Progress Report

In the months since we received news that we had been awarded £30,000 to organise a Millennium Festival in the form of a Celebration of the Sankey, we have been meeting to bring our initial proposals into a definite Programme of Events.

Our Events will help us to publicise and promote the Sankey, and to enable people to sample the joys of actually being afloat upon its waters.

Gill Maltby and Brendan Cassin are working with St. Helens College and others to produce a specially-written drama based on the history of the Sankey. This will be offered for performance in the Schools in the areas around the Canal’s course.

As far as possible the performances of the drama will be linked to visits from the same schools to the Canal itself. School parties will have the opportunity to sail on the waterway, and to learn more about its history and our hopes for its restoration.

Our original plan was to use the "St Helen" for this part of the project, but as we looked into this further it became clear that there are problems relating to this, both in respect of its present condition and the cost of bringing the vessel up to modern safety standards for a larger passenger craft, and in terms of the logistics of carrying, launching and recovering such a wide and long vessel. Because there is only one serviceable launching ramp on the Canal, at Widnes, a launching system involving a lorry-mounted crane has had to be devised, and the weight limits imposed on the operation of such equipment has caused us to seek out a smaller boat. We will be able to launch and recover the boat practically everywhere there is suitable access.

SCARS has now purchased a suitable craft from its own resources, and it is currently in the process of being equipped for the role. To satisfy environmental concerns, but with the bonus that passengers will enjoy a trip almost as soundless as in the days when Mersey flats were hauled by men or horses along the Sankey, the boat will be fitted with an electric engine. To commemorate the Sankey Navigation’s Engineer, the boat will carry the name "Henry Berry". We are negotiating for it to be launched around the March opening to the public of the "World of Glass" beside the Canal at Ravenhead.

We have also purchased, and carried out the necessary adaptations to the lorry which will carry, launch and recover the boat. The vehicle has also been equipped to tow a mobile exhibition on the Sankey, and will itself carry information about the project and the canal. We are also investigating the possibility of using its lifting capability to enable people with disabilities to be given access to the boat. The lengthened deck of the lorry might also prove useful as an outdoor stage for the presentation of the drama.

In their "New Year Pack" every Member received an invitation to join in making our Festival a memorable and successful event. These have been flowing back to us in the weeks since, and we are beginning to draw up the basic teams required to staff and service the "Sailing the Sankey" aspect of this project. A programme of training will then be arranged as required - both in boat handling and the operation of the lorry’s crane - for those who have volunteered for such tasks.

The more volunteers we have, the more events we can arrange. We are anticipating that our boat will see service at a wide range of other Events in the region. We are drawing up a list of suitable occasions - Boat Rallies and other Millennium Festivals (suggestions would be welcomed) - which we could attend if we had enough volunteers. If you are still undecided about offering your time for this exciting project, I hope this article will have fired your imagination and will encourage you to join in.