Canals, Communities and Wellbeing

The project will create opportunities for increased wellbeing, for individuals and communities along the corridors of canals in Mid Wales. 

The Montgomery and Monmouthshire have the potential to ignite active travel, providing greater connectivity between rural settlements and urban areas and links with greenspaces and biodiversity.

As linear, clearly defined safe spaces, canals provide a good basis for confidence building that, with support, can be used to encourage people into the surrounding countryside for both recreation and amenity. 
The project aims to:

• Reduce the physical, confidence and perception barriers amongst groups who would benefit from access to the countryside; and
• Increase access to and engagement with biodiversity and greenspace. 

And will be delivered through a number of elements:

• Physical enhancements to infrastructure, both on the canal towpaths and on public rights of way connecting to nearby settlements and places of interest. 
• Biodiversity improvements, through nature reserve development;
• Interpretation and engagement to build effective links between the resource and the people along the canal corridors.
• Elements of green prescribing, by linking with existing initiatives to integrate communities, community groups and health providers with the outdoors through a referral system
• Marketing and promotion to develop the potential as an economic resource.

The project partners are Powys County Council’s Countryside Services, Regeneration and Tourism teams, Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, Canal and River Trust, Monmouthshire County Council and Montgomeryshire.