CANAL Laureate Roy McFarlane has become an ambassador for Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT).
Birmingham-born Roy, known for his evocative poetry and dedication to exploring the cultural and historical significance of Britain’s waterways, will help the trust raise funds and awareness of its projects.
The trust hopes his profile will help bring in new volunteers and bring them a step closer to reconnecting Staffordshire and the West Midlands through these historic canals.
Roy said: “I am delighted to become an ambassador for the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. Canals are not just waterways; they are living histories that tell the stories of our past. I look forward to working with the trust to ensure these stories are preserved and celebrated.”
The trust’s ongoing projects, including the creation of the Darnford Moors Ecology Park and the Gallows Reach Tamworth Road project, will benefit from his advocacy and creative contributions. His involvement is expected to draw attention to the ecological and cultural importance of the canals, encouraging more people to support the trust.
Carole Mills, chair of LHCRT, said: “We are honoured to have Roy McFarlane join us as an ambassador. His deep connection to canals and his ability to capture their essence through poetry will undoubtedly help us in our mission to reconnect our vital waterways to the Birmingham Canal Navigations.”
Roy is a distinguished poet, playwright and former youth and community worker who lived for many years surrounded by canals in the Black Country.
The National Canal Laureate and a former Birmingham Poet Laureate, he was also one of the Bards of Brum who performed in the opening ceremony for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022. His poetry collections include Beginning With Your Last Breath, The Healing Next Time and Living by Troubled Waters.
