Camden Charity Tarporley: Community Canal Boat Highlights May–August 2025
- stephdye2
- Dec 16, 2025
- 3 min read
Summer on the canal is always a busy time for CCNA Tarporley. As a Camden Charity with a much loved Community Canal Boat, we use the warmer months to welcome even more people on board. This second blog in our 2025 series looks back at May, June, July and August and the communities who joined us on the water.
May – Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice
In May, our focus turned to Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice, one of our favourite annual events. Despite stormy weather, visitors, volunteers and boaters still arrived with their usual enthusiasm. People explored the boats, chatted with our crew and discovered more about our work as a Camden Charity. Many families realised that community canal boating can feel like free boat trips in London, right in the heart of the city. The festival atmosphere showed how canals connect neighbourhoods, cultures and generations in a very real way.
June – overnight school trips with Angel Canal Trust
June brought a different kind of journey as we supported a series of overnight school trips with Angel Canal Trust. Groups started from City Road Lock and travelled up to Leaside Trust for a canal-side stay before returning the next day. Teachers told us how pupils grew in confidence as they helped with ropes, locks and simple tasks on board. The young people saw wildlife, asked questions and viewed familiar streets from a brand new angle. These trips highlighted how a Community Canal Boat can inspire future canal guardians and create memories that last for years.
July – wellbeing on the water with LOVO Outreach
In July, we deepened our work around wellbeing through a new partnership with LOVO Outreach and The City Otherwise. We piloted a restorative trip for nine women, inviting them to experience the canal as a calm, reflective space. During the cruise, they talked, relaxed and watched the water drift past the towpath. Feedback from the group was moving and encouraging, and it confirmed how powerful quiet time on the Canal can be. One of our core aims as a Camden Charity is to champion the waterways as places of healing, as well as transport and heritage.
August – Building Bonds between a Camden Charity and the Guide Movement
In August, Tarporley welcomed the Bridgewater Boaters Trefoil Guild, a group of experienced Guide leaders, for a special trip. The cruise gave us time to share our story as a Camden Charity and listen to theirs, while they experienced life on our Community Canal Boat first-hand. As we travelled along the water, conversations flowed about future joint activities, youth projects and skills the Guides could bring on board. The day helped us build a stronger relationship with the wider Guide movement and opened the door to more opportunities for young people to discover the canals in the years ahead.
Overall, May to July showed the many roles Tarporley can play as a Community Canal Boat. From busy festivals to educational adventures and gentle wellbeing rides, every trip relied on the support of our volunteers, partners and passengers. Thank you to everyone who braved the rain, booked a cruise or shared our story. Together we keep this Camden Charity thriving for the communities who need it most.
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