Positive impact of nation’s canals hailed with launch of new ‘outcomes’ report

Glandŵr Cymru – the Canal & River Trust in Wales – launches its first outcomes report to an audience of policy makers and experts.

Waterways & Wellbeing sets out the Outcomes Measurement Framework (OMF) the charity has developed to measure the broad social, economic and environmental impacts that its waterways and activities have on the communities they serve.

The report, which was developed in collaboration with Cardiff University’s Sustainable Places Research Institute, explores the waterways’ contribution to economic, social, cultural and environmental wellbeing in Wales and England. It details the methodologies being adopted to measure the real improvements people see in their lives thanks to canals and rivers.  By developing a robust and transparent evidence-based system of outcome reporting Glandŵr Cymru will be able to track trends, improve its insight and performance, and demonstrate how it is helping to meet UK and Welsh Governments’ goals and measures for wellbeing.

Heather Clarke, Glandŵr Cymru strategy, impact and engagement director, said: “This report brings together the work of the past few years as we seek to capture more rigorously the positive outcomes that our canals and river navigations deliver, making a material difference to people’s lives.  This is just the start, but it is a base camp from which we can climb as we build greater understanding and appreciation among policy makers, politicians, partners and funders of the positive outcomes generated by our waterways.”

In addition to the work with the Sustainable Places Research Institute, the OMF was developed with support from an external reference group, comprised of experts from a range of backgrounds, representing: academia; the public, private and charity sectors with an interest or expertise in public policy and benefit measurement; and specialists in outcome measurement supporting charity sector.

Professor Terry Marsden, Director of the Sustainable Places Research Institute, said: “The Sustainable Places Research Institute is pleased to be involved in developing the Trust’s bold approach as part of our wider partnership. The outcomes framework not only sets a strong course for the Trust’s future. It leads the way for bodies in Wales to track their contribution to wellbeing which is particularly important in the context of the Well-being of Future Generations Act.”

Waterways & Wellbeing, Building the Evidence Base can be downloaded from https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/outcomes-of-our-work.