Rochdale Canal Lock 50 Gardening Group

11/06/2026

This is what you call a resilient volunteer force. Today in the wind and freezing cold rain we walked the towpath between Locks 49 & 50, also cleared the Wellfield Surgery steps and the benches in the Durham street basin. Worthy praise and a brew in Wells Cafe now for Mel, Gail, Jess, Debs, Dom & Peter....

08/06/2026

Imagine just walking home past one of your favourite, peaceful sections of towpath to see this...four bags of trash thrown over the ox-eye daisies as if it were the actual refuse tip. This type of vandalism is exactly what we have to contend with and wish more people in this community would speak out to try and bring an end to this wilful damage.

30/05/2026

Nothing quite like a successful pop up sale by the roadside at Lock 50 to both encourage us to it again and remind us of the old Rochdale Market and the way people would shout out to be heard while selling their produce…..an echo from a by gone era.

30/05/2026

30/05/2026

Great to see the barges calling again…and so many goslings in the lock making it to safety too 😁

25/05/2026

We (Helen, Mel, MJ, Jess, Steve, Mike, Peter) plus all the other stalls at the Co-Op Fair had a very productive day on the Rochdale Town Hall esplanade below the Broadfield Park Slopes on Saturday, accompanied by Bloom a wonderful Brass Band filling this marvellous space with real local musical talent.
Our volunteers created a splendid display of produce brought in from our planters on the canal side, our greenhouses patios and back gardens and we are all well chuffed with the takings which will provide us with more seed bulbs and perennials to cheer up Locks 49 & 50 for another year.
Thank you to everyone that came along to contribute you’re the best!

17/05/2026

We really hope to see you there, helping to raise funds for our volunteer group by purchasing our produce 😁🪴

23/04/2026

With Wilts & Berks Canal Trust – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉

23/04/2026

Well this last few weeks has attracted a number of new volunteers and we are pleased to develop a growing interest in preserving and maintaining our magnificent canal. We can do without people reintroducing enormous tree trunks to the water that we had previously removed and then we have the perennial massive root balls to contend with…..
heave ho it’s off to work we go 😝