Shropshire canal boat charity appeals for volunteer skippers

The Lyneal Trust arranges accessible canal trips in Shropshire

A charity which helps people with disabilities take canal trips and holidays is appealing for volunteer skippers and crew.

The Lyneal Trust, near Ellesmere, Shropshire, said it would train people for Royal Yachting Association qualifications needed for the roles.

The organisation also caters for people with vulnerabilities such as injury or illness.

An open day will be held on Saturday at Lyneal Wharf.

Visitors can board its two holiday boats or day boat on the Llangollen Canal and look round its cottages, the trust said.

Trust chairman Chris Symes said it currently had about 50 volunteers.

"Every boat is met, every guest that stays in our cottages - they all have somebody meeting them, because obviously people with disabilities and vulnerabilities have special requirements, so we always feel a need to be there to make sure we know what people want," he said.

The charity is appealing for volunteer skippers to help with trips

Mr Symes was on board one of its narrowboats as part of the 1,000-strong flotilla for the late Queen's Diamond Jubilee Thames Pageant in 2012.

Michael, who travelled from his home near Stoke-on-Trent to be a volunteer skipper, told BBC Radio Shropshire the role was rewarding.

"It's outside, it's gentle exercise, it's got history in the industrial archaeology, it's got nature - the birds, the fish, the flowers, the butterflies and of course it's alive with characters," he said.