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The charity making life better by water

Heron stands on a grassy towpath next to the canal

Donate

As a charity we urgently need your support to keep the canals you love alive with nature and their heritage protected for the future.

Since 2012, we’ve been caring for this 250-year-old, 2,000-mile-long network. Once abandoned and left to fall into disrepair, thanks to the incredible work of our teams, volunteers and the generosity of our supporters, canals are now used and loved more than ever before – by boaters, anglers, local communities, and wildlife.

Although these historic navigations are valued more than ever under our care, they remain fragile and vulnerable, and the task of protecting them is ever-growing. A changing climate, rapidly rising costs and the inexorable tests of time are all taking their toll.

Please support our work today.

Donate by phone

You can make a donation by calling us on 0303 040 4040. Our phone lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm.

Donate by post

Send a cheque made payable to 'the Canal & River Trust' to:

Canal & River Trust Bumpers Way Bumpers Farm Chippenham SN14 6NG

Please enclose a note with your name and contact details so we can write to say thank you.

Other ways you can donate

Need help?

If you are having difficulties donating, please call our Supporter Care Team on 0303 040 4040.

Help #KeepCanalsAlive

In July 2023 Government announced a new funding settlement, spanning from 2027 to 2037, to follow on from our current grant agreement. Whilst we welcome this further long-term commitment to the nation's historic waterways, the amount awarded represents a steep reduction in funding of over £300 million in real terms over a ten-year period. A reduction that will have devastating consequences on our canals and the people and wildlife who rely on them.

Such a steep reduction will inevitably result in a decline in the overall condition of our waterway network, and, alarmingly, the possibility of canal closures. It puts at risk invaluable natural habitats, historic infrastructure and cherished public spaces.

We're reaching out to you, our passionate and engaged community, to join us in our mission to #KeepCanalsAlive.

photo of a location on the canals
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