T H E
B A L D W I N T R U S T
Registered
Charity No. 515488
A generous bequest by a patient on the Baldwin Ward
of Leicester Frith Hospital led to the founding of the Baldwin Trust in
1982. The charity’s
primary objective was to alleviate the suffering of very sick long-term
patients by means of recreational cruises on the local waterways.
After several years of energetic fund-raising the founding
trustees were ready to commission the building of a specially equipped
narrow boat in a Merseyside yard where much of the work would be carried
out by YTS apprentices to minimise cost.
'St Clare' named after the original benefactor was handed
over to the Trust in 1987 and brought to Leicester where she now
operates from Raynsway Marina on the North side of the city. In
2008 the boat reached 21 years and has been repainted and a new
replacement engine has been fitted.
From its visionary origins in a single hospital
ward the Baldwin Trust in time established itself as one of the area’s
leading community boats attracting people from homes and care centres
across the region. In a
typical season more than 1200 disabled and
otherwise infirm people enjoy the uplifting experience of a river cruise
through the Leicestershire countryside.
The Baldwin Trust’s unpaid volunteers
are all trained to be competent boat handlers and each has the
opportunity to progress and qualify as a skipper after gaining the
certificate of the National Community Boats Association.
In recognition of the standards attained by Barrie Ball, Training Officer,
the Trust is now a recognised NCBA training organisation.
In October 2002 Leicester City Council donated its
two neglected and vandalised narrow boats Dandelion and Charlotte to the
Baldwin Trust. We proposed to restore and return them to community
use. After much
inspired hard work by a small team of volunteers Dandelion, transformed
inside and out, was restored during the 2003 season. It returned
to full active service in 2004.
The modest charges made for the river cruises
only partially meet the cost of operating and maintaining the boats.
We are generally running a shortfall of about £5000 pa which has to be
met by active fund raising from a variety of activities including
attendance at various boat festivals where we offer visits and
refreshments on board. We also run a 100 club offering supporters the
chance of winning a monthly prize draw.
In order to undertake more extensive capital projects
we have to bid for funding grants from appropriate agencies. These
bids have in the past been pursued by by veteran Trust member Malcolm Sutton
and more recently by Ian Hearn, immediate ex-chairman.
The restoration of Charlotte had been pursued from
2003 as a joint venture with the Inside Out Trust and prisoners at HMP Gartree near Market Harborough.
The restoration was unfortunately incomplete when the boat was
returned to the Trust in 2006. In 2008 Charlotte
was prepared as a 'sail-away' project boat and sold.
