Drinks-maker supports canal restoration plans

North-Shropshire-based Henstone distillery will be contributing to the Shropshire Union Canal Society effort to raise funds to restore the Montgomery Canal.

The specialist distillery, which produces a wide range of drinks, will offer online customers a five per ce discount when they quote the code 'Monty24' on their order.

This will also trigger a 10 per cent donation towards the restoration of the Montgomery Canal.

The offer applies to their entire drinks range which includes five gins, eleven whiskies and three rums.

Chris Toller, Director of Henstone Distillery said: “I frequently walk along this canal and see the excellent work the volunteers are doing. I share their vision of a fully restored canal and it’s great that Henstone Distillery can play a part."

Shropshire Union Canal Society volunteers recently completed a £2.8 million civil engineering project to restore navigation of the Montgomery Canal to Crickheath Bridge, the project having won a national Ground Engineering Award in November 2021.

Ongoing at the moment is the restoration of the historic Crickheath Wharf with a £14,600 grant from the Association of Industrial Archaeology.

Local authorities have also funded improvements to the towpath and a further quarter of a mile of canal is being prepared for rewatering courtesy of the Shropshire County Council led Rural Prosperity Fund.

David Carter, chairman of the Shropshire Union Canal Society said: “There are studies which reveal the positive effect a restored canal can have on rural economies. What we are showing by working with local companies like Henstone is that, even during restoration, there are still substantial impacts on the local economy."