On 29 March, Ian and Ally on NB Purple Emperor and Brian and Jo on NB THATSIT will be setting off from Strawberry Island Doncaster along with a number of other boats, and if you cannot join for the whole cruise they would love to meet as many people along the way as possible.
The Fund Britain’s Waterways Steering Group is continuing its campaign to ensure Parliament recognises just how much we all care about our inland waterways. To enable boaters to demonstrate their views it is intended that two cruises will take place immediately following the Canalway Cavalcade in London.
The first cruise, 7 May – The Campaign Cruise, will be from Limehouse Basin to the Palace of Westminster arriving outside around 10:30am. After making their boat voices heard they will return on an ebbing tide, passing Limehouse, for overnight moorings in West India Dock.
The second cruise, 8 May – Dispersal Cruise, will see them departing West India Dock on a rising tide for Brentford and Teddington.,
The full timetable for the campaign event is listed below. As boaters will appreciate, it is very difficult to say where moorings will be each evening, especially with a flotilla of boats. The following week by week info gives an indication of which area they plan to cruise and the Facebook page, Fund Britain’s Waterways – Cruises for 2025, will be updated each day.
Boaters are welcome to join enroute for a few days, but at the very least please show your support and sign the Petition #Fund Britain’s Waterways.
Week 1 Saturday 29th March – Saturday 5th April
Strawberry Island Boat Club Doncaster to Soar Boat Club Normanton on Soar
Cruising the Sheffield & South Yorkshire, Stainforth & Keadby, River Trent & River Soar
Week 2 Sunday 6th April – Saturday 12th April
Soar Boat Club Normanton on Soar to Taveners Boat Club Thrupp
Cruising the River Soar, Leicester Section Grand Union & Grand Union
Week 3 Sunday 13th April – Saturday 19th April
Taveners Boat Club Thrupp to Marsworth
Cruising the Grand Union
Week 4 Sunday 20th April to Saturday 27th April
Marsworth – St Pancras Cruising Club
Cruising the Grand Union, Grand Union Paddington Arm & Regents Canal
Week 5 Sunday 27th April – Saturday 3rd May
St Pancras Cruising Club to Little Venice IWA Cavalcade Bank Holiday Weekend
Cruising the Regents Canal
Week 6 Sunday 4th May – Saturday 10th May
Little Venice IWA Cavalcade –
6th May to Limehouse
7th May Campaign Cruise to Palace of Westminster
8th May Dispersal Cruise with boats heading for Brentford and Teddington
Boats Coming through Brentford Lock will head for Hillingdon Canal Club
Cruising the Regents Canal, River Thames, Grand Union
Boats Heading to Teddington will be continuing up the Thames.
Week 7 Sunday 11th May to Saturday 17th May
Hillingdon Canal Club to Dunstable District Cruising Club Cook’s Wharf
Cruising the Grand Union
Week 8 Sunday 18th May to Saturday 24th May
Dunstable District Cruising Club Cook’s Wharf to Lichfield Cruising Club Huddelsford Junction
Cruising the Grand Union, Northern Oxford & Coventry
Week 9 Sunday 25th May to Saturday 31st May
Lichfield Cruising Club (Huddlesford Junction) – Derby Motorboat Club
Cruising the Coventry & Trent & Mersey
Week 10 Sunday 1st June to Saturday 7th June
Derby Motorboat Club to Boston
Cruising the River Trent, Fossdyke, & River Witham,
Week 11 Sunday 8th June to Saturday 14th June
Boston to Denver Sluice Cruising Club Dependent on weather
Cruising the Wash & River Nene
Week 12 Sunday 15th June to Saturday 21st June
Denver Sluice Cruising Club to Cambridge
Cruising the River Nene, Middle Levels, River Ouse & River Cam
Week 13 Sunday 22nd June to Saturday 28th June
Cambridge to St Ives
Cruising the River Cam & River Ouse
Week 14 Sunday 29th June to Saturday 5th July
St Ives – March
Cruising the River Ouse & Middle Levels
Week 15 Sunday 6th July to Saturday 12th July
March – Peterborough
Cruising the Middle Levels & River Nene
Week 16 Sunday 13th July to Saturday 19th July
Peterborough – Oundle
Cruising the River Nene
Week 17 Sunday 20th July to Saturday 26th July
Oundle – Northampton
Cruising the River Nene
Week 18 Sunday 27th July to Saturday 2nd August
Northampton to Hinkley
Cruising the River Nene, Northampton Arm, Grand Union, Northern Oxford, Coventry & Ashby
Week 19 Sunday 3rd August to Saturday 9th August
Hinkley to Swarkestone
Cruising the Ashby, Coventry, Trent & Mersey
Week 20 Sunday 3rd August to Saturday 9th August
Swarkestone to Doncaster
Cruising the Trent & Mersey, River Trent, Stainforth & Keadby, Sheffield & South Yorkshire.
