WBCT Swindon Branch

08/06/2026

Fantastic progress today at Wichelstowe — the road section of Badgers Bridge is now being lifted into place!

Wilts & Berks Canal Trust Advocacy Director Chloe Ford said:
“This is a momentous moment for the Trust and for Swindon. The joint venture team has worked at a brilliant pace on this build, delivering the next canal bridge along our route and helping shape the future of the canal from Abingdon to Semington.
This is an ambitious yet deliverable project that will benefit so many communities — creating wildlife habitats, green leisure spaces, and sustainable transport routes along our towpaths.
This is a proud moment for Swindon and beyond, and thank you to everyone involved.”

Photos credited: Henry Sullivan

The best way to support this work is to become a member 👍✅🙏
Join today from just £1.50 a month ⚡

05/06/2026

A huge thank you to Ian from Royal Wootton Bassett for generously donating racking for our replacement container — helping to save valuable Trust funds 🙏

As many people know, Swindon has sadly suffered multiple break-ins in recent years. Our original container was badly damaged and had to be replaced, and the new container arrived without any internal racking. Thanks to Ian’s support, that problem is now solved!

As we continue expanding work on the country’s longest restoration scheme by length, our volunteers rely heavily on tools, equipment, and donated resources to help maintain and build the canal network.
We regularly run work parties across all 5 branches, and donated items are always hugely appreciated. If you think you may have something useful that could help the Trust, please get in touch at: [email protected]

If you’d like to support us further, you can also make a one-off donation or join Club 200 — helping the Trust while also being in with a chance of winning prizes 😁
Find out more here: https://wbct.org.uk/donate/

01/06/2026

It's pay week!!
Raise money for us, without giving us any!! 🤔
YES YOU READ CORRECTLY....
spend as you normally do, but the vendor donated a portion to ourselves, easy peasy.

Hundreds have already been raised, but you can help!
Just sign up, log into fundraising and then select your vendor from the list and shop.
Weekly groceries to DIY, to insurance.

Help us when you shop with 7,000+ brands. Join now.

30/04/2026

Swindon - Royal Wootton Bassett- Boats & Bridges!

On the weekend our Dragonfly boat struggled past items that had been sadly thrown in the water. Our wonderful volunteers yesterday retrieved said items which take quite some work to retrieve.

Now with clear waters again our team will be running Dragonfly again this weekend!
Remember Royal Wootton Bassett Nonsuch is also running this weekend.
To book a boat trip 👇🛥️♥️👍

https://wbct.org.uk/boat-trips/

Many people using the tow path near Skew bridge in Westleaze will have noticed an iron bridge spanning the canal.
What's this for? The answer is maintenance access. Yes sorry it's not a new exciting route 😜
You are actually upon an historic aqueduct bridge that needs repairs!

Mill Lane Aqueduct Repairs 2026

Alan Griffin's (contractors) are proudly working for Swindon Borough Council & Wilts & Berks Canal Trust to deliver stabilization & repairs to the Mill Lane aqueduct.
Preserving this historic structure for future generations. Work commenced on the 20" April, and will take around 8 weeks to complete.
Mill lane aqueduct carries the Wilts & Berks Canal over the River Ray & sits within Beavans Nature Reserve.
The aqueduct, dating from 1810-1819, comprises twin, masonry arches with stone & brick headwalls. The culverts are 1.75m wide, 1.6m high and 25m long. A recent structural survey highlights that the aqueduct is in poor condition and in need of stabilization & repairs.
The proposed temporary works include: Installation of dams & pumps to de-water the culverts & the canal above. Over pumping & fluming of alternate culverts, Scaffolding and edge protection, temporary support and propping to enable safe working for localised masonry repairs inside the culverts, upstream headwall- Brick repairs/replacement and re-pointing, Installation of stainless steel reinforcement.
downstream headwall, - Excavation behind and consolidate with mass concrete (this is dependent on the stability of the existing headwall once de-veg has taken place). Excavate for the new headwall foundations and backfill with mass concrete. Provide new brick facing and reinforcement stitching to headwall + upon both headwalls Install new handrails to protect the public falling from height.

24/04/2026

Come along for a boat trip this weekend
Saturday and Sunday 👍🎉
On Dragonfly, Swindon

Your boat trip is more relaxing than our fantastic volunteers who braved clearing the bank side this week, to keep the channel open and clear of bracken!
Well done team 💪

Book online today 😀
https://wbct.org.uk/dragonfly/

Or phone 07401220076 (NO TEXTS).

