Many of the canals that make up the extensive and fascinating Birmingham Canal Navigations network in the Midlands are classed by the government as 'remainder waterways' which means that British Waterways - who manage most of the canal system - aren't allowed to spend any more than the bare minimum on maintaining them.

So it's down to the volunteers of WRG, Inland Waterways Association and Birmingham Canal Navigations Society to stop them deteriorating into rubbish-filled eyesores of no use to anyone. Every Spring for the last three years, these three bodies have combined to organise a major cleanup weekend, on a different part of the BCN system each year, and British Waterways have supported them with boats and skips to take away the rubbish they have removed from the canal.