The Mon & Brec 200 celebrations were launched earlier this month (Friday 10th February) with the Ringing of the Bells, recreating the canal’s opening ceremony 200 years ago. 

A single bell was rung by Cllr Bob Wellington, Leader of Torfaen County Borough Council and Robin Herbert, the Great, Great Grandson of Sir Benjamin Hall who gave the name of ‘Big Ben’ to the bell of the clock installed in the tower of the Houses of Parliament in 1857. 

This special event marks the joining of the Brecknock & Abergavenny Canals with the Monmouthshire Canal. 

The RYA would like to hear your views on what you want from RYA courses. From what you think about current RYA courses to what you would like to see offered in the future and what type of course format you prefer.  Shape your learning by helping to shape RYA training courses at http://www.ryainteractive.org. The survey is anonymous and is open until the end of April 2012.
 
Richard Falk RYA Training Manager explains “We’re always looking at ways to improve the courses that we offer, and to ensure that we are delivering courses which suit people’s needs and which are delivered in a format that works for them.

The best way for us to ensure that we are doing this is to listen, which is what the survey is all about.

A new charity to look after England and Wales’ network of 200-year old canals and rivers will be given over £1 billion of Government help to give it the best possible start, Environment Minister Richard Benyon, announced today.

This unprecedented funding for a new charity paves the way for the launch of the new Canal & River Trust later this year – a new “national trust for the waterways” that will harness the support of thousands of supporters and volunteers to help look after the canals and rivers in England and Wales for the benefit of future generations.

The 2012 RYA Conference for Short Range Certificate (SRC) Assessors is to be sponsored for the first time by Standard Horizon and will take place at The Rose Bowl in Southampton on Monday, 16th April.

Organised by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) for its 1800 SRC radio operator Assessors, the RYA Standard Horizon SRC Assessors’ Conference 2012 will provide delegates with up to date information on any changes to the SRC courses or their emphasis. It will also give the Assessors an opportunity to discuss various topics within the scheme and to provide feedback to the RYA based on their experiences over the 17,500 SRC courses held each year at the RYA’s 850 training centres in 32 countries across the world.

PR Works, the Lymington, Hampshire-based PR consultancy that is owned and run by the marine leisure PR communications specialist Peta Stuart-Hunt, is going from strength to strength, announcing that three new clients have joined their marine leisure market portfolio in 2012.

Peta has been appointed to run the PR & media communications for the Brewin Dolphin 12mR World Championships & British Open Tour, being held in the Solent in the UK from 27th June to 15th July 2012. The individual regattas are being hosted in turn by the Royal Southern Yacht Club, the Royal Yacht Squadron, the Household Division Yacht Club, the Royal Thames Yacht Club and the Royal Solent Yacht Club. Modern and classic 12 Metre yachts from around the globe will converge on Solent waters for 17 days of sailing providing an impressive sight for on-water spectators as well as for those viewing from the shore.