03 Dec Canal boat charity un-locks funding boost
CanalAbility charity in Harlow benefits from £1,000 donation from Persimmon Homes Essex
Housebuilder Persimmon Homes Essex has donated £1,000 to an accessible boating charity in Harlow.
CanalAbility offers boat trips to 3,000 people each year, allowing them to enjoy the tranquility of the canal, learn how to steer the boat and master the locks.
Their boats are fully accessible meaning they can welcome wheelchair users, as well as those with additional needs as well as those being cared for by local hospices.
Doreen Goodall, General Manager of the charity, applied for a grant through the Community Champion scheme run by Persimmon Homes Essex to support individuals, groups and charities across the county.
She said: “It is just so hard to express in words how grateful we are to Persimmon Homes for this donation, the money all goes on running the charity and bringing happiness to the people who use our service.
“It gives them such pleasure to go on the boats, they get a chance to learn to drive the boats and they can help with the locks.”
The charity is run by a 70-strong team of volunteers, including Harlow Council member Cllr Tony Edwards, and they recently celebrated news they had been awarded a lottery grant to help them buy a new boat for their fleet.
“We are delighted to have the funding, we still have about £20,000 to raise and this donation from Persimmon Homes will help towards that.”
Luke Atkinson, Technical Director at Persimmon Homes Essex, said: “The volunteers at CanalAbility are creating a lasting legacy within their community, giving those with disabilities and special needs the opportunity to travel up and down the canal and learn the skills needed to run a boat.
“We are honoured to have been able to support them with a grant and help them continue the good work they do.”