Our Dragonfly Experience trips run from the Southby & Co.. Landing stage at Waitrose, Wichelstowe, SN1 7BX. Please remember we require a minimum ratio of 1 adult to 3 children; you can just turn up on the day, but if you want to be certain, please book as above!

Trips last approximately 20 mins. Fares are £4 for 14+ years, £2 for children and under 2s are FREE (max 3 children per adult). Trips (depending on season) run at weekends & Bank Holidays, plus Wednesdays during the spring & summer school holidays, from 10.30 am – 3.30 pm and run approximately on the hour and half hour, weather permitting.

If you fancy the other boat and want to volunteer in our work parties: email [email protected] for further information

21/04/2026

Local companies step in to help improvements to our tow path!

Two local companies have donated items to help improvements on the canal tow path within Swindon.

Ski's Trees a local tree surgeon has agreed to a regular wood chip supply for the site at Mouldon Hill. The tow path and canal was passed to the Trust under a new lease from Swindon Borough Council under Jim Robbins in March 2025. Since then a lot of clearance and maintenance has happened but the path desperately needed attention. This new arrangement is ideal and the first delivery has already been put to good use!
The tow path has seen heavy increases in use by the community since the Trust work started.

Following on from this, the recent bank repairs works (Stage one) is near completion and the tow path bank is being seeded with wild seed to encourage and support bees and other insect life. To do this the seed has to be mixed with top soil and this gives a good topping to the bank side.
AWBS:: in Swindon donated a tonne bag of soil to help with this project.
This helps us complete stage one for the benefit of all the community and our wildlife companions.

Chloe Ford: Swindon branch chair said " we really appreciate the opportunity to work with local companies to sustain and deliver improvements to the area we maintain. A huge thanks also to our team of volunteers who work hard to not only do this work but also arranged both of these agreements.
We are always looking for more to join our fun and friendly team who meet regularly"

The work party meets twice weekly in Swindon and you can volunteer as frequently as suits you. To find out more about volunteering or if you are a local company that would like to offer assistance, please email [email protected]

19/04/2026

Last call!! Book now for a super fun evening.
Fantastic buffet, fantastic quiz, fantastic fun!

To book email: [email protected]

16/04/2026

Come along for a boat trip this weekend
Saturday and Sunday 👍🎉
On Dragonfly, Swindon

See the new bridge being built from on the water!! Exciting times ahead 😁
Photos courtesy of Swindon From the air.

Book online today 😀
https://wbct.org.uk/dragonfly/

Or phone 07401220076 (NO TEXTS).

Our Dragonfly Experience trips run from the Southby &Co. Landing stage at Waitrose, Wichelstowe, SN1 7BX. Please remember we require a minimum ratio of 1 adult to 3 children; you can just turn up on the day, but if you want to be certain, please book as above!

Trips last approximately 20 mins. Fares are £4 for 14+ years, £2 for children and under 2s are FREE (max 3 children per adult). Trips (depending on season) run at weekends & Bank Holidays, plus Wednesdays during the spring & summer school holidays, from 10.30 am – 3.30 pm and run approximately on the hour and half hour, weather permitting.

15/04/2026

We are super pleased to announce that Wroughton & Wichelstowe Parish Council have signed an agreement called MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust.

This agreement bonds a working collaboration between the two parties.

Councillor John Hewer at Wroughton and his team has found the progress of the Wichelstowe build very encouraging and the parish supports the benefits it brings and wishes to support the future further build progress and assist in encouraging his parish community to embrace use of the canal and its tow path.

Chloe Ford - Trust Advocacy Director said "This is another great milestone in building strong relationships and working directly with councils and parish councils to work together on protecting and building a better, greener, stronger Swindon and beyond. The trust has just released its 2050 vision with main projects in 5 sectors. Joining Swindon to Royal Wootton Bassett via the canal and towpath under the M4 is one of these major projects. Having the Parish council on board really supports the venture and together we can deliver for the benefits of all the community. We look forward to working with the Wroughton Parish council"

The best way to help support the trust from the comfort of your own home is to become a member! Membership is just from £1.50 a month. The more members, the more power we have towards grant funding and delivering on these projects, like the M4 passage.
To join : https://wbct.org.uk/join-page/

Photograph: Councillor John Hewer with the signed agreement 🤝🥳

11/04/2026

Our volunteers are amazing and very talented! In this instance a database has been created and is constantly evolving 🥳

You can now view photos, information, photos made live and much much more in our illustrated history section 🎉🏆

It's a truly fascinating 👍🙏♥️🗝️💯

Take some time out this weekend and have a look around!

Have a look ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://images.wbct.org.uk/