Rotary club adopt stretch of canal

A group of rotary club members are helping to keep their community clean after adopting a two-mile (3.2km) stretch of a canal towpath.

The team of volunteers from Aldridge are maintaining the section of path between Stubbers Green Road and Daw End Lane in Rushall.

Andrew Pointon is one the volunteers and said the team, who meet once a week, spend their time cutting back trees, stabilising the muddy ground and tidying up after storm damage.

He said: "I think it so important that local groups get involved and give our time and effort to keep these things maintained."

"It is quite a task to do, but the resource that the canal provides for local communities, in terms of exercise and just getting out in the fresh air, if we don't look after them now we will lose them."

The group look after the stretch of the waterway on behalf of the Canal and River Trust, but are not responsible for its maintenance.

In the aftermath of Storm Darragh, the team removed a fallen tree that had blocked the towpath, which the trust said was one of 150 trees that fell across the network.

The group is hoping to encourage more people to volunteer in their community.

"It doesn't take much time, but you can't just do it once, you've got to come back and keep maintaining it", Mr Pointon added.

Another volunteer, Keith Wild, praised everyone involved for devoting their time and said the group was also a great way to meet new people.

"We're all retired which is fortunate, we've got time on our hands and we might just as well as use it for the benefit of the community."

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