A Guide to the Chichester Ship Canal Trust Policies

At the Chichester Ship Canal, we are proud to be custodians of a heritage site that serves as a haven for wildlife, a hub for leisure, and a treasured community asset. Whether you are joining us for a boat trip, walking the towpath, paddleboarding, or volunteering your time, we want your experience to be safe, respectful, and enjoyable.

To ensure we maintain high standards of safety and inclusivity, we have updated our key policies for public users. We believe in transparency, so we are sharing these documents to help you understand how we operate and what we expect from our visitors to keep the Canal a welcoming space for everyone.

Here is an overview of the key policies available for review:

1. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Policy
The Canal is for everyone. We are committed to creating an environment where all visitors, volunteers, and staff feel valued and respected. Our EDI policy outlines our stance against discrimination and our commitment to accessibility.

What this means for you: We ask all visitors to treat each other, our staff, and our volunteers with courtesy and respect, regardless of background, ability, or identity.

2. Safeguarding Policy
The safety of our visitors—particularly children and vulnerable adults—is our key priority. As a popular destination for families and school groups, we take our duty of care seriously.

What this means for you: This document details the procedures we have in place to protect vulnerable groups and how to report a concern if you see something that worries you while visiting the Canal.

3. Photographic Policy
We know the Canal is photogenic! From the stunning sunsets to the wildlife, we encourage you to capture memories. However, we must balance this with the privacy rights of individuals.

What this means for you: This policy explains the guidelines for personal photography versus commercial filming. It also highlights the importance of gaining consent before photographing strangers, particularly children or vulnerable adults, to ensure everyone’s privacy is respected.

4. Social Media Policy
We love seeing your photos and reading your comments! Our digital community is growing, and we want to ensure it remains a vibrant space for everyone.

What this means for you: This policy sets out guidelines for interacting with the Trust’s social media channels. We encourage constructive engagement and sharing, but we have zero tolerance for harassment, bullying, or the spread of misinformation on our platforms.

5. Complaints Policy
We strive to provide a fantastic experience for every visitor, but we recognise that sometimes things may not go as planned. We view feedback as a vital tool for improvement.

What this means for you: This policy outlines a clear, fair, and transparent process for raising concerns or making a formal complaint. It ensures that if you are unhappy with an aspect of our service or facilities, you know exactly how to tell us so we can address it properly.

Read the Full Documents

We invite you to read the full policy documents below to understand how we work to protect the heritage and the people of the Chichester Ship Canal.