SEVENTEEN local people participated in the final craft 'consultation' event with the Bude Canal Regeneration Project on Saturday. Maggie Rogers of the Yarner Trust shared willow craft skills for ­creating holiday wreaths, stars and story sticks.

As the day was bright and sunny, the group visited the site of the regeneration project and learnt about the successes so far. On the Lower Wharf, the craft workshops have been completed. They are now home to a florist, jeweller, bag maker and a woodworker. There is only one workshop remaining, please contact Phil Jones on [email protected]">[email protected] if you are interested in details of the unit.

There are two new seating areas in addition to the cargo seats on the Lower Wharf. They will be installed soon under the tree on the Bark House Green and under Falcon Bridge. The two 'benches' are designed for groups of friends and families as a place to rest and enjoy the waterway.

The bench under the Falcon Bridge reflects the sails from the large ships that used to enter the harbour. The cargo seats will be carved with Cornish and English words which detail the tax of import items into the wharf — ale, guano, bark to name just a few.

The new Bude Information and Canal Visitor Centre was also opened to give everyone an opportunity to explore the centre and learn about the potential for workshops and learning events in the new resource room.

If you have a spare moment and find yourself in Bude, why not call in and learn about your heritage waterway and the opportunities it now brings.

Once back in the Castle, the group learnt new ­willow skills and enjoyed refreshments provided by Kit and his team with the Castle Restaurant. Christmas pudding with a special Baileys cream, the famous brownies and home made mince pies were a huge hit with the participants. The mulled wine, hot cider and hot chocolate went down a treat too.

For more information on the Yarner trust, visit http://www.yarnertrust.org">www.yarnertrust.org.

The canal project is nearing completion and the community team are busy preparing for the showcase celebration event scheduled for Friday March 27 to Sunday March 29, 2009.

The event will start on Friday at 11am with a song from Bude Infants followed by a Budehaven dance and formal speeches. Friday and Saturday's activities will run from 11am-4pm, and Sunday will run from 11-6.

Saturday is open house with guided walks along and boat trips on the historic waterway. Sunday is the Elements play event where participants will be able to make dens on the castle grounds, create mud lanterns in the Yurt on the Bark House Green and in the TIC marquee with the Yarner trust another opportunity to make straw creatures to aid the Bude area rangers with managing blue-green algae in the waterway.

In addition, the new 'hands-on' interpretation centre will be open with an opportunity for visitors to learn about the Bude Valley, its unique community and local wildlife in addition to experiencing the industrial heritage of the canal. Boat trips will be on offer and on the weekend, we will be opening up the new structures.

This event is being made possible by working in partnership with the Eden Project, Bude Canal and Harbour Society, Bude-Infants, Budehaven, Bude Youth, CATS, the Castle and Heritage Centre, Extended schools/CCC (Cornwall County Council), M-Mad, Walk n' Talk, CATS (Community Action Through Sport), North Cornwall District Council countryside, youth and leisure teams, volunteers and more!