Accessible Waterways Day London 2024
Following the success of our first ‘Accessible Waterways Day’ in Birmingham last year, we were pleased to host the 2024 follow-up at UCL East on 5 October. University College London’s new campus in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is next to the River Lea and home to many boaters. The area is heavily used by cyclists, fisherman and families enjoying the towpath.
The event included a range of stallholders including waterways authorities, charities and cultural organisations. Throughout the day there were several lively and interactive talks on topics related to making the UK’s inland waterways more inclusive and accessible to all those who wish to use them.
Tracey Clarke opened the day with an explanation of why she, along with husband Tim, founded the Accessible Waterways Association (AWA), and how they hope to develop into the future. All the directors of the AWA are themselves narrowboaters. Tim and Tracey constantly cruise their boat around the UK, with Tracey’s guide dog Loki and Tim’s hearing assistance dog Ozzie. More information about the AWA can be seen in the introduction video below.
Among the participants of the day was a contingent from the Canal & River Trust (CRT). They are the charity with responsibility for over 2,000 miles of waterways in the UK, including London’s Regent’s Canal and East London’s River Lea Navigation. Dick Vincent, the CRT’s National Towpath Advisor, and Marcus Chaloner, the Trust’s Head of Placemaking and Design, presented the prototype ‘accessible mooring bollard’. This has been designed in conjunction with the AWA to allow those in wheelchairs, or with other mobility issues, to safely and independently moor their boat. Guests were able to test this out and provide feedback which will be taken on-board (pardon the pun) as the design is further developed. A trial installation is hopefully scheduled before the end of 2024.
The video below shows another guest being filmed lassoing the bollard, along with the ensuing discussion regarding the way it may be used.
We also heard from Lorraine Newman. She was representing the Waterways Chaplaincy, a much loved and well respected presence on the waterways. They offer friendship, support and advice to people on the UK’s canals and rivers in a number of way. This includes helping individuals, especially those without fixed addresses. They offer assistance and advocacy in things such as registering for benefits, accessing GP surgeries, or dealing with waterways authorities.
Chuntian Hu is the founder and director of Canal Dream CIC, an award-winning arts organisation putting on events on London’s waterways. She spoke about how they are encouraging new audiences to the canals. Sarah Yardley (UCL) and Laura Copsey provided an arts activity as part of their Trellis-funded Rewilding Healthcare creative arts and health research project.
A number of organisations had stalls at the event:
- Accessible Boating, who run boat trips on the Basingstoke Canal for those with all disabilities.
- Bruce Boats who rent out fully disabled-friendly boats on the Kennet and Avon Canal.
- Canal & River Trust, a navigation authority for many of our canals and rivers.
- Canal Dream CIC, an award-winning arts organisation organising events on London’s waterways.
- Drake Marine Engineering, who convert canal boats to be wheelchair accessible.
- Rewilding Healthcare creative arts and health research project.
- Waterlife, who build tailor-made houseboats with accessibility in mind.
- Waterways Chaplaincy, who support people on the UK’s waterways.
Following the success of the day, there are plans to make a series of podcasts. These will focus on different aspects of improving access to the UK’s waterways. They will take the form of conversations, and possibly panel discussions. Participants will include some with lived-experience, and some who are able to make change happen.
The Accessible Waterways Day 2024 was funded by the UCL East Community Engagement Development Fund. It is a continuation of a collaboration between UCL researcher and boater Joseph Cook and the AWA. This first began during the Navigating the System project led by Joseph and fellow researcher Nura Ali. Navigating the System is focused on investigating healthcare access challenges for London’s transient boater community.
Expect to see elements of the day on Channel 4 next year as Tim and Tracey’s story developing the AWA will continue to feature on Channel 4’s ‘Narrow Escapes’, which follows the lives of canal boaters across the country.