Who We Serve

We provide the facilities for people with disabilities and special needs to enjoy boating on the river on our specially adapted canal boats. You can hire our boats exclusively for groups of up to 10 or 12 people, for a 4 hour day trip.

Our boats have a range of facilities that make it possible for disabled people and people with mobility difficulties to access and enjoy them including ramps, lifts, and hoist points. Our focus is on ‘Ability, not disability‘.

As a charity we try to make our boats available to anyone who will benefit from their facilities and whose well-being will be enhanced through participating in a cruise along the waterways. Outlined below is a guide to who we serve as a charity.

Eligibility

You can hire our boats privately:

As a family, or a group of friends – if one or more people in your group has special needs or a disability*

You can hire our boats as a group or organisation:

If one or more people in your group has special needs or a disability*. Examples include

• A charity or social support group whose members have a disability, mobility difficulties or a special need (eg: MIND, Parkinsons, Residential Care Home, Hospice etc).
• A community group – such as residents groups, social club or organisation where disability* is not a requirement.
• Schools, Colleges and Youth Groups with group members who have special needs/disabilities.
• A group that provides care or respite for carers.
• Any other type of group or organisation with a member(s) who have special needs or a disability*

 

* We recognise that all people have a range of abilities and whilst we do not employ a fixed definition of disability, our services are prioritised towards individuals or groups that would be unable to access a canal boat, and the river, without the adapted facilities that our boats are equipped with, or who would find it difficult to get on board or move around a canal or narrow boat that has not been adapted. Groups that have previously hired our boats are diverse and range from senior citizens, arthritis sufferers, sight impairment, mobility difficulties to wheelchair users and the severely impaired. Please ask us if you are not sure.

Groups that have hired our boats include:

1st Sawbridgeworth Scout Group	Mencap	St Clare Hospice
Gardens Nursing Home	Rotary	3rd Harlow Guides
Accuro	Age Concern	Alzheimers Society
Baldock Day Centre	Bishops Stortford Community Church Youth Group	Boshier Hinton Foundation
Caring for Harlow Carers	Church Army	East Herts Day Centre
Edith Borthwick School	Epping Stroke Club	Fyfield Over 50s keep fit club
Greenside School	Hastingwood WI	Hedgrows Nursing Home
Hertford Disability Support Group	U3A (various clubs)	Lea Valley Arthritics Care
Livability	London Centre Children Cerebral Palsey	Harlow Fields School
Ongar Handicapped Club	PACT	Relate
Rye Park Womens Club	SCOPE	St Elizabeth College
Stroke Action	Talking Hands	Tye Green Lodge Care Home
Uniting Friends	Upside Down Sports Club	Waltham Abbey Woodcraft
Young at Heart	Young Carers

 

Out of season and at quiet times we also hire our boats out to youth organisations (eg: guides, scouts), schools, and colleges. This is an extension of our core services and serves to introduce young people to the joys of the river at an affordable rate, whilst also providing valuable additional revenue to the charity that assists us in carrying our our core activities. Contact us to enquire about these services