Our charity is funded by four main methods

  1. Profits from Trading Operations (trip boat Birdswood plus merchandise sales)
  2. Membership fees
  3. Ad-hoc donations and legacies (ad-hoc donations are now much easier though our “Give As You Live” facility – see the DONATE button on this website).
  4. Grants from major funders and Charitable Trusts

We believe in the transformative power of partnerships with prospective major funders.

Our approach is built on a foundation of transparency, collaboration, and shared goals. We understand that each funder has unique priorities and objectives, and we strive to align our projects with their philanthropic mission.

  • We take the time to understand the priority of each potential funder
  • We try to tailor our funding requests to match specific funders and provide clear timelines and measurable outcomes.
  • We provide regular updates to our funders on the outcome of their grants

Here’s a selection of recent funders:

  • National Lottery Awards for All
  • Nora Smith Settlement
  • The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust
  • William Dean Countryside and Educational Trust
  • M J Camp Charitable Foundation
  • Foundation Derbyshire
  • Mansfield Building Society
  • Derbyshire Environmental Trust
  • The Lady Hind Trust
  • Big Give
  • William Dean C and E Trust
  • Central Co op Community Fund
  • Swire CT

Here’s the range of things we’ve done:

  • Purchase of a welfare cabin to support work party volunteers
  • Purchase of coir rolls for canal bank stabilization
  • Weed clearance at Pinxton wharf
  • Lime mortar training of work party volunteers
  • Chain saw certification of work party volunteers
  • Weed clearance at Cromford
  • Purchase of tools for work party volunteers
  • Technical survey work on the Aqueduct Cottage to Gregory Tunnel stretch
  • Purchase of materials for the enhancement of Lock-keepers garden
  • Funding of generic “core” charity operation
  • Maintenance of our trip boat “Birdswood”
  • Footpath maintenance at Lower Hartshay
  • Drainage work at Beggarlee (phase1)
  • Flood mitigation work at Beggarlee (phase2)