We will be working with the Essex Waterways team to make significant brickwork repairs.
Both wingwalls of Stonham’s Weir have decayed and need repairing. Due to the technical nature of this project, you will need to register your interest before making payment. This is to make sure we have the right mix of skills & experience on site to make sure it is a fun and successful camp.
This is ‘our own’ working waterway – the Inland Waterways Association took over the running of the Chelmer and Blackwater over 10 years ago through its subsidiary Essex Waterways.
We will be working with the Essex Waterways team to make significant brickwork repairs.
Both wingwalls of Stonham’s Weir have decayed and need repairing. Due to the technical nature of this project, you will need to register your interest before making payment. This is to make sure we have the right mix of skills & experience on site to make sure it is a fun and successful camp.
This is ‘our own’ working waterway – the Inland Waterways Association took over the running of the Chelmer and Blackwater over 10 years ago through its subsidiary Essex Waterways.
We want everyone on our Canal Camps to stay as safe as possible. Read our Covid guidelines.
Our camps are open to anyone aged 18 or over with each camp costing just £70 per week, with food and accommodation included. We welcome participants from all different backgrounds, including those completing the residential section of their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Canal camps are going to look a little bit different this year (but hopefully they will still be as muddy and fun as always!). This year we are working to 4 key principles:
These principles will be backed up with risk assessments including a project plan, risk assessment and method statements, along with camp specific COVID risk assessments. In some shared spaces – such as walking around the accommodation and in the minibuses – you will also be required to wear a mask. Our leadership teams will also undergo additional training to ensure we can deliver an enjoyable experience and that all volunteers observe safeguarding measures.
Please note our COVID Staying Safe measures could be subject to change due to new variants and/or restrictions.
On top of the usual personal protective equipment we provide (hard hats, face masks, gloves ear defenders and safety glasses), volunteers will be given a pre-packed additional kit. This will include spare disposable surgical face masks, 2 x personal hand gel, a personal pack of anti-bacterial wipes and a COVID symptoms card.
We will not be asking volunteers to declare if they have been vaccinated, we are instead we are asking volunteers to take the following steps:
If you have been on a Canal Camp before you will know we use village halls or similar with volunteers sleeping in one large communal space. This has meant we have had to undertake a thorough review of each accommodation before agreeing to use it.
We have made the following changes:
See an example layout (pdf, 453KB) of sleeping arrangements in a hall.
Yes – we will be using our 9 seater minibuses but we will be limiting use to 6 volunteers – the driver plus 5 passengers to allow for social distancing.
Minibuses will be regularly cleaned and disinfected as part of our new hygiene regime – with hand gel stations at the doors.
Yes you will still be provided with 3 meals and cake by our wonderful Canal Camp Cooks. WRG has reviewed its Food Safety Management System and has made the following adjustments:
The risk of transmission in outdoor spaces is relatively low. Despite this, we must be confident the site is COVID secure to our standards, following our site specific risk assessment. Where possible work will also be planned to ensure volunteers do not work too closely together. Training and supervision will continue to be provided as usual, but may require additional risk assessments.
We will also be providing additional welfare areas for break times and extra hand cleaning stations
Rules around social activities will be dependent on COVID restrictions at the time but we hope to run a programme of social events in the evenings.
Any volunteer who develops Covid symptoms on camp must inform the camp leader and take a lateral flow test immediately. If the test is positive all volunteers on the camp will be asked to travel home and self-isolate. The accommodation will be deep cleaned before volunteers leave. The volunteer who tested positive should book a PCR test and inform the camp leader if that result is positive. All volunteers must self-isolate until they are contacted by WRG Head Office and advised on the next steps.
Yes but please remember spaces are limited this year so consider others when booking multiple camps.
If you are unable to proceed with your booking due to UK government restrictions related to Covid-19 which prevent you from travelling to one of our Canal Camps such as localised travel bans or the requirement to self-isolate you will be able to choose from one of the foolwing options:
Wearing a mask will be a personal choice. It is important to remember that at the start of the camp you are essentially forming a family, a new household of volunteers, for the week. We are therefore asking you to take on an element of individual responsibility to ensure the collective safety of everyone on a camp this summer.