From the Wheelhouse

What a summer!! What a season!! What a busy year. There have been no shortage of big events and changes at the boat project this year. 

All was going well - we ran an inaugural trip on the river Wey which was followed by our first double day with both boats out. All the while the weather just got hotter and hotter. Just when things were running smoothly we discovered a problem with the prop shaft and gearbox installation. Discoverer was taken out of service to effect repairs. We hope Discoverer will return to service in September so we can complete the season with two boats operating.

Peter Oldham, Skipper

Thames Blessing

      
On Sunday 8th July, Thames Discoverer returned to Teddington for a river blessing. This annual event is organised by the  Vicar of St Mary with St Alban. Thames Discoverer joined a number of other river based organisations for the blessing together with members of the local community assembled ashore. We look forward to attending again next year.

Peter Oldham, Skipper

Education & Learning News

The end of the summer term was busy, with a rush of late-booking schools drawn out by the excellent weather! To date in this financial year we have 49 school bookings, so we are nearing our bookings targets once again and are likely to exceed them.

Our ‘Family Learning’ pilot has gone well; we’ve welcomed 54 parents and children over three days this summer in May, July and August. These are more relaxed than a school education day, with a rhythm that respects the needs of individual learners and makes allowances for disparate age groups and learning styles. Feedback has been very good, with crew being particularly praised for being friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. This is a good way to use Venturer during the school holidays when there are no school bookings, and we are likely to extend the programme into 2019.

If you know any families locally with home educated children, let them know that they can join our mailing list online to hear of further opportunities for education for home educated families.

The Heathrow-funded Drastic Plastic project is progressing, with two dates planned for training volunteers in how to teach it, and a 5m floor world map on order! An unintended effect of studying plastic is encouraging our programme to consider our effects on a global scale; our beloved river flows to the sea, and so does a lot of our plastic waste, unfortunately. On ‘Drastic Plastic’ children learn to recreate the Thames using ship’s rope and pass plastic waste along it until it symbolically reaches the world. It’s important, in order to understand the damage plastic does, to understand the interconnected forces that shape our waterways, and indeed our globalized lives.
 
On another global note, I will be taking a brief sabbatical in 2019, for the months of April and May, to experience the rural life of Greece with my newly-retired partner and little daughter, who will start school next year. Gemma Hindi will be making a reappearance to step into the breach for that period and will be doing a little more teaching this term as well.

Zaria Greenhill, Education Coordinator


Meet our new Marketing Manager

Kate Dodds joined the River Thames Boat Project staff team this month as Marketing and Fundraising Manager. She brings with her many years of marketing experience, mainly from the consumer products sector, as well as community fundraising experience in the Teddington area. She has lived in the East Twickenham and Teddington area for the last 26 years and has strong connections with the local community. She will be working alongside Peter, Pippa and Zaria. 

In her first few weeks Kate is focusing on learning about our charity, what we do and how we do it so that she can be a great ambassador for us. Key priorities for her over the next few months will be to develop the marketing plan for next year, to continue to provide strong connections with our Grant funders and donors and to develop alternative sources of income for the River Thames Boat Project as we move into our next stage of development with both Thames Venturer and Thames Discoverer.
 
Kate lives very close to Teddington Lock, is married to Matt and they have 2 teenage children Megan and Jack who are at Teddington School. Her boat experience is from the sailing world rather than river boats, but she is enjoying learning about the river.
 
Please join me in welcoming Kate to the River Thames Boat Project.
         
Keith Knox, Acting Chair of Trustees
 

Thames Discoverer Supper Cruises

We ran three Friends’ supper cruises in June and July – all with beautiful summer weather! I was on the first one, in June, and we had a relaxing evening cruising on Thames Discoverer. We came onboard at 6:30 for Pimms and hors d'oeuvres on the foredeck as we cruised up river. This was followed by another lovely two courses including Anthea’s puds to finish! The conversation was lively and the view unparalleled.

Thanks to Louise and Anthea who provided a sumptuous meal and to Peter and crew for looking after us so well. Also thanks to Jackie Frye and Louise for catering the following two cruises and once again our crew.

Total costs still to be confirmed, but we raised over £1,000 net from the three cruises for the Charity.

Martha Tressler


Founder's Grandson Volunteers

At 15 years old Max Marshall must be the youngest Boat Project volunteer ever! Max is currently a student at Orleans Park School and is also taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE). One element of the DofE is to volunteer for at least one hour a week for a period of 6 months. Max chose the Boat Project in memory of his grandfather, Martin Emerson who, as Mayor of Richmond, founded the charity.

As a volunteer Max has helped with maintenance of Discoverer, helped man the water station for the Kingston half marathon and has assisted on a cruise to Hampton Court with a group of clients with learning disabilities. He has found the experience good fun and hopes to spend more time with the charity.

Kate Oatham

Velosouth Charity Bike Ride

Nigel Williams, a volunteer and long term supporter of the Boat Project is taking on the challenge of a 100 mile circular bike ride over the South Downs, starting and ending at Goodwood race course on September 23rd.

Nigel’s training is going well and the September date for his 100 mile ride is not so far away now. He’s also on a roll with his fundraising and having set himself an original target of £500, is now hoping to raise £1000. There’s still time for further donations so please go to his justgiving page and help him achieve his target.

Please give him your support through 

VirginMoneygiving

Art & Plant Sale Raises £1,300

On a sunny Saturday in June, in conjunction with the annual 'Fair in the Square' in Highgate Village, RTBP Friends Martha and Louise set up an art sale on Louise's front drive to raise money for the charity. Louise's mother died last summer and part of her legacy was several hundred paintings, watercolours and sketches painted during a lifetime as one of Highgate Village's foremost local artists.

Says Louise: '' My parent's house - where I now live -  is in a great position with a parking forecourt looking out toward the village high street. The Fair provided an opportunity, and with a gazebo, folding table, some big boxes and printed leaflets, I had everything needed to run our very own Open Art Fair. With great thanks to Martha -  who shouldered much of the hard work carrying pictures down 7 flights of stairs. We sold 27 oils and sketches in total and raised £1,300 (+ Gift Aid). Apart from the money raised, it is lovely knowing that new people are enjoying my mother's work - and more have been back since to look round the collection!"

Louise Sibley

Thank you from Miranda

I would like to send a very big and a very special thank you to everyone who contributed to my wonderful leaving presents. I feel humbled by your incredible generosity. For those who didn’t make it to my leaving do at the Boaters Inn, I was given a beautiful painting of the tidal Thames, a large shoulder bag that fits onto the front of my Brompton bike and a cheque that came with strict instructions from Peter Oldham that the money must be spent on a holiday!
 
In case you were wondering, I haven’t retired. I’ve spent the summer enjoying the amazing weather, catching up with friends and job hunting. 
 
Thank you again for my presents, which I treasure.
 
Miranda Jaggers

Looking for new RTBP Office

Time for us to find a new home! Fothergills have hosted us at our Richmond address on Hill St for nearly 30 years. They have very generously allowed us to use the space for a nominal rent. However, in early 2019 they are downsizing and so we need to find a new space for our four staff team members. Can you help with any ideas or local contacts who might have some office space to spare? We need space for four people – c. 20m². Ideally we would be close to the boats so either Kingston or Teddington. We need to be in a new home by February 2019! Any ideas, inspiration, contacts please get in touch with Pippa in the office.  Thank you!

Kate Dodds, Marketing and Fundraising Manager