Canal Adoption Project

A community-led project to improve the canal between Newhall Hill and Parade through greening, cleaning and long-term local investment.

About The Project

In 2025, the Green Fingers Group adopted the canal between Newhall Hill and Parade, working directly with the Canal & River Trust to help care for and improve this important stretch of the Jewellery Quarter.

For many local residents, this green corridor already acts as an everyday park — a place to walk, get some air, exercise, clear your head and spend time outdoors. This project is about recognising that value and making the space greener, cleaner and more welcoming for everyone who uses it.

The adoption has also helped bring real investment into the area. Working in partnership with the Canal & River Trust, University College Birmingham and other local organisations, the project is helping unlock several thousand pounds of support to improve the canal corridor over time.

Plans include new planting, reed beds, benches, regular litter picks and cleaning up graffiti, all with the aim of making the canal a more attractive and better cared for space. Over the course of 2026, residents should begin to see visible changes as these improvements take shape.

This is a practical local project with long-term impact, and residents can volunteer to be part of it.

Cultural Impact
  • Better green and blue space in the Jewellery Quarter
  • More greenery and long-term investment in the canal corridor
  • Better places for exercise, walking and leisure
Be Part of Something Meaningful

Find out more about the group that made this project happen