We have continued our programme of government engagement to keep the profile of our campaign as high as we can with politicians, and prospective politicians, from all sides. This has involved more detailed stakeholder mapping and many meetings with MPs, including visits to all regions of our extensive canal network and to many of our 'Winter Works' events.
We are seeking to promote greater use and appreciation of our canals and the benefits they bring to communities and to the country, and to have greater understanding of our role in caring for them - hence to build both public and political support.
On 6 March we took our campaign right to the heart of government, with a reception in the Houses of Parliament. We demonstrated the important role that the canal network and the Trust itself can play in helping address national challenges - such as infrastructure resilience, water security and nature recovery - as well as providing the social value that we traditionally think of in connection with our canals.
