Thames Sailing Barge Trust receive grant from Trinity House

  A grant of £19,600 has been given to the Thames Sailing Barge Trust from Trinity House, which supports the seafaring community.

The Thames Sailing Barge Trust, based at Handsel House, Walden Close, in Great Totham, aims to advance the education of the public on the historic and cultural role of Thames sailing barges in the seagoing heritage of Great Britain.

The trust also provides training in the traditional seafaring skills needed to sail and maintain Thames sailing barges.

Due to taking five years to gain experience and ten years to become a skipper, there is a shortage of skilled crew in the Thames sailing barge community.There are only eight skippers under the age of 50 and about 25 mates.

A spokesman for the Thames Sailing Barge Trust said: “The funds from Trinity House will be used to cover the costs of RYA training courses, books and hire of barges to carry out practicable learning.

“Part of the grant will be shared with Sea Change Sailing Trust who are to provide specific training events for the trainees on their engineless sailing barge Blue Mermaid.

“The trustees are grateful to Trinity House for making this award which will help make sure that well into the future there will be sufficient trained crew to sail these iconic vessels including the trust’s sailing barges Centaur and Pudge.”