Click on a picture to see a bigger version.
NB
Chèrie, which won the competition for the best-decorated
boat.
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The main theme of the event, decided long before it was
thought that the Save our Waterways campaign woulod still need to be
running in May was Canals combating congestion, and the event's main
focus was on freight on the waterways, especially in London.
Former Leeds
& L'pool short-boat Clitheroe carrying 60 tons of gravel.
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This did not prevent there being a significant SOW presence
at the event, with an article by Mike Stevens in the programme brochure and
plenty of publicity for SOW over the PA system. Quite a number of campaign
banners were in evidence on individual boats and elsewhere around the site.
The campaign against the cuts was the main focus of IWA
Chairman John Fletcher's speech at the opening ceremony, and this theme was
followed-up by Murad Qureshi (Chair of the Mayor of London's Waterways
Commission), who opened the event.
Report & photos by Mike
Stevens |
