The WRG Training Award has been set up to assist with the cost of training volunteers in skills associated with inland waterway restoration. Since the early years, restoration projects have gradually become more and more complex, requiring volunteers to operate large machinery, conduct extensive surveys and deal with increasingly demanding legislation, all to the very highest standards. The criteria for the award are set deliberately wide and encourage applications from individuals as well as canal societies who may wish to organise training for a group of volunteers. Although there is a list of ‘preferred areas’ applications will be accepted for any area of training.

1. A single contact should be given for correspondence. Other people covered by the application (if any) should be listed on the reverse side of the form or as an appendix to it.
2. Applicants must include full details of the training, not to exceed two sides of A4 paper, which should be enclosed with the application.
3. We wish to encourage co-operation between different groups involved in waterway restoration. Any submission must have the backing of the management of at least one waterway restoration society. Submissions from several groups that are not specific to a particular site should still have the backing of a restoration society. A suitable letter detailing this support should be enclosed with the applications.
4. The training course should provide a recognised qualification. This would normally be one provided by a recognised training organisation. However, in exceptional circumstances, it may be an ‘internal’ course run by WRG, IWA or any restoration group should such skills arise, and if the judges are satisfied that the results would be beneficial to waterway restoration.
5. This award can provide up to 75% of the direct costs (i.e. course costs, travel and accommodation expense) up to a maximum of £750. Costs should be given as ‘per person’.
6. WRG will make up to a maximum of 6 awards per year. Applications are welcome throughout the year. All submissions will be judged by the WRG Committee at their bi-monthly meetings.
7. The award is made subject to conditions, including publicity and verification of expenditure that will be detailed upon the grant of the award.
8. The judges’ decision will be subject to ratification by WRG’s Board, which will be final. WRG reserves the right to not discuss details regarding applicants nor make its reasoning known.
9. WRG Training Award will be granted either to the restoration group or the individual concerned upon proof of the expenditure (such as copies of invoices/ receipts/etc).
10. Grant applications must be received in good time before training has commenced to allow time for review and discussion. We will not fund retrospective applications.

Application form

The form should be completed with reference to the notes above.

Note that these questions are only to gain a common baseline for comparisons. Each case will be assessed on its individual merits and any additional supporting evidence that is supplied will be taken into account.

Download the document below to see the application form.