Today we’re speaking to Hannah Bottomley, Education Manager at The River Thames Boat Project. The Thames Boat Project is dedicated to making the River Thames accessible for people of all ages and abilities, providing cruises and educational activities along the river.
Hello, please could you introduce yourself and tell us a little about the River Thames Boat Project?
My name is Hannah Bottomley and I’m the Education Manager at the River Thames Boat Project. The project has been running since 1988. We have two boats which are used for the two arms of the charity – one for cruising, generally for elderly or vulnerable clients, like groups from care homes, veterans, disability support groups and young carers too. Our other boat is used for education – we run a couple of primary school educational programmes so we get classes to come for a day session and we teach them about the river and environment. Our aim is to connect people with the river – and we want to work with people who might not have this opportunity.
Could you tell us a little more about the project? How might a volunteering session go at the River Thames Boat Project?
Our two boats are very different – the one we use for education, Thames Venturer, is a converted dutch barge – a big boat, the most iconic of the two. It’s been modified for accessibility, and now features a lift for wheelchairs. A volunteer on the education side of things might begin at 9am, setting up equipment for science experiments. The classes tend to arrive at around ten. Our volunteers will take the roles of teachers or teaching assistants, working with the children to complete basic science experiments. Volunteers are supported by the adult visitors that come with the school children. They are normally with us 9 until 3.
Our other boat, Thames Discoverer, is used for cruising and is the smaller of the 2 boats. It’s got large windows so all our clients, including people in wheelchairs, can enjoy the scenery. We provide half day cruises for 3 hours, or full day cruises for 6. Volunteers will arrive an hour before the client to ensure everything on the boat is ready and the engine is running smoothly. We’ll then collect the client from the departure point. Our volunteers have a mix of duties – crewing (working with the ropes and fenders e.g. when passing through a lock) and hosting the clients. Many of our clients might not have had a conversation outside their care home, so hosting is all about making them feel valued.
A lot of our cruises focus on the therapeutic value of being by the river. There is some science to suggest that being on or by the water is even more relaxing than being in woodland or other clam spaces. Our cruises allow guests to really take in the river from an angle they might not have seen before. Volunteers are welcome to talk about sites on the river with the clients, like Hampton Court Palace. Sometimes we’ll provide activities for the clients, especially if they’re young children. A firm favourite is clay modeling – the activity is linked to the river which has a bed of clay, and the groups often make lots of fish. In the past we’ve had nursery school groups make boats out of recycled materials, encouraging learning about the river in a sustainable way.
A lot of our volunteers might not know anything about boats, but we provide full training – volunteering with us is a learning opportunity. Volunteers can choose what they get involved in, some only do cruising, some only do the educational side of things, some do both. There’s a lot of flexibility, because training relates to both education and cruising.
What can volunteers learn by volunteering with the project?
Teaching and teaching assistant roles allow volunteers to learn some of the (science, geography and environmental) education that we share. They’ll also learn public speaking skills, some volunteers really come out of themselves. Volunteers will also learn people management, especially when dealing with 8-10 children on board!
When it comes to cruising, learning opportunities are endless. You can learn to be a deckhand, a starting level in crewing – you’ll learn to use fenders, to tie the ropes. You can also learn to be a skipper (boat driver). We also do a lot of inhouse maintenance – for those who are interested, there are loads of opportunities to learn how to fix things.
Any funny stories?
We get a lot of really nice feedback – we’ve had kids that come up to us at the end of the day and will say “i’ve had a fantastic day” completely unprompted. We also get children asking if there are sharks in the Thames at Teddington – one of the team will often suggest that we test by feeding some children to them. An idea that normally receives squeals of delight!
Are you interested in volunteering with the River Thames Boat Project? Apply to be a cruising volunteer here or an education volunteer here.
Want to learn more about the project? Check out their website here, or like their Facebook page!
Not sure where to begin with volunteering? We have a wealth of resources to help new volunteers available here.