Canal & River Trust launch emotional new TV ad
Knucklehead director Hugh Rochfort and Canal & River Trust captures the timeless magic of Britain’s canals, and the need to protect them.
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For centuries, our canals and rivers have brought people together, to make memories, share stories, and find moments of peace and joy.
But what most people don’t know is that this historic network requires constant upkeep and protection from a charity, costing many millions of pounds each year.
That’s why, for the first time in its history, Canal & River Trust has launched a TV advert to promote legacy giving, inspiring people to help protect the waterways they love, long into the future, with gifts in their Wills.
The Birdwatcher is a quiet, powerful film that speaks to the deep connections that are formed by the canals and rivers that wend the length and breadth of the country.
Created in partnership with creative and strategy agency Consider, the advert follows a young boy on a heartfelt quest down a canal to see his first kingfisher, guided by directions that his Grandad handed down to him.
Credits
View on- Agency Consider/London
- Production Company Knucklehead
- Director Hugh Rochfort
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Credits
View on- Agency Consider/London
- Production Company Knucklehead
- Director Hugh Rochfort
- Editing Stitch
- Post Producer Alice Clarke
- Editor Richard Woolway
- Post Editor Andrew (Andy) Salem
- Post Production Creative Outpost
- Colorist Alexandre Nerzic
- Audio Mixer Tom Lane
- Creative Director Joe Nicholson
- Creative Alex Tucker
- Creative Jo Young
- Producer Ore Okonedo
- Production Designer Jane Carroll
- DP Arran Green / (DP)
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Credits
powered by- Agency Consider/London
- Production Company Knucklehead
- Director Hugh Rochfort
- Editing Stitch
- Post Producer Alice Clarke
- Editor Richard Woolway
- Post Editor Andrew (Andy) Salem
- Post Production Creative Outpost
- Colorist Alexandre Nerzic
- Audio Mixer Tom Lane
- Creative Director Joe Nicholson
- Creative Alex Tucker
- Creative Jo Young
- Producer Ore Okonedo
- Production Designer Jane Carroll
- DP Arran Green / (DP)
Shot immaculately among some of England’s most beautiful canals, the film shows us his frustration on the search until, finally, he spots the bird. It’s only then we realise his Grandad has passed away. But their bond lives on through the memories they shared along the canal they both loved.
It’s a film that reminds us: canals and rivers are not just waterways. They are living, breathing spaces where generations have come together. This story captures the heart of that connection, and shows people how urgently they need to protect it.
Forming the centrepiece of a wider campaign that will appear on screens and digital channels across the country, The Birdwatcher is a heartfelt call to action. A reminder that a gift in your will can help keep these precious places alive, for wildlife, for communities, and for all the moments still to be shared.
“The next few years will be a defining moment for Britain’s canals. Following last year’s government funding announcements, they are at real risk, just when they could be playing a vital role in tackling some of the UK’s biggest environmental and societal challenges,” says Hamish Shilliday, Head of Individual Giving and Legacies at Canal & River Trust. “It’s been a fantastic six months working on this landmark campaign, and I’m confident it will play a powerful role in helping to keep canals alive and open.”
“It’s a privilege to help protect some of our most beautiful rivers and canals by relaunching legacy giving at the Canal & River Trust. We’re confident that this poignant story will inspire people to support this incredible cause.” says Joe Nicholson, Creative Director at Consider.
