Various movers and shakers spoke, including Steve Coultate from Sealine and Robin Evans from British Waterways, supported by heavies from the industry like Nik Parker and Adrian Waddams from the BMF, Andy Sims from Cooney, Jim Boulton from Wattsons, Ann Davies from Napton Narrowboats, Eddie Baldwin from Midland Canal Centre, Paul Darby from Sealine, Oliver Winbolt from Fairline, Stephen Goldsbrough from Warings Green Wharf and Paul Gullett from Wave International.

The introductory talks made it clear there is a huge amount of business help freely available from various government-sponsored bodies. And associations like the MMA offer access to those cash-laden bodies.

‘We want to get our members in the right place to get the money that’s on offer,’ said Ann Davies of Napton Narrowboats.

Andy Sims, operations director of Cooney Marine, which played a large part in pushing the MMA forwards, told BB: ‘Until the MMA was formed many Midlands companies worked in isolation and the RDA’s had little or no knowledge of the size of the industry in the midlands region.’

According to the BMF, turnover in the last financial year across the midlands was £382.1m, representing 13.8% of the entire industry's turnover

‘We are already seeing interest from these regional bodies by raising the profile of the sector and are now on the map in terms of recognition and funding opportunities,’ said Sims.