About Us — Who We Are and Why We Act

The Tennant Canal at Neath Abbey — a living link to our industrial past.

We are a community‑driven initiative dedicated to protecting, restoring, and promoting the historic Tennant Canal and its surrounding environment. The canal runs from Aberdulais to Port Tennant. Our work highlights the canal’s unique industrial heritage, its ecological value, and its importance as a public walking route.

We also maintain a very good working relationship with the owners’ representatives and the canal maintenance team. Their cooperation is essential, and we value the constructive dialogue we have with them. Even when we raise difficult issues or challenge decisions, that relationship remains professional and respectful — because everyone involved ultimately wants the Tennant Canal protected and properly maintained.

We document the canal’s condition, raise awareness of neglect and damage, and try to provide accurate historical information to help people understand its significance.

We are a small group of people. Because we are not controlled or governed by an organised membership, we are free — without authorised oversight — to ask the difficult questions, report injustices and abuses, and challenge decisions that affect the canal and its environment.

We use Freedom of Information (FOI) requests where applicable to obtain the answers the public deserves. Some members of our group will remain anonymous for these purposes. Unlike other groups or organisations, we do not moderate or delete comments simply because we disagree with them. Our website is dedicated to freedom of speech and open discussion.

We can also organise physical protest if we needed — something we feel deeply necessary in the fight to protect the Tennant Canal. Unlike charities and trusts, we are not restricted by legal status or bound by conditions that prevent them from actively challenging those who pollute, neglect, or bureaucratically obstruct the canal’s future. When organisations or individuals damage this historic waterway and its fragile environment, we are free to stand up publicly, speak out, and take action where others cannot or will not.

We use through photographs, research, and public engagement, we aim to ensure that the Tennant Canal is preserved for future generations. Our mission is simple: to safeguard the Tennant Canal, celebrate its history, and encourage responsible stewardship of this vital local landmark.