Our Trust is dedicated to providing the best experience for our visitors.

We have a small team of staff, working throughout the year fundraising, maintaining the boats and carrying out the administration of bookings for our trips.  We are also governed by our board of Trustees:

Trustees

Paul Donert (Chair)

Rev Clare Le Marchant-Connell (Founder)

Charles Moore

Tom Hanmer

Janie Martin DL

Venetia Francklin

Russell Price

Caroline Phillips

Patron

H.R.H. Princess of Hanover (formerly H.S.H. Princess Caroline of Monaco)

---

Our Team

Tim Marren - Chief Executive Officer

I started in the post as the CEO in September 2017, after 30 years of working in the public and charitable sectors on customer services, corporate policy development and performance management. I am married, with a grown son and daughter and am also an experienced Shared Lives and Foster Carer.

I am passionate about working in the charitable sector and want to build on and grow the invaluable work of the Trust and to make a difference to the lives of disabled and seriously ill people.

Denise Adamson – Administrator

I have worked for the Trust since March 2018 as their part-time administrator. The role is so varied, one minute I can be booking a day trip, then the next making sure the boats have enough biscuits on board. What I love most about my job is that I get to meet so many different people throughout the year, from our own volunteers to the various groups that come along for a day on the canal. 

I have been married for over 30 years to Gary who runs his own flooring company. We have two grown up children, Samuel and Rebecca.  They are both teachers in Nottingham and we are extremely proud of them. We love nothing better than to go for long walks, which is a good thing as we have three mad chocolate Labradors to wear out each day. 

Melissa Hemmings – Development Officer

I joined the Trust in 2018 and love all things creative! Over the years I have set up and run several businesses and have been fortunate enough to have illustrated and ghost written several books. Most recently, having written a couple of my own novels, I owned an art and media business. I'm enjoying using my creativity and marketing experience to help raise vital funds and to broaden the outreach of our charity and the services we provide. 

When I’m not at the Trust I can be found in my studio sketching or looking after my ever-expanding menagerie!

Angie Whitmore – Young People's Project Co-ordinator

I have only recently joined the Trust in March 2021, coming from another community-based charity. My aim is to get many more young people aged 14-25 involved in the Trust, engaged on our canals and volunteering on our boats. This is a very exciting project which will include some wonderful additions to the charity which include a base for our young volunteers and an exciting range of volunteer placements.

I have been married to Paul for 25 years and we have two teenage daughters. When I’m not at work I love to sew, sing in a choir and enjoy socialising with friends and family.

What we do     Get involved