Making Waves: Training the Canal & River Trust Team to Bring Wellbeing to UK Schools 🛶

Literally ALL the feels for this mega milestone

We’ve hit an incredible milestone! What started as an idea—to connect children with nature and wellbeing tools alongside the waterways—has now resulted in training sessions with the amazing Education Team and Volunteers at the Canal & River Trust, who will go out and share these essential tools with children and families across the UK.

---

Two Locations, One Big Impact

Our training took place in two stunning Canal & River Trust locations, each one highlighting the beauty of the UK’s waterways:

1. Hatton Locks, Warwickshire

Our first session was held against the beautiful backdrop of Hatton Locks in Warwickshire. Here, we trained members of the CRT Education Team along with dedicated volunteers.

The day kicked off with an introduction to the incredible project funded by Sport England, followed by a deep dive into the new three-week program we’ve designed specifically for the CRT. The sun shone down on us, matching the bright energy around us.

This program embeds lots of our favourite wellbeing tools, alongside new, waterway-inspired activities. It was wonderful to see how naturally the educators took to the material—every time I looked over, someone was smiling and genuinely enjoying the practice.

• Highlights included: The sun shining down as Laura told the Glimmer Jar story. Watching Adrian demonstrate his ‘Bee Breathing’ technique in his own amazing way and the whole team engaging with Laura’s ‘Dragonfly Breathing’—simple tools, big impact.

2. Ellesmere Port, Cheshire

Our second session took us to Ellesmere Port, a really cool spot with incredible historic locks (definitely worth a visit!). It was a pleasure to meet more dedicated volunteers and catch up with other members of the Education Team.

It was a brilliant reminder that while these tools are designed for primary schools, everyone benefits from taking a moment to be outside, moving, and doing something fun together.

• Highlights included: The teams work all over the country, and it’s rare for them to get this time to connect, so it was wonderful to create a safe space for them to shine.

Training that Sparkles ✨

The highlight of both days was watching the CRT teams deliver their practical’s. Seeing their diverse teaching styles, the wealth of skills they possess, and how effortlessly they are able to deliver these wellbeing tools was truly inspiring. The energy and dedication from the Canal & River Trust team were incredible. They didn’t just learn the techniques; they instantly made them their own, ensuring they’ll deliver them with genuine passion and connection.”

Couple of glimmers that participants shared from the session:

• “feeling like myself with direction, a new path” - makes me feel “quiet moving”

• “stopping and thinking” - makes me feel “happiness”

• “positive vibe in a lovely place” - makes me feel “happy & relaxed”

• “giving the canal a voice” - makes me feel “excited to use it”

This is an enormous milestone, and we can’t wait to see the positive ripple effect as The Canal & River Trust start sharing the joy of wellbeing and nature with even more children across the UK. What an amazing partnership.

We can’t wait for what happens next and to carry on our support with the team.