MIDDLEWICH Lock Keepers have been named Northwest ‘Volunteer Team of the Year’ by the Canal and Rivers Trust.

The award acknowledges their dedicated service helping boaters through locks on the Trent and Mersey Canal around Middlewich.

Lock keepers have been part of canal life for hundreds of years, and volunteer lock keepers play an important role in keeping the age-old tradition alive.

The role of the modern-day volunteer lock keeper is to help look after the waterways, including assisting boaters through locks, providing a friendly welcome to visitors, and keeping the canal looking its best.

Christine Mellor, head of volunteering at the Canal and River Trust, said: “In the decade since the trust’s launch, we have seen an incredible change in the number of people volunteering on the canals and the impact that they have.

“This summer, volunteers donated their five millionth hour to the Canal and River Trust since our launch ten years ago.

“These awards reflect how much we value and appreciate our volunteers who, working together with colleagues across the trust, have enabled us to tend our beautiful green and blue spaces for future generations.

The Canal and River Trust protects and preserves 2,000 miles of canals and river navigations across England and Wales.

As well as maintaining the canal infrastructure and preserving heritage buildings such as traditional lock keeper’s cottages, they also manage their land holdings for conservation purposes, which includes protecting wildlife, completing research projects and improving biodiversity in and around the network.

Daniel Greenhalgh, north west director at Canal and River Trust, said: “Our volunteers make a tremendous contribution to the north west waterways, bringing their skills, enthusiasm and experience to a vast array of activities and tasks and enabling us to keep the canals open and available for people to use and enjoy.

“These awards showcase the range of their talents and celebrate their enthusiasm, passion, and sheer hard work.

“They are an inspiration and I offer my congratulations to them all.”

For more details visit canalrivertrust.org.uk.