At this year’s AGM at the St John’s Campus Conference Centre in Worcester, we celebrated the winners of the Sustainable Boating Awards, presented in partnership with Towpath Talk. These awards recognise individuals, organisations, and businesses making a real difference in sustainable boating. We also presented the IWA National Awards 2026, honouring members and waterway campaigners whose dedication has helped protect, improve, and bring new life to our inland waterways.
The results of the awards are as follows:
Sustainable Boating Awards:
NON-COMMERCIAL AWARD 2026
Awarded to the individual, charity or community organisation that, in the opinion of the judges, has made the most valuable contribution to sustainable boating during the last twelve months.
Fulham Reach Boat Club
For undertaking a range of environmental and sustainability initiatives including introducing electrically propelled coaching and safety boats, running a water quality testing programme and organising river clean-ups.
COMMERCIAL AWARD 2026
Awarded to the business that, in the opinion of the judges, has made the most valuable contribution to sustainable boating during the last twelve months.
Landamores Ltd
For being the leading constructors, converters and maintainers of electric boats on the Broads for some years and introducing sustainable propulsion and other innovations into a very traditional boat building market. v
[Details of the Awards are at https://waterways.org.uk/campaigns/sustainable-boating#award]
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
Circular Revolution Co-Op: For pioneering the collection and disposal of solid waste from separator toilets on boats.
IWA NATIONAL AWARDS
RICHARD BIRD MEDALS
For members of the Association whose efforts and support are considered to have brought significant benefit to the Association over a sustained period.
• Tony Clarke
Tony has been a dedicated Northampton Branch Committee member for many years and, for more than 15 years, has been the Editor of its quarterly magazine, Endeavour, keeping members informed, connected and engaged, while making a valuable contribution to the Branch.
• George Rogers
George has spent much of his life around canals and restoration. A civil and structural design engineer by training, he is Development Manager for the Chesterfield Canal Trust.
His contribution as a volunteer is equally impressive. George has led, cooked or volunteered on more than 60 WRG week-long camps and festivals and is currently a WRG Director. He has also been a Trustee of the Friends of the Cromford Canal, where he established and chaired its Strategic Restoration Committee, as well as serving as work party organiser and webmaster.
Within IWA, George became the inaugural Chair of the Restoration Delivery Group. He brings together professional expertise, practical experience and strategic thinking to help shape the Association’s restoration work.
From getting his hands dirty on WRG camps to helping deliver multi-million-pound restoration projects, George has made an outstanding contribution to the waterways over many years.
• Debbie and Andrew Shepherd
Andrew and Debbie are being recognised for around 20 years of commitment to IWA activities in Leicestershire, including around 10 years as the Branch’s key officers.
Their determination and enthusiasm have been instrumental in keeping the Branch active and maintaining IWA’s presence in the area. They have organised and supported countless activities, with a particular highlight being the hugely successful Harborough ’75 event, which simply would not have happened without them.
They have also worked tirelessly to secure the completion of the Memory Lane Wharf visitor moorings and boater facilities, working with Canal & River Trust and Leicester City Council.
CHRISTOPHER POWER PRIZE
For a person, society or trust who has made the most significant contribution to the restoration of an inland waterway.
There is a cash prize associated with this award, which is given to the waterway restoration group associated with the winner, where the winner is a named individual. The aims and objectives of the group must be consistent with IWA’s aims and objectives. The trophy is a carved wooden otter.
David Carter – Shropshire Union Canal Society
David Carter, Chairman of the Shropshire Union Canal Society, has made a major contribution to the restoration of the Montgomeryshire Canal over many years.
For at least nine years, David organised the restoration work parties on the ‘Mont’, helping to bring a long section of the canal back into use as far as Crickheath Basin.
Working with volunteer labour and funding from a Heritage Lottery grant, David led a team through an ambitious programme of practical restoration. He organised regular work parties and everything needed to make them happen, from materials and plant to volunteers and safety arrangements, including navigating the additional challenges of working during the Covid pandemic.
The result was a remarkable volunteer-led restoration effort that saw sections of canal reappear where they had effectively disappeared into farmland.
David continues to lead the Society’s enhancement team, helping to maintain and improve the canal around Ellesmere. As Chairman, he also supports volunteers, works with CRT, councils and landowners, and takes on the many less visible jobs that keep the Society moving.
BRANCH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
For the IWA Branch which, in the opinion of a panel consisting of the National Chair, Deputy National Chairs and Chief Executive, has made the greatest progress and achievement in promoting the Association’s aims and objectives during the past year. All Branches are considered, without need for nomination. The award consists of a silver salver, donated to IWA by former National Chair David Stevenson for the purpose in 1998.
South Wales Branch
The Branch Achievement Award this year goes to the South Wales Branch, and in particular we wish to recognise the leadership, dedication and energy of Paul Thomas for his efforts in raising the profile of the Mon & Brec. Previous to Paul, Tony Pugh and Joe Taplin contributed substantially to the work and profile of the branch.
Recently, the branch has been at the forefront of the campaign as a key member of the Preserve & Protect the Mon & Brec Canal (PPMB) coalition.
It was pivotal in supporting a highly successful Petition that gained over 14,000 signatures and in organising the Senedd Rally in July 2025, which preceded the debate that saw overwhelming cross-party support for action.
Campaigners rallied outside the Senedd on the day the petition debate was held, gaining attention from the press and Senedd members.
Following the rally and debate, the Welsh Government announced the creation of the Task & Finish Group on 17th July 2025.
As mentioned in the Campaigns update, the Welsh Government then agreed a financial settlement of up to £400,000 every year, for the next five years to resolve the water abstraction crisis that threatened the future of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.
The leadership and hard work of Paul, and the whole branch, generated a campaign win that benefited IWA both locally and nationally.
JOHN HEAP SALVER
For an IWA member who, in the opinion of the trustees, has made an outstanding contribution to support the waterways. The trophy, a silver salver, was provided by then IWA trustee John Heap (who subsequently became national chairman) and first presented at the Association’s National Rally at Marple on the Peak Forest Canal.
Bob Williams
Bob Williams is being recognised for his outstanding and sustained contribution to the restoration of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals and for his long-standing responsibility for the financial affairs of the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust.
As a vital and committed member of the Trust’s committee for many years, Bob has played a key role in managing its finances and supporting the fundraising that has enabled its restoration work to continue. His dedication extends well beyond his formal responsibilities. Bob has consistently supported events and restoration activities, regularly being present on site and providing encouragement and practical support to volunteers.
A familiar and much-valued presence within the restoration community, Bob’s commitment over many years has helped sustain the Trust’s work and the wider effort to restore the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals.
CYRIL STYRING TROPHY
This is the Association’s premier award. For an IWA member who has, in the opinion of trustees, made an outstanding contribution in furthering the Association’s campaign.
Paul Waddington
Paul joined IWA in December 1982 and has been a dedicated waterways campaigner for more than 43 years. His involvement began with the Yorkshire Derwent campaign in the 1980s, including taking part in work parties.
But Paul’s greatest contribution has been to the Pocklington Canal. He served as Chair of the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society for an extraordinary 38 years, stepping down only earlier this year.
During that time, he masterminded much of the canal’s restoration, including the renovation of three locks, while building a strong and active canal society. Just as importantly, he ensured that the Society remained one of IWA’s most loyal and effective supporters of national campaigns.
Paul’s contribution therefore extends well beyond one canal. For more than four decades, he has worked tirelessly to restore and protect our waterways and to strengthen IWA’s campaigning work at both local and national level.
IWA is incredibly proud to recognise these champions for their vital contributions to our waterways.
