With hubby Tim, Guide Dog Loki and Hearing Assistance Dog (in training) Ozzie, I live aboard narrowboat Sola Gratia as a continuous cruiser. Tim and I have been enjoying this nomadic floating lifestyle since March 2014. We have no desire to live any other way, nor any regrets about leaving bricks and mortar.

In 2011, I was registered as Severely Vision Impaired and now have just a ‘pinhole’ of useful vision in my right eye only. Without assistance (both 2-legged and 4-legged) I could not manage it but, as a team, we do it ‘our way’ and make it work!

In March 2020, I was co-opted onto the Canal & River Trust Council to represent the interests of Disabled Boaters. Long-prior to that, I had set up the Facebook group IWAF (Inland Waterways Accessibility Forum) as an interactive discussion platform supporting boaters and other waterways users who experience accessibility issues on and around our waterways. I also instigated a series of meetings around the country for disabled boaters to meet with appropriate staff members from Canal and River Trust. These began before the Covid 19 pandemic drove everything to online format. The meetings have continued online since then and are now well attended regular events every two months.

Out of these meetings came the idea of the Boaters’ Blue Card scheme, and a few other developments that are now getting underway to strive to improve the accessibility of our beloved waterways system.

AWA is ‘my baby’ born out of the above. It became evident that it would be better if the Boaters’ Blue Card scheme is administered by an independent body rather than by CRT. This is not least because I want to roll it out to other waterways authorities, but also because it is more likely to be accepted by people that are wary of ‘the authorities’ for whatever reasons.

AWA is, as I write this, still very much in its infancy, but I have big hopes, aims and ambitions for it to grow into a well-recognised and valuable organisation. I cannot begin to do this though without the help and support of the rest of the team of Directors. Together we will strive to make a difference to the accessibility for all of our wonderful network of the Inland Waterways of the UK.

You can contact Tracey on tracey.clarke@awa-uk.org.uk.