Living Waterways Awards 2019

The Living Waterways Awards, sponsored by Kier, Amco Giffen, Arcadis, CPC Civils, Fountains, Land & Water and Vinci, recognise the most exciting and inspiring waterway-based improvement projects across the UK.

Sue Wilkinson, Canal & River Trust trustee and chair of the Award's assessment panel, explains: "Canal & River Trust is once again proud to announce the winners of our annual national Living Waterways Awards. These awards give us the opportunity to celebrate the tireless efforts of those who are helping to transform the nation's rivers, canals, lochs, lakes, and reservoirs, making life better for millions of people across the UK."

A rigorous assessment process saw the expert judges travel across England, Wales and Scotland before selecting the finalists for the 2019 Living Waterways Awards.

From inspirational community programmes and innovative engineering projects, to exciting arts initiatives, the winners of these prestigious awards are:

1. ART, CULTURE & EVENTS (large scale)

Winner: The Ring, Worcestershire

Runner-up: Youth Urban Games & Glasgow Canal Festival (Scottish Canals)

2. ART, CULTURE & EVENTS (small scale)

Winner: The Village Butty, London

Commended: Muddy Waters Children's Books (Windlass Publishing)

3. BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Winner; New London Bridge Staircase, London (Bere Architects)

Runner-up: River Thames Footbridge (Knight Architects)

Commended: Stanthorne Breach Repairs (Canal & River Trust)

4. ENGAGING COMMUNITIES

Winner: Reconnecting Sheffield (Canal & River Trust)

Runner-up: Pride of Sefton 2 (Sovini)

Commended: Saxilby Waterfront Project (Saxilby Parish Council) and A new life for workboat Python (Chesterfield Canal Trust)

5. HERITAGE & CONSERVATION

Winner: Claverton Pumping Station

Runner-up: Marple Makeover (Canal & River Trust)

Commended: Recording Gwendoline (National Waterways Museum)

6. LEARNING & SKILLS

Winner: Fosseway Heath Nature Reserve (Lichifield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust)

Commended: Young Curators (National Waterways Museum)

7. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Winner: Lugg Wetland Gem Project (Herefordshire)

Commended: Aston Nature Reserve (Land & Water)

8. SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD

Winner: Maidenhead Waterways (Maidenhead Waterways Restoration Group)

9. OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Winner: Ian Edgar who led the restoration of Bugsworth Basin on the Peak Forest Canal.

Award sponsors

We are very grateful to our sponsors for their continued support for the Awards:

Kier (principal sponsor), Amco Giffen, Arcadis, CPC Civils, Fountains, Land & Water and Vinci.

See all the finalists

Watch videos of all the finalists in the Living Waterways Awards 2019.