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Current News and Events
Tees Wheelyboats Club Mk III Wheelyboat launched
The River Tees Wheelyboat project came to fruition on 23rd September with the launch of the Tees Wheelyboats Club's new Mk III Wheelyboat by paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson. It was a culmination of more than two years hard work by the Tees Wheelyboats Club and The Wheelyboat Trust who worked together to fund and supply the first wheelchair accessible boat to operate on the River Tees.
The Tees Wheelyboats Club was set up specifically to address the lack of provision for disabled people to get out and about on the Tees at Stockton. There are 8 miles of navigable river between Stockton and Yarm but up until now there have been no facilities for disabled people to take part in waterborne activities. The Wheelyboat has solved that problem with the Club providing the necessary infrastructure and support to operate it successfully and make it available for the general public to use.
The Club has been campaigning for a Wheelyboat on the Tees for the last two years and were encouraged by the usage and feedback when loaned The Wheelyboat Trust's demonstrator Mk III Wheelyboat for the 2009 and 2010 Take To The Tees Festivals. Their own Wheelyboat was delivered in time for this year's TTTTF held in August.
The Wheelyboat is available seven days a week and can be booked by telephone or online.
The project would not have been possible without the generosity of its funders to whom the Tees Wheelyboats Club and The Wheelyboat Trust are immensely grateful:
The 1989 Willan Charitable Trust
The Banks Community Fund and The Banks Group
Mrs Jennifer Brown
The Tees Valley Community Foundation, Making a Difference Fund and GF Clarkson Fund
Christ's Hospital in Sherburn
The Hospital of God at Greatham
The Freemasons Grand Charity
Constance Green Foundation
The JSF Pollitzer Charitable Trust
Hadrian Trust
Speaking at the launch Baroness Grey Thompson said ‘I think the Wheelyboat is amazing. It's such a great way for wheelchair users to access the river. It's such a lovely part of the River Tees and it's the only way for wheelchair users to get on. It was really amazing. I'm really glad I went out on the water.’
For more information visit www.tees-wheelyboats.org.uk or telephone Alan Kallagher, Tees Wheelyboats Club founder, on 07748 908646.
Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson cuts the ribbon to formally launch the Tees' first Mk III Wheelyboat
The Wheelyboat leaves the slipway
New Coulam 16 launched at Grafham Water
On Friday, 2nd September, Christine Hawkings launched Grafham Water's new Wheelyboat. The Coulam 16 Wheelyboat is named The John Hawkings in memory of Christine's husband who was a regular at Grafham and represented England in the disabled fly fishing team.
Grafham's new Wheelyboat has been purchased by Anglian Water and part-funded with the help of a grant from The Peter Harrison Foundation's ‘Opportunities Through Sport’ programme.
Grafham Water is one of the UK's largest man-made waters at 1,500 acres and is owned and operated by Anglian Water. It is one of the country's finest trout fisheries and is a regular host of national and international competitions. The new Wheelyboat joins the fleet of standard Coulam fishing boats and replaces the Mk II Wheelyboat that had been operating their since 2004. The Mk II has been found a new home and is now primarily used for pleasure boating and nature watching at Upton Warren Outdoor Education Centre near Bromsgrove.
To book the Wheelyboat telephone Grafham Water on 01480 810531.
Christine Hawkings cuts the ribbon
Danny Peet rolls on to the Wheelyboat's hydraulic platform that will lower him to deck level
Bernard Cribbins launches Farmoor Reservoir's Coulam 16 Wheelyboat
Veteran actor and passionate angler, Bernard Cribbins OBE, launched Farmoor Reservoir's brand new Coulam 16 Wheelyboat on 19th August 2011. Farmoor Reservoir is owned and operated by Thames Water and as well as providing drinking water for nearby Oxford is run as a trout fishery. The new Wheelyboat joins the existing fleet of Coulam fishing boats. The total cost of the project was £12,000 and includes a 2kw Torqeedo electric outboard. The boat was purchased by Thames Water and part-funded with the help of a grant raised by The Wheelyboat Trust from The Peter Harrison Foundation. The grant was made from the Foundation's ‘Opportunities Through Sport’ programme which supports projects that help disabled people participate in sport and thus fulfil their potential and develop other personal and life skills. The grant provided funds for six Coulam 16 Wheelyboats of which Farmoor's is number five.
