Wey & Arun Canal Trust volunteers have now been able to get back to canal restoration and maintenance jobs with the easing of government restrictions.
The first group in action was the Eric Walker Group, the team building the new bridge at Harsfold, near Wisborough Green. Work came to a sudden halt in March just as the Harsfold workers had laid the steel beams on the bridge deck and were preparing to pour 18m3 of concrete. The team had already endured winter storms and flooding, putting the project back by several weeks.
Easing of government lockdown restrictions meant the small team was able to get back to it this month, working to strict health and safety guidelines and distancing rules. As the first of the Trust’s working parties to get back up and running, their experiences provided a best practice guide for all other Trust working parties to follow, ensuring volunteers are kept safe and working to social distancing guidelines.
The concrete pour was the first task, followed by completing the brickwork on the bridge piers. The team have now to fit metal balustrades between the brick piers and complete the landscaping around the bridge.
Volunteers have been working in small groups, five days a week, and their heroic efforts have meant the bridge can now take farm traffic.
