A PROJECT to restore a historic stretch of canal near Newent is “coming on a treat”, but more volunteers are being sought to help complete the works. 

The Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust, which is aiming to completely rebuild the “beautiful” stretch of canal between two counties, is holding a Volunteer Recruitment Day at its current project site at Malswick on Monday, May 8.

They’re encouraging anyone who may be interested in helping them to attend between 10am and 2pm to see their progress at the site first hand.

The old canal, which was some 34 miles long, was emptied of water in the 1880s to develop a railway, with the line through Newent eventually closing in 1964.

Since the trust was established in the early 1990s, works have been ongoing to restore it, with 600 metres of canal near Newent the group’s main project site currently.

The trust secured permission to work on the three-quarters-of-a-mile stretch at Malswick from the Forest Council in 2021. 

They say they’re not only focused on restoring the canal, but also “helping ecological diversity on the way”.  

A spokesperson for the group said of their volunteering opportunities: “There are numerous tasks being undertaken. Whether you want to lead or be part of a team restoring and/or maintaining our sites, maintain machinery, plant trees and hedging, be a back-office helper, assist at our sales stand at various local events and much more, please come and find out what we do.”

The original canal ran from Hereford to Gloucester and was linked to the River Severn. 

It was opened in two phases in 1798 and 1845, and closed in 1881. 

The trust’s ultimate aim is to fully restore the canal, with works having so far been carried out at several sites in the two counties, including at Over back in 2012.

The restoration near Newent was kicked off in 2017 when the land was purchased.

Countless hours have been spent preparing and carrying out the works at Malswick, mainly by local volunteers assisted by those from the Inland Waterways Association recovery group. 

The spokesperson continued: “In Gloucestershire our main working sites are at Over, Malswick, Oxenhall/Newent and others as well. We also have other sites in the pipeline, and of course sites in Herefordshire - plenty of scope.

“At Malswick - our current big project site - in the past 18 months we have installed a 30-metre culvert with large concrete pipes, helped to construct another culvert with 6 foot plastic pipes, dug what is becoming the canal channel, planted 500 metres of hedging, cleared scrub from a large overgrown area, constructed a new entranceway and much more. 

“We use diggers (13 ton and 5 ton in the last year), dumpers and rollers and other machinery and training has been given to volunteers on all this equipment.

“The site is coming on a treat, but we need more help, both there and on other sites.”

Recently the trust has acquired a further piece of land opening up another 450 metre stretch of potential canal, which they intend to apply for planning permission for.

“This new section will require the installation of a swing bridge. 

“At the end of this section a lock is planned, although the timing of its construction is not yet clear.”

The site can be found off the B4215 Newent/Gloucester road at GL18 1HE, approx. 500 metres from the Malswick House pub toward Gloucester, opposite ‘All About Dogs’.