Bernard Cribbins said: “It is of huge importance to give disabled anglers the same opportunities as able-bodied anglers and this purpose built boat will do just that. This has been made possible with the generous donations made by Thames Water and The Peter Harrison Foundation and I am sure will provide hours of entertainment for many keen anglers.” Bernard Cribbins and Andy Beadsley fished together after the launch and christened the new boat with a couple of fighting fit rainbow trout.
This is a video of the launch and the Coulam 16 Wheelyboat in action from www.fieldsportschannel.tv (Fieldsports Britain Episode 91, 24th August 2011).
(l to r) Matt Prior (Conservation, Access & Recreation Manager, Thames Water), Andy Beadsley (Director, Wheelyboat Trust), Bernard Cribbins OBE, Jim Coulam (boatbuilder)
(l to r) Andy Beadsley (Director, Wheelyboat Trust), Bernard Cribbins OBE
(l to r) Andy Beadsley (Director, Wheelyboat Trust), Bernard Cribbins OBE, Mark Loughray (Farmoor Ranger)
First Mk III Wheelyboat launched on the Norfolk Broads
On 14th June 2011 a brand new Mk III Wheelyboat was launched on Rollesby Broad for disabled visitors to use for pleasure boating, nature watching and fishing. The Wheelyboat is owned and operated by The Waterside, the Broads' newest visitor attraction. It has been purchased by them with the help of grants raised by The Wheelyboat Trust from The Scotshill Trust, Broads Authority Sustainable Development Fund and The Dixie Rose Findlay Charitable Trust. The Trust and The Waterside are very grateful to the donors for their tremendous support.
The new Wheelyboat has been named ‘Stuart's Dream’ after Stuart Bunn from Norwich who has autism and loves boating. It is powered by a 2kw Torqeedo electric outboard with batteries and charger permanently installed on board. It is fitted with a drive-from-wheelchair console enabling disabled people with severe impairments to experience helming the boat themselves. Belinda Minors, owner of The Waterside, said “Wheelchair accessible pleasure boats are few and far between and we wanted to ensure that all of our customers here at The Waterside can take to the water and enjoy the magnificent beauty of Rollesby Broad”.
(l to r) John Arnold (Torqeedo UK), Andy Beadsley (Director, The Wheelyboat Trust), Simon Daniels and John Ash (Broads Authority Sustainable Development Fund) and Belinda Minors (Owner, The Waterside)
The Waterside's Mk III Wheelyboat with its drive-from-wheelchair console will accommodate up to eight people including wheelchairs
Jack Charlton launches Kielder Water's new Coulam 16 Wheelyboat
On 8th June 2011 football legend and keen angler, Jack Charlton, launched a new Wheelyboat on Kielder Water. The Coulam 16 Wheelyboat is located at Leaplish Waterside Park and will provide disabled anglers with access to the lake's trout fishing. Kielder Water is Europe's largest man-made lake. Northumbrian Water owns and operates the lake and purchased the Wheelyboat with the help of a grant organised by The Wheelyboat Trust from The Peter Harrison Foundation. The Foundation's grant has also helped fund the purchase of Coulam 16 Wheelyboats on Hanningfield Reservoir, Grafham Water, Blithfield Reservoir and Farmoor Reservoir. Jack Charlton said “The Disabled Angler's Cup at Kielder is one of my favourite events of the season. The new boat is a superb addition to the fleet and gives complete and easy access and manoeuvrability. I'm very impressed.”
(l to r) Alistair Corps-Bell and Jack Charlton
Apprentices refurbish a Mk I Wheelyboat for Craufurdland Trout Fishery
Engineering apprentices from Chemring Energetics UK have refurbished a Mk I Wheelyboat for Craufurdland Trout Fishery in Ayrshire. The Mk I is the original Wheelyboat model and is no longer built but secondhand Mk Is make ideal craft for smaller waters like Craufurdland's six acre lochan. The refurbished Mk I was originally supplied to St Johns Loch, Dunnet, in the far north of Scotland in 1990. Sadly, its remote location meant that is was under used and we are very grateful to the St Johns Loch Improvement Association for allowing us to find it a new home. Simon Craufurd who runs Craufurdland Trout Fishery promises it a very good home. The apprentices documented the boat's refurbishment in a Powerpoint presentation (approx 4 megabytes).
