The I W A’s premier award, the Cyril Styring Trophy, has just been awarded to Harry Arnold MBE. Harry is a well known waterways photographer, writer and activist. The award is for the outstanding contribution he has made to IWA campaigns
Harry was awarded a MBE in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Homours list for his tireless involvement and enthusiasm in recording, conserving and promoting our rich waterways heritage.
He started photographing traffic on the Bridgewater Canal over fifty years ago when he lived in Warrington, and became more involved with the waterways and The Inland Waterways Association when he ran a hire boat firm at Norbury Junction. He was centrally involved in setting up the Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port, now the National Waterways Museum, and has energetically supported many other waterway projects and campaigns including the Shropshire Flyboat Project . He edited the IWA Waterways magazine from 1992 to 2007 during which time he raised the profile and immediacy of the magazine, and he is a vice-president of the Association. Harry has contributed countless articles to the press and media, including Canal Junction, and has written books about the Llangollen and Montgomery Canals, illustrated with his own photos of course! His company Waterway Images supplies images and consultancy services.
Harry Arnold said: “I am so pleased to be given this award, not least because of the number of friends and well-known IWA volunteers that have received it in the past. I have marvellous stories of working with so many of them, but would especially like to mention Graham Palmer – no longer with us but a fellow founder of Waterway Recovery Group and a great friend of my family, who received this wonderful engraved award three times. On reflection, since joining IWA in 1961, I have made so many good friends through IWA and its waterways network; thank you.”
Other IWA award recipents included the IWA Chiltern Branch which received the Branch Achievement Award and the Canal Cruising Company of Stone, operated by the same family since 1948.