Fantastic fundraising in the dark months…..
The Autumn and Winter of 2024 warmed our cockles, with a festive flurry of local fundraising efforts….. Thank you.
Three Idle Women Show
Picture by Ian Wallman
As well as being long time supporters of the Kilsby Boat Project, the Three Idle Women, are a secret musical driving force behind the project. The band, who formed in 2013, were forged by a shared love of the Oxford Canal and a fondness for close harmony singing, folk music and stories that are carried through song.
Their ability to take a watery truth from the history of the inland waterways, and weave it into a three part harmony that grabs you right by the heartstrings, has been a steady and constant demonstration of the capacity of the arts to reanimate the past, an aspiration at the core of the Kilsby project.
Jane, Charlie and Steph (the Three Idle Women) launched their debut album All Hands Together (available here) at St Barnabas Church in October, and kindly raised funds for the Kilsby Porject at this sold-out event. Huge thanks to everyone who contributed to the fantastic show, and the marvelous cash bucket.
Story Museum
At this stage, much of the work of transforming Kilsby is happening in a flurry of spreadsheets and the tapping of fingers on keyboards. Occasionally we can get a group together and get our hands dirty (see the blacking of Kilsby’s hull last year here) and we look forward to many more overall cladded work parties in the future! Until those glorious days, we like to make sure we have opportunities to bring people together for real life in-person updates, and we chose the Woodshed at the beautiful Story Museum for one such event in November.
The Woodshed at the Story Museum; the Kilsby production ‘Boatman’s Chapel’ on the big screen….
Historical talks, fundraising updates, story-telling on film, and live music from the Three Idle Women were streamlined together with help from the amazing technical team at the Story Museum.
Getting hands-on with the Kilsby Crankie at the Story museum!
Many thanks to everyone who was able to join us on that day, and for your continued enthusiasm and interest in the project.
Jericho Singers Christmas Concert
Photo by Jeff Slade
A festive highlight for many locals, the Jericho Singers Christmas Concert filled St Barnabas Church with merriment in December. For the third year running this event has raised funds for the Kilsby Project through the shaking of buckets and the pouring of pints! Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this event. A wonderful £795 went into the Kilsby transformation fund!
