Cressy Cruise welcome in Audlem

The Cressy Cruise welcome celebration in Audlem on Sunday afternoon was a warm and friendly event. Everyone seems to have enjoyed it.

Inland Waterways Association Branch President, Michael Limbrey, introduced East Cheshire deputy Mayor Cllr Roger West who spoke of the value of the waterways to the district and praised the work of the Association in its campaign for them.

He was followed by the Chairman of Audlem Parish Council, Cllr Kate Down, who recalled that in his book "Narrowboat", Tom Rolt described Audlem in 1939 as 'a sleepy group of old houses, inns and shops clustering about a church perched upon a mound'.

BusyShe contrasted that with the present busy canalside scene which brings many visitors to the village and recalled how they had been missed when there had been a breach in the canal bank last year.

Kate also recalled how Rolt had bought home-made Chorley cakes and treacle toffee in Audlem, and presented Ron and Mary Heritage with a selection made by members of the Association.

This presentation was followed by a brief address by Major Crick Grundy who had joined the Inland Waterways Association in 1946, its first year of existence, and had known Tom Rolt. With his parents he had joined Tom and Angela Rolt as they attempted, unsuccessfully, to force a passage up the Welsh Canal to Llangollen in 1947.

MedallionHe then presented Ron and Mary Heritage with a medallion showing two scenes of Audlem, past and present. This is one of a series of medallions collected on the cruise which will be displayed all together at the National Waterways Festival at Beale Park on the River Thames near Reading at the end of the Centenary Cruise.

At the conclusion of the event, Heron was sent off to continue her Centenary Cruise by British Waterways Manager, N Wales & Border Waterway, Mrs Wendy Capelle.

Whilst the IWA celbrate the improvements in the waterways since 1946 we do have concerns about the future. We all remembers what happened last year when the Shropshire Union Canal burst its banks and the number of visitors in Audlem fell.

So while we celebrate what the canals offer, we are worried about the effect of cuts in funding for British Waterways. Their budget for the maintenance of Britain's waterways has already been cut and we fear that they could have further cuts imposed on them. British Waterways must be able to keep the waterways safe for the boaters, walkers and anglers who use them, and for the people who live and work alongside them."

Friendly and HappyWe met the Heritages a day later in Market Drayton to pass on some papers left behind. They went out of their way to say that they felt that Audlem was one of the friendliest and happiest places of their tour. Janet and I would like to thank all the people of Audlem who helped us to acheive that.

Denis Farmer

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