WHY should disabled people miss out?
Can you help?
Please could you help us put this wheelchair friendly boat onto the local rivers, lakes and waterways? We hope to enable physically and mentally handicapped people to access the beautiful countryside of the Cotswolds from an open boat, something they are not easily able to do at the moment.
This is a non-profit community project so all monies raised will only be used to fund and operate the Explorer Boat, all personnel are volunteers so every penny will be spent on getting people onto the water.
We are lucky to be surrounded by beautiful rivers, waterways and lakes but people with limited mobility are excluded from accessing this because of the difficulties of actually getting on board a boat, the ‘Explorer Boat’ solves this with a flat floor and accessible front ramp.
Our hope is to be able to offer free trips to wheelchair users and their carers to enjoy the beautiful countryside from a purpose built silent electric boat. It will also be available to other individuals and organisations.
Do you know anyone who could benefit from using the Explorer Boat? We are looking for users as well as contributors, it is a local resource that is available to be used by all worthy causes, contact us with your ideas.
Electric Engine
The ‘Explorer’ boat uses an electric outboard engine. For redundancy it does have a backup outboard engine but this would only be used on rivers in an emergency.
Silent
Listen to the wind in the trees, the birds sing, the sound of the boat pushing through the water….
As the electric outboard engine is underwater the boat is almost totally silent.
No smelly pollution
With an electric outboard there are no petrol or diesel fumes and no pollution being put into the environment.
WAYS OF CONTRIBUTING
We have received a generous grant from Wychavon District Council as part of the Wychavon Rural Fund to start the process of getting us underway but the condition of the grant is that we have to provide matched funding.
We need to raise £15000 to enable the boat to get onto the water and to cover the initial running costs such as insurance, licences etc.
All staff are volunteers so your kind donations only go towards the initial purchase cost and direct costs of operating the boat.
Payment can be by any of the following:
GoFundMe
Go to GoFundMe and look for ‘Wheelchair accessible electric boat for the River Avon'
BACS payment
To:
Account: ‘Explorer Boat’
Sort Code 30 54 66
Account number 10756168
Cheques
Made out to:
'Explorer Boat’
Please visit in person or send to the sailing club address below
Cash
Visit Arden Sailing Club and ask for Steve Ryder. Steve is the volunteer looking after the finance.
What can we offer?
Unique ‘Explorer’ boat in the beautiful countryside of the Cotswolds
EXPLORER BOAT
Accessible front ramp and flat floor
Easy to load and unload via the front ramp.
Once on board the flat floor makes manoeuvring easy, there are tie down points for the wheelchair and additional seating for others.
Please feel free to discuss any special requirements using the contact details below
weather protection
‘Bimini’ top
On pleasant days you are out in the open, if it looks like rain or the sun is too hot, in minutes we can put up the ‘Bimini’ top for some protection.
Safety equipment will be provided but bring suitable clothing for the forecast weather.
arden sailing club
Accessible location
Arden Sailing Club is set in some of the most beautiful contryside in the Cotswolds with stunning views.
It is easily accessible from main roads, it has a flat car park, the single storey clubhouse is wheelchair friendly with dedicated disabled toilets. It has it’s own slipway onto the River Avon.
explorer boat trailer
Explorer boat elsewhere
The ‘Explorer’ boat has a purpose built trailer so can easily be transported to any other river, waterway or lake so that others can experience the beauty of nature.
So what can I expect?
Watch a video of our boat on a recent trip
Video not yet shot
As soon as the boat is on the water we will have videos to show you what to look forward to
Arden Sailing Club
explorerboat1@gmail.com 07831 171 556
Bourne Road
Defford
Worcester
WR8 9BS
To find us, go through the Revill’s Farm Shop car park and follow the dirt track to the right of the main building with the field on the right and the hedge on the left. Please keep your speed below 10mph.
Arden Sailing Club is an RYA approved training centre for sailing dinghies and powerboats.
Supported by your generous donations and a grant from
