Royal visit for the Wey and Arun Canal

Prince Edward was shown work by the Wey & Arun Canal Trust to design and build a mew bridge at Birtley, mear Bramley.

Trust director Margaret Darvill said Prince Edward was keen to learn more about the canal. “He asked when it was built and where it ran from and to and said he thought it was a tremendous project and such a worthwhile volunteer effort to restore the canal.”

Simon Whalley, chairman of Surrey Hills Enterprises, which organised the royal visit, said the event “was a wonderful recognition of the growing reputation and development of the Surrey Hills as a hub of innovative, high quality, sustainable, local products and services.”

Canal trust teams have also been building a bridge at Harsfold, near Wisborough Green, where volunteers have spent the past few months creating a bridleway and footpath diversion, and work on another new bridge is also underway there.

Chairman Sally Schupke said: “We are immensely proud of our volunteers and their hard work and commitment shown to getting the projects at Birtley and Harsfold off to such flying starts. The quality of workmanship is incredibly high and we can’t wait to show visitors what we can achieve.”

The trust has launched a crowdfunding appeal to help pay for the works.