Sawley Locks Volunteers

And we're back! It's the very first day of the 2025 season for our volunteers and today we have two of our most experienced (and loveliest) lock keepers, Adrian and Colin, on duty ready to help boaters on the Upper Trent. Happy #boating everyone! @CRTBoating @CRTEastMidlands

@CRTWalesandSW Where does the sediment go?

We're delighted to say we have completed a six-week dredging programme on the #Monmouthshire & #Brecon Canal to improve the navigation for boaters. The dredging has deepened the canal at Llangattock, Talybont, Pencelli and Brynich. About 300 tons of sediment were removed.

That’s a wrap! It’s our volunteer team’s final day at #Sawley for 2024. It’s been our pleasure to lock through thousands of boats, skippers and crew over the past six months or so. For those still #boating, stay safe on the water and see you next Easter. #VolunteerByWater

@MrsP32233725 That’s wonderful, thank you - will pass the message on. They’re a great bunch and really enjoy what they do. Almost the end of this volunteer season but they’ll be back again next spring. Meanwhile, welcome to boating and enjoy all your adventures. #volunteerbywater

@SawleyLocks We are new to boating and have come through Sawley Locks about 10 times recently. All your volunteers have been amazing, we always have great chats and they all have explained how the lock works and have been building our confidence. Thank you all.

Due to the reduction in boat movement and the changing weather at this time of year, our volunteers will be on duty only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through October. The locks remain fully automated and operable by boaters at all times, as usual.

@NBSeaGlass @CRTBoating Sawley locks are on red as is the entire Upper Trent. Our volunteer lock keepers are not in duty. More knitting for you today?

Just to let you know, if relevant, that the gauge at Derwent Mouth Lock (at Br 1 on the Trent and Mersey) is in the red, so no navigating the Trent between Shardlow and Sawley at the moment (23/9/24) @CRTBoating

Due to rising water levels and strong flows, the Upper Trent is on red and the @CanalRiverTrust advises users of all boats not to navigate. We therefore have no volunteer lock keepers on duty at @Sawley. For updates: tinyurl.com/5b5f24hx. Stay safe folks. @CRTEastMidlands

Congratulations to our newest qualified volunteer lock keeper, Carol, who passed her @CanalRiverTrust assessment this week and well done to those in our #Sawley team who did such a great job training her, too. #VolunteerByWater @CRTBoating @CRTEastMidlands #volunteering

Here's the list of @CanalRiverTrust Winter stoppages including waterways near Sawley (the Trent & Mersey Canal & the Soar). The list is (pardon the pun!) easy to navigate by waterway name or just a whole network map view. tinyurl.com/bdfbk65c @CRTEastMidlands @CRTBoating

Another of our female trainees has just successfully passed her Lock Keeper assessment, joining our great team of volunteers here at Sawley. If you have dreamed of becoming a lock keeper or #volunteerbywater in any way you can find vacancies here: tinyurl.com/3um3b2mn

@mrstiggy1 @CanalRiverTrust Thank you - that’s lovely to hear.

Congratulations and a huge thank you to Tina, one of our newer volunteer lock keepers at #Sawley, who was presented with her 100 @CanalRiverTrust volunteering hours award yesterday. Our 3 person team together locked through 60 boats on a beautiful boating day. #volunteerbywater

@HillmortonLocks @CanalRiverTrust We’ll pass that on. The way she’s going this season, it won’t be long!

@SawleyLocks @CanalRiverTrust Well done Tina 👍 Here's to your Bronze 🥉 badge.

In the space of a few days we’ve gone from being off duty due to high water levels to Tina and Tim, today’s volunteer lock keepers, needing the shade of a parasol to stay out the sun on the hottest day of the year. The vagaries of our Great British summers! #VolunteerByWater

The gardening efforts of our volunteers were subject to a full inspection by this guy at the weekend, swanning around like he owned the place...

@mrstiggy1 Thank you - we do appreciate when someone takes the time to say thank you. Safe onwards travel. See you next time.

@mrstiggy1 Hi - yes, both our colleagues at Cranfleet and members of the team here at Sawley will be on duty on Sunday. We look forward to seeing you and helping you through. Safe travels.

@nboatSerenity @Goldilocksboat @CRTEastMidlands Fab - we have folks on duty all weekend and look forward to the DMBC events, as usual. In case our volunteers don't get time to take photos, anything you can snap and share with us would be very much appreciated. Have fun!

@SawleyLocks @Goldilocksboat @CRTEastMidlands Well done guys, not sure who is on next Saturday but you’re in for a treat. It’s Derby Motor Boat Club’s Cream Tea Charity event and followed by D Day Celebration’s so there will be a fly past, not sure what time but when I know I’ll let you know I will be there 👍

Volunteer Barrie was very happy to help @Goldilocksboat through again today, especially as she was double-breasting, helping another boat off the river. Boaters are a lovely mutually supportive community and that's one reason why we like to #VolunteerByWater @CRTEastMidlands

Thank you @MarkLastMiner for the lovely tweet earlier - looks like the lovely Andy was your volunteer lock keeper this morning and we've passed your thanks on. Safe onward journey. See you next time. #VolunteerByWater

@MarkLastMiner Thank you - I’ll pass it on.

Big thanks to @SawleyLocks Lifesaver for solo boaters Keep up the good work 🤠🤠💙❤️👍👍 #boatsthattweet