Our Objectives

The following notes were printed on the reverse of the agenda that was circulated at our meeting on 28th May 2014.

WHO ARE WE?

The Friends of Regent's Canal is a diverse group of canal enthusiasts who promote and protect canal life with specific emphasis on the Regent's Canal.

WHAT ARE OUR AIMS?

Promote restoration and regular maintenance of the canal infastructure.
Remind everybody that boats will always be the primary users of the canal, irrespective of the numbers of other users or uses.
Promote water-borne freight.
Protect the canal against encroachment and overshadowing.
Strike a balance that enables different users to co-exist without impeding navigation.
Publicly oppose anti-social behaviour on the canal and the towpaths.
Manage expectations of cyclists, joggers and party-goers.
Preserve the tranquillity of the canal and its environs.
Mediate, wherever possible, between conflicting users.
Facilitate free speech, through public meetings and online communications.
Disseminate information to interested parties.
Increase accessibility to the canal (on both sides) and to resist gated communities.

WHAT ARE OUR CHARACTERISTICS?

We have no funds.
We are independent of the navigation authority, the local authorities or any other sponsor.
Our geographic area of interest stretches from Little Venice to Limehouse, but we are not isolated from other waterways.
We hold four public meetings a year; these are vital for sustaining our face-to-face communications and for reporting public opinion.
We run a website and a Twitter account and we accept input from the public via e-mail. We will soon establish a Facebook page.
All our regular contributors are part-time volunteers.
We act as an umbrella group that comprises a diverse range of canal-related groups.
We are often invited to give statements to the local press and to the national waterways press.