The refurbished Mk I is as good as new and has been given at least another 10 years of useful life.
Mk III Wheelyboat launched on the River Shannon
A joint project between the Rinn-Shannon Angling Club and Leitrim Association for People with Disabilities culminated on 17th April 2011 in the launch of a brand new Mk III Wheelyboat. The Wheelyboat will be available to local and visiting disabled people for a variety of waterborne activities including nature watching, pleasure trips and fishing. There is an abundance of wildlife on the river and surrounding loughs for nature watching and there is excellent salmon, trout and coarse fishing throughout the Shannon system.
The Wheelyboat was funded by the Leitrim Development Company Rural Development programme and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The Wheelyboat has been named ‘Ernest's Pride’ after Ernest Catherines who spearheaded the project for both organisations. Ernest sadly passed away in March but did witness the boat's arrival and enjoyed its first trip out.
First Countryside Mobility South West Mk III Wheelyboat launched at Tamar Lakes
Countryside Mobility South West (CMSW) is a Natural England funded project that aims to encourage more people to enjoy the outdoors. It is part of Natural England's ‘Access to Nature’ scheme funded by the Big Lottery Fund and is aimed particularly at people who face social exclusion or lack the ability to get out and about and enjoy natural places. The project supplies and helps fund off-road Tramper mobility scooters and wheelchair accessible Wheelyboats to a wide range of visitor attractions in the region. CMSW provides independence and freedom for people with limited mobility and allows them access to new areas of the countryside on their own, in organised groups or with friends and family. The first of the project's planned four Wheelyboats was launched at Tamar Lakes near Bude on 1st April 2011.
Tamar Lakes is owned and operated by South West Lakes Trust and the new Wheelyboat will mainly be used for pleasure boating and nature watching. CMSW provided 50% of the funding and the Environment Agency donated the balance. For a report of the launch from the Cornish & Devon Post click here.
(l to r) Peter Bartlett MBE (Patron, South West Lakes Trust) and Andy Beadsley (Director, The Wheelyboat Trust)
Peter Cockwill launches Coulam 16 Wheelyboat on Bewl Water
A new wheelchair accessible Coulam 16 Wheelyboat for disabled trout anglers was launched at Bewl Water on 31st March 2011. Funding for the new boat was generously provided by the Environment Agency (from rod licence income in the Southern Region), Southern Water Services Ltd, Sussex Community Foundation, Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust, Ian Askew Charitable Trust, Raymond & Blanche Lawson Charitable Trust, Loseley & Guildway Charitable Trust and Bewl Fishing Ltd. The launch took place on Bewl Water's Fly Fishing Guest Day when the fishery's friends and contributors are thanked for their help. Well known game angler, Peter Cockwill, kindly did the honours and declared the boat formally launched, flourishing a champagne bottle almost as well as he does a fly rod!
Peter Cockwill pops the champagne cork with (l to r) Simon Hume Kendall (Bewl's owner), Andy Beadsley (Wheelyboat Trust), Beverley Thompson (Southern Water Services Ltd) and Lawrence Talks (Environment Agency)
Coulam 16 Wheelyboat launched on Blithfield Reservoir
On 9th March 2011 Blithfield Reservoir launched it's brand new Coulam 16 Wheelyboat. Purchased by the reservoir's owners, South Staffs Water plc, the new Wheelyboat provides disabled anglers with access to the reservoir's trout and pike fishing. The Peter Harrison Foundation helped with a grant from their ‘Opportunities Through Sport’ programme which supports projects that help disabled people participate in sport and thus fulfil their potential and develop other personal and life skills.
(l to r) Andy Beadsley (Wheelyboat Trust), Jim Coulam (boatbuilder), Danny Peet (Trustee, Wheelyboat Trust) and Graham Wood (South Staffs Water)