21 June
WATERWAY MUSEUMS AND ATTRACTIONS CELEBRATE HISTORIC FIRST ANNIVERSARY
To mark its first anniversary the Canal & River Trust is opening the doors to its three museums;
National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port; Gloucester Waterways Museum and The Canal
Museum at Stoke Bruerne for free, and offering visitors to Standedge Visitor Centre in Yorkshire free 30minute boat trips into Britain’s longest canal tunnel.
In July 2012 the Canal & River Trust took over responsibility for 2,000 miles of canals and rivers in
England and Wales. The transfer of the waterways from state control to the voluntary sector was the largest of its kind ever to happen in this country.
The Canal & River Trust’s, Head of Museums and Attractions, Debbie Lumb, said: “The creation of the Canal & River Trust was an historic event in the life of the waterways and we are opening the museum doors for free so people can come and find out more about the important, but often hidden story, of our canals and rivers.
“The canals are wonderful working pieces of our nation’s heritage. It’s amazing to think that when we walk along the towpath we are still enjoying the hard work of thousands of men and women who created the canals over 250 years ago.”
Gloucester Waterways Museum will be offering free entry to visitors on Sunday 30 th June. The
National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port and The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne will be offering free entry to visitors on Tuesday 2 July and free 30-minute boat trips will be available from
Standedge Visitor Centre on Tuesday 2 July. Visitors to Anderton Boat Lift , on 2 July, who purchase a hot drink will be offered a slice of birthday cake to help celebrate the first birthday of the charity.
The doors at Ellesmere Port will reopen to v isitors on the 9 July, when the Trust’s Annual Meeting will be hosted by the National Waterways Museum. To make the 9 July an extra special day, entry to the museum will again be free so visitors can take advantage of seeing the museum putting on a real show – with special art workshops, archives open, engines running in the Power Hall, guided tours of the museum and a rare chance to take a behind the scenes tour of the Heritage Boatyard.
For more information including current exhibitions, opening times, directions and facilities, please visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/attractions
Canal & River Trust, Toll House, Delamere Terrace, London, W2 6ND
T 0203 3204 4429 E press.office@canalrivertrust.org.uk W www.canalrivertrust.org.uk
Twitter @CanalRiverTrust
Patron: H.R.H. The Prince of Wales. Canal & River Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales with company number 7807276 and registered charity number 1146792, registered office address: First Floor North, Station House, 500
Elder Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 1BB

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For further media requests please contact:
Gill Owen, National Campaigns Manager, Canal & River Trust m 07733124580 e gill.owen@canalrivertrust.org.uk
Notes to editors
The Canal & River Trust is the guardian of 2,000-miles of historic waterways across England and
Wales. We are among the largest charities i n the UK, maintaining the nation’s third largest collection of Listed structures, as well as museums, archives, navigations and hundreds of important wildlife sites.
We believe that our canals and rivers are a national treasure and a local haven for people and wildlife. It is our job to care for this wonderful legacy – holding it in trust for the nation in perpetuity and giving people a greater role in the running of their local waterways.
The museums and attractions group of the Canal & River Trust is made up of the Anderton Boat
Lift in Cheshire, Gloucester Waterways Museum, the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere
Port, Standedge Tunnel and Visitor Centre, Marsden and The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne,
Northamptonshire, plus the extensive collections and the national archives, currently housed at
Ellesmere Port. www.canalrivertrust.org.uk