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New £60,000 boat for the Chesterfield Canal

The Chesterfield Canal Trust has just won a cheque for £60,000 from the Big Lottery Fund to build and equip an electric tripboat.

The project was chosen by TV viewers as winners in the Jubilee People’s Millions. This is a competition in which short films are shown each night about two projects. The public then vote for the one they support. The Trust’s film was shown on Monday night in the ITV Yorkshire & Humberside Region and a film crew came to give the good news the following day.

The boat will be based at Kiveton Park. It will be fully accessible for the disabled, with an electro-hydraulic system to enable any user to steer the boat from anywhere within it, regardless of disability. The project is supported by Wales High School and Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

Robin Stonebridge from the Trust said “We are absolutely delighted. We are very grateful for the support from Bluebell Wood and Wales High School and look forward to working closely with them to make the project a reality“.

Sarah Champion from Bluebell Wood’s reaction was “This is fantastic news. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for us.”
John Day, Head of Wales High School commented that he was delighted and that the school would continue to back the project 100%.

Some of the aims of the first year of the project are:

* To provide access to the Chesterfield Canal for 200 people with mobility impairments

* To run a RYA or NCBA Helmspersons Certificate course for 10 adult volunteers from the local community

* To run a RYA or NCBA Helmspersons Certificate course for 20 young people from Wales High School

* To develop with Wales High School a pupil engagement enterprise programme based around the business of running it as a trip boat.

Dr. Geraint Coles, the Chesterfield Canal Development Manager and the author of the bid, said “We are very grateful to all those who voted for us, especially to the waterways community. The hard work starts now. We will be involving Bluebell Wood and Wales High School in every stage of the design.”