If you just want to receive e-mail reminders

Put in the subject line ‘Email Reminders - ' followed by your membership number, a hyphen then your surname for example 'Email Reminders - 9876 - Bloggs'.

If you want to receive correspondence by e-mail as well as subscription reminders,

Put in the subject line ‘Email Reminders and correspondence' followed by your membership number, a hyphen then your surname for example 'Email Reminders and correspondence - 9876 - Bloggs'.

The Trust has been in existence for over 40 years. It was formed to restore the, then closed, Kennet & Avon Canal from Reading to Bristol as a "through" navigation and as a public amenity.

Successful fund raising, campaigning and volunteer-work over many years were rewarded when Her Majesty the Queen reopened the canal in 1990.

Since then, in partnership with British Waterways and the riparian local authorities, the Trust has continued to work to safeguard and enhance the navigation.

The problem of water shortage was resolved by a 1 million back-pumping scheme for the Devizes flight. The Kennet & Avon Canal Partnership, of which the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust is a key member, attracted the largest single lottery grant ever to be awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund - 25 million towards a 29 million project, to complete the restoration and to make it operational, sustainable and accessible for the enjoyment of future generations.

The completion of restoration was celebrated in May 2003 with a visit from HRH Prince Charles.

The Kennet and Avon Canal Trust has three separate, but complementary, objectives:

• To protect the restored Canal from neglect, abuse and inappropriate development.
• To enhance the Canal, either by the direct application of Trust funds or, more likely, to unlock larger amounts through matched funding.
• To promote the Canal as a magnificent national amenity that is freely available for the enjoyment of all.

The Trust's membership reflects the wide range of leisure activities - boating, cycling, fishing, walking, pursuit of wildlife and heritage interests - that the public can enjoy along the 87 mile length of the Canal.

Together, we are "The Friends of the Kennet and Avon Canal".

The Trust works constantly to Protect, Enhance and Promote

The Kennet and Avon Canal - "Britain's Favourite Waterway"

Please make a donation to the ongoing work of the Trust