The Baldwin Trust, a charity crewed entirely by volunteers, is celebrating its 40th year of providing boating trips along the Grand Union Canal and River Soar for various groups, especially those people facing challenges in their lives.

The Trust began in 1983 when a Mr and Mrs Halsey, together with others started fundraising to buy a narrow boat to take patients from the Baldwin Ward of Leicester’s Frith Hospital (then a psychiatric hospital) on trips out to give them fresh air, companionship and mental stimulation.

The first Baldwin boat, St Clare, was built by apprentices in the Birkenhead shipyard but later the Trust bought two derelict boats from Leicester City Council for a nominal price of £1 – but they spent much more renovating them and adapting them for different disabilities. 

The Trust’s current boats are Halseyon Days (named after the Trusts’ founders) based in Thurmaston and, in Barrow, we have Dandelion.

With over 70 volunteers doing all the administrative and crewing jobs between them, the Baldwin Trust aims to make 200 trips along the waterways by the end of this season. The boats are adapted with ramps and lifts and accessible toilets allowing them to transport people with physical ability problems, mental challenges and those with feelings of isolation and loneliness. They offer family respite and cater to dementia groups, groups from care homes, and groups associated with cancer, special educational needs, bereavement and many others. Travelling at three miles an hour through the countryside on the longest narrowboat (70 feet) on the canal, is calming and offers the chance to interact with nature and with each other.

One memorable occasion, for crew and passengers, was when the boat helped the RSPB to rescue a swan in distress – so it’s not always ‘plain sailing’.

Their plans for the next 40 years are to see their volunteer workforce increase – this year they would like to see it increase to 100 people and to increase the number of trips they are able to make.

If you are interested in finding out what it takes to join them, take a look at their website. They give full training for their sailing crew but need a range of volunteers from admin staff to graphic designers, fundraisers, cleaners and social media managers.

For bookings or volunteering enquiries contact: web@baldwintrust.co.uk
visit their website at: www.baldwintrust.co.uk
and pick up the phone and call: 07923 817 718.

They’ll be delighted to hear from you.

Karisa Krcmar