Sankey Festival Update: "Sailing the Sankey"
Following the successful run of the Drama we commissioned from St. Helens College in a dozen schools in the
area, the next phase of our Millennium Festival was the running of trips on the Sankey itself.
Unfortunately we ran into logistical problems once those we had with the launch vehicle (described in the
last Cuttings) had been sorted out.
We had hoped to be able to take the boat onto stretches of the Sankey in each of the three Boroughs it
runs through, but it proved impossible to carry this out.
The section where boating takes place in Warrington, between the Sankey Way and Bewsey Swing Bridge, was
closed off because of stability problems with the bank. This created problems with launching our boat,
and also the Council did not want wash from a boat to add to the problems of the bank.
In St. Helens our plan had been to launch near the Technology Campus and to cruise down to the New Double Locks.
However, fencing installed to keep vehicles off the towpath also kept us off, too. The alternative, the section
from the Safeway store to the World of Glass turned out to have too much weed, and too many supermarket trolleys,
to enable sailing to take place. This left us with Widnes.
In July we had an opportunity to try this site out. The Halton Show at Spike Island draws thousands to the area,
and SCARS has always taken its Sales Stall and Exhibition there.
The presence of our boat would add something to the Show, and increase SCARS’ profile there.
After launching our boat, “The Henry Berry”, on the Friday afternoon, we spent Saturday preparing her, and
practising embarkation, docking and mooring manoeuvres. On the Sunday, after final preparations, we were on our way. The
Chairman and member Phil Hurst sailed a dozen trips that afternoon - and a good time was had by all.
In the opening weeks of the new school term arrangements were made to bring a series of Schools down to
Spike Island to take part in our Festival.
We chose one of the worst weeks for rain and wind imaginable - but even if the sun didn’t shine through,
the children’s enjoyment did. They came equipped for outdoor activity, and shrugged off the weather, helped
by the fact that the Rangers’ Visitor Centre was made available to us throughout.
The Rangers, led by Anthony Dooley, not only acted as our hosts, but also took groups of the children around
Spike Island, whilst some of the others looked at the SCARS displays or the Sankey NOW video in the cabin,
during the periods when they were not sailing aboard the boat.
Our thanks to the Rangers, and to the West Bank Boat Club who helped with launching and recovering the boat,
and with providing secure moorings for her during the week.
Pictures show the crew make final preparations on the quayside at the Halton Show (top) and
embarking children during the Schools’ week.
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