Honorary Life Presidents
The Board of Trustees have decided to appoint two long-standing volunteers as Honorary Life Presidents following their standing down from the former Council of Management during the past months.
This is in recognition of their exceptional voluntary contribution in progressing a small preservation initiative into an inland waterways project that is often used nationally as an example of best practice of a sustainable canal restoration.
Janet Moult has worked in so many different ways to progress the work of the H&G CT including two terms as Chairman. Janet continues to work for H&G CT in a number of supportive ways, in Sales and Promotion and distribution of The Wharfinger. Janet also runs the very successful Monthly Socials at Much Marcle and the Grand Holiday Draw. On many occasions over the years, despite other commitments, Janet has dependably stepped into the breach to get a task successfully completed. A resumé of Janet’s extensive contribution to the work of the H&G CT can be found on page 21 of edition 130 of The Wharfinger.
Cliff Penny was the last Chairman of the former Canal Society and the first Chairman of the H&G Canal Trust and has served on the Committee/Council of Management of the Society/H&G Canal Trust for 30 years. Cliff held senior positions within the water industry and then eight years running a highly regarded specialist consultancy, Penny Environmental & Planning with son David.
Cliff utilised his professional skills as a Chartered Civil Engineer and Chartered Town Planner to promote and successfully defend the H&G Canal in numerous ways. Our readers will all know Cliff as the Editor of The Wharfinger, but as reported in the last edition Cliff has now retired from that position too. He continues in a supportive role. Cliff’s wife, Joan, was also a very active volunteer in the earlier years so the Pennys are very much a family of Canal volunteers!
Both Janet and Cliff have frequently acknowledged that their successes would not have been possible without the teamwork of our valued H&G CT volunteers – with both pen and spade and every conceivable way in between. Whilst no individual can ever justifiably claim to be responsible for the success of an organisation such as ours, Janet and Cliff’s contributions are recognised by the Board of Trustees as playing a significant part in the successes of the H&G CT to date – hence the unanimous decision to make both Janet and Cliff Honorary Life President.
Now it is our turn to thank Janet and Cliff for the thousands of hours that they have so far spent as volunteers in a multitude of significant roles. We hope you will all join us in saying a big thank you to them both.
There will be a short ceremony to celebrate past Chairmen Janet and Cliff’s appointments as Life Presidents at the commencement of the Social Evening at the Royal Oak, Much Marcle, at 8pm on Tuesday 20 March 2018.
