WHEELCHAIR users will be among visitors able to appreciate the benefits of spending time by the water at Saul Junction with the creation of a new picnic area.
Volunteers from the Canal & River Trust have spent eight months building the area, which has been designed to provide space for up to four wheelchairs at the adapted tables, at the popular mid-point of the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. Lead volunteer Malcolm Humphries said: “The new wheelchair-friendly picnic area is a great addition: we want everybody to be able to enjoy the benefits of spending time by the water. Our volunteers have done a fantastic job in building this accessible space which is sure to be a popular spot for visitors throughout the summer.”
The project was made possible thanks to funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and two local firms which donated materials. The Cullimore Group provided the hardcore and pre-mix concrete that makes up the foundations of the area, with Highfield Garden World contributing plants that have been planted in an old dinghy, gifted by the Cotswold Canal Trust, which has been split into two attractive planters. Volunteers gave 1335 hours of their time to care for Saul Junction in 2023, with a team of 10 volunteers spending two days a week looking after the spot on the Green Flag-accredited waterway.
Malcolm added: “Our volunteers do a wonderful job making Saul Junction a fantastic place to be. They look after mowing, strimming and the upkeep of planters, while picking up litter and maintaining a stretch of the canal from Fretherne Bridge towards Longney.” The new picnic area follows previous support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery including the projects at Saul Junction that have included the creation of a wildlife pond to attract great crested newts, hedgerow work and towpath improvements.
