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Ellesmere Port Waterways Museum Welcomes Aboard Heritage Boatyard Supervisor

The National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port is delighted to announce the appointment of Dave Linney as Heritage Boatyard Supervisor.

Dave Linney has over 25 years experience with boats and restoration having worked at a number of boatyards.

Dave said, “The Heritage Boatyard is a huge opportunity to work on a varied collection of different types of boats. The task at hand will be very challenging but will also be an opportunity to pass heritage skills on to a new generation and to work with staff, trainees and volunteers.”

Steve Stamp, Boat Museum Society Chairman, explained: “We are really pleased to welcome Dave, his appointment is vital in our ambition to establish a sustainable working boatyard at the museum. As well as maintaining and restoring our historic canal boats, we are also developing and passing on essential heritage skills to a new workforce. Two of the four trainees from Future Jobs Fund (through Cheshire West and Cheshire Council) have already joined the team and are working with Dave, museum staff and volunteers from The Boat Museum Society to renovate historic working boats Mendip and Ilkeston. Two more trainees will start later this month.

“The addition of a working boatyard adds another important dimension to the museum, further broadening its appeal and relevance to today’s audiences. It is fantastic that visitors are able to see restoration work in action with young and old working together.”

The Heritage Boatyard is a joint venture between The Waterways Trust, National Waterways Museum and The Boat Museum Society. Together, the partners are developing a sustainable working boatyard to maintain and restore historic boats, developing and passing on heritage skills and engaging museum visitors in the boat collection and its care.

The Heritage Boatyard also works in partnership with the National Historic Ships Unit and West Cheshire College.

£100,000 of funding has been secured towards the creation of the Heritage Boatyard, restoration of the boat collection, including funding from Future Jobs Fund (Cheshire West and Cheshire Council) for four trainee Boatyard Assistants.

The National Waterways Museum has also joined forces with publishers Waterways World to launch a Supporters Scheme for its national collection of historic boats at Ellesmere Port. As well as helping to fund vitally important restoration work on the Museum’s 80-strong fleet of historic boats, in return for an annual £39 gift, National Waterways Museum Supporters will receive a series of benefits, including free entry to the Museum and a subscription to Narrowboat Magazine.

For more information call Waterways World on 01283 742970 or visit www.nwm.org.uk/supporters.