Paper short abstract:

The paper will address the importance of the enthusiast and the volunteers in the social lives of the canals in the UK today. Oral history interviews and participant observation will be drawn upon to illustrate the value of the canal societies to the social lives of the canals.

Paper long abstract:

This paper will discuss how waterway enthusiasts brought change to the canal network in the UK and how those enthusiasts significantly influence the social life of the canals today. The role of the volunteers within the numerous Canal Societies and the Waterway Recovery Group's 'Navvies' remains critical and local champions are often a driving force for change, despite more formal support from organisations like the Canal and River Trust.

Leisure activities on and around canals were not

,always well-documented in the past. Nowadays there is more readily available evidence of both formally organised and informal leisure lives. Whether attending a performance by the Mikron Theatre players, visiting a canal to see the spectacle of a cavalcade of boats as part of an annual festival or walking the dog there are plenty of examples of how canals contribute to the social lives of the people living in the areas within which they are located but the real enthusiasts demonstrate a commitment to the canals which is not dictated by the weather but their heartfelt commitment to the historical built environment and the legacy of the past. By drawing upon the oral history interviews for Phd research, the words of current canal society members in Wales are used to illustrate the ongoing significance of the enthusiast in helping bring leisure experiences and a social life to both the canals and to the wider community.