Major Corporations Pledge Support to Fledgling National Charity

Three major organisations are today (19 June 2012) announcing pledges of support for the new Canal & River Trust, (taking over from British Waterways in England & Wales) which will become the guardian of the nation’s 2,000-miles of wildlife-rich canals and river banks next month.

Google is encouraging people to discover and enjoy the wildlife along their local waterway by literally putting towpaths on the map – Google Maps.  £1m of funding is being pledged to the Trust thanks to players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.  And a partnership with The Co-operative Bank will offer the 10.5million people who already enjoy or live on the waterways the option of supporting the conservation work of the new Trust through everyday banking products.

Tony Hales, chairman of the Canal & River Trust, commented: “We are delighted that these exciting partners have come on board as we launch.  This is a huge vote of confidence in the Canal & River Trust and recognition of the important role it will play as the guardian of one of the nation’s environmental treasures. We’re looking forward to announcing some of the exciting initiatives we are planning together later in the year.”

Google and the Canal & River Trust are partnering to put the UK’s towpaths on Google Maps for the first time.  With 2,000 miles of easily accessible towpath, this includes the considerable task of highlighting access points, bridges, locks and tunnels.  Anyone will be able to use Google Maps to plan journeys that include canal and river towpaths as well as roads, helping to improve access to traffic-free routes through our towns and cities for walkers and cyclists.

Ed Parsons, geospatial technologist at Google UK, commented: "Canal towpaths offer green routes through our towns and cities and by working with the Canal & River Trust we’re adding towpaths to Google Maps and encouraging people to discover their local waterway." 

Charity lottery, the People’s Postcode Lottery, hopes its players will support £1m worth of essential conservation work across the Canal & River Trust’s network over the next decade through funds awarded by Postcode Green Trust. People’s Postcode Lottery makes up part of the third largest private funder of good causes in the world.

Clara Govier, head of charities, commented: “Players of People’s Postcode Lottery are proud to be backing this exciting development that will see the future management of our important local waterways firmly placed in the hands of Canal & River Trust. These vital lifelines across England and Wales must be protected and managed to ensure they remain an important asset to the communities in which our players live.”

The Co-operative Bank and the Canal & River Trust have joined up to help engage the public in the essential work to improve and care for the nation’s precious canals and rivers.

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