Shropshire Union Canal

Published: Dec. 12, 2013, 3:30 p.m.

Felicity Evans travels along the backwaters of the Shropshire Union Canal meeting people who've adopted a new area as their own. Starting out near Beeston she joins Wirral Autistic Society who have adopted a 2 mile stretch of the canal, which they've used regularly, to maintain its upkeep. She sets to work and finds out how it's changed how they feel about the area. Along the way she helps monitor the hedgerows which were introduced when the canals were created to stop stock entering the waterways. Now many sections are in poor condition but they need to be improved to help a rare moth which has adopted it as its own. Travelling on to Ellesmere Port and the National Waterways Museum finds out who still use the canals and how a new generation are learning the traditional skills to rebuild and restore heritage boats. Produced in Bristol by Anne-Marie Bullock.