2nd May 2024
We recently took a trip to Marple to speak to the volunteers who run and operate the New Horizons Canal Boat Trust.
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In our first round of awards, the Vernon Charitable Foundation gave a grant of £2,500.00 to Stockport Canal Boat Trust which operates the New Horizons canal boat. The Vernon Gang
paid a visit to Marple to speak to the volunteers who run and operate the New Horizons canal boat and find out what the grant had been used towards.
The grant has been used to enable steel work on bow and stern plus painting associated with the works. The work was implemented to preserve the hull's integrity and ensure the canal boat's operational lifespan for another 10-15 years.
The boat is fully accessible, and the work completed will enable it to be shipshape for the new season to welcome schoolchildren, seniors, and people with disabilities.
New Horizons is 70 feet long and 6 feet 10 inches wide to allow it to pass through the many narrow bridges and locks on the canal system. It is navigated by a skipper and volunteer crew. The boat has a boarding ramp, a lift, and wheelchair access throughout its length. There's accommodation for a maximum of 12 passengers on half-day and whole-day trips.
New Horizons, the Trust’s Canal Boat, was launched by HM King Charles III when The Prince of Wales in 1981.
The facilities of New Horizons are designed to assist those who need an accessible boat.
New Horizons has had only had 5 skippers in more than 42 years of operation. The Charity is managed by a Board of Trustees who are responsible for the running of the Charity. The day-to-day work of the Boat is carried out by a Skipper and a willing band of volunteers.
Over the lifetime of New Horizons, there is an estimated 120,000+ passengers that have been carried by the boat.
We loved getting to know a bit more about New Horizons and seeing what they used their grant towards! Keep your eyes peeled because the next round of Vernon Charitable Foundation grants is opening soon...