Reflections on the winter…and a call for gongoozlers!
It’s raining, it’s pouring, but somewhere down by the canal, perhaps under your feet, a new season is simmering away and making plans to spring forth soon.
Reflections on the launch party
Plans for Kilsby are bubbling too, and we were so happy to throw a project launch party and community celebration at St Barnabas Church last month.
Thank you to everyone who joined the gathering, a cheering turnout of around 100 people. Extra special thanks to those of you who travelled quite a distance to show your enthusiasm.
The event served to mark the start of a two and a half year phase of the Kilsby Boat Project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and to thank all of you - the people who have supported the project, and in so doing helped the project to secure this award.
In bringing everyone together we hope that the community around this project can start to see itself. Perhaps you knew more people at the event than you were expecting to? Maybe that person you always see on the towpath was there and now you exchange a nice nod as you pass each other down by the canal.
We'll be hosting regular volunteer socials to support new friendships, as well as to offer creative heritage experiences for the Kilsby community. Watch this space for dates and times.
In building the group of people that are shaping Kilsby’s revival we also hope to learn more about which types of volunteer opportunities you are interested in.
(You don’t need to do this if you already filled out a form at the launch event)
Perhaps you get a kick out of organising fundraising events, but the thought of skippering a boat down the canal leaves you with sweaty palms?
Whatever your preference, it is very helpful for us to know which areas of this community-led heritage-arts operation are calling to your sparkling volunteer heart.
Why not join our canalside volunteer social?
Kilsby will be leaving Banbury - where Matt and the Tooley’s team have taken great care to look after the boat for years - and heading to David Kemp’s Boatbuilders in Stourbridge for the next stage of the restoration.
On Friday 6th March come and witness Kilsby being craned out ahead of being transported by lorry to David Kemp's boatyard. We are expecting this to happen between 9am and 11am, on the Oxford Canal at Aynho.
There may be some singing involved, and there will definitely be coffee and cake! We hope some of you will be able to take this opportunity for a little social and a solid bit of gongoozling.
Interested? Email kilsbypm@jlht.org for more information.
Here's a photo of Kilsby being relocated from Oxford to Banbury in 2019...
(The weather might be better than this... or it might not.)
Fundraising update
Fundraising efforts are ongoing, acknowledging that the substantial award from The National Lottery Heritage Fund has match funding conditions that need to be met.
We received a magnificent £1445 in donations following the launch event - thank you for your generosity.
The Jericho Singers Christmas Concert also raised a wonderful £1022.06 Thank you to everyone who attended that event, and of course to Steph and the lovely singers themselves who must have left everyone in very generous spirits!
Here is a beautiful photo from Jeff Slade of said Christmas concert….
Another piece of the Kilsby puzzle
Building a detailed picture of the life of a canal boat that has been floating around the UK inland waterways for 113 years is a knotty task! We are very grateful to Colin Brace for sharing this photo with us.
Colin is from a boating family, and the picture shows his grandfather John Henry Brace, the steerer. Kilsby was originally a butty boat, meaning it was towed along by another boat (motorised or horse drawn). At the time this picture was taken Kilsby was paired with a boat called Pilot:
If you have any more pieces of the Kilsby puzzle please get in touch. These are the details that illuminate the history embedded in Kilsby's old hull, and get us all excited about the future of the boat!
And finally…Welcome to Marta!
Funding from the Heritage Fund has put us in a position to hire some excellent people to help deliver this pivotal next stage of Kilsby’s transformation…
Introducing Marta Lomza as Project Manager!
It is very exciting to have Marta on board and you’ll hear lots more about them over the next couple of years!
Steph Pirrie remains as Project Lead, and the Steering Group (Tish Francis, Stephen Purbrick, Mark Davies and Sophie Stanley) are chaired by Sean Robinson (Treasurer of the Jericho Living Heritage Trust).
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