FUND BRITAIN’S WATERWAYS
BIRMINGHAM CAMPAIGN CRUISE. 12/13 AUGUST 2023
A steering group representing IWA, NABO, AWCC, RYA BM and RBOA is progressing this campaign and in support of it is organising a campaign cruise to Birmingham on the weekend of 12/13 August. A formal notice is being delayed awaiting the Defra announcement on the CRT grant settlement, but in the meanwhile we want to give boaters early notification to help them plan their cruising.
The date has been agreed to enable boaters to attend on their way to the IWA Festival of Water at Pelsall two weeks later. Plans have to be finalised but in brief boats will gather on the Saturday at various locations around Birmingham city centre and progress early on Sunday to gather at the Mailbox. There will be no entry charge for boats but an application form must be completed.
Please register your interest now to
Help us to get the message across to government that increased funding for Britain’s waterways to avert their decline really matters to us. Apologies if you receive this notice more than once but we want to ensure a good coverage promptly.
FBW Birmingham Campaign Cruise organising group
Communications NHS England - Equalities Vaccination Deployment Programme -offer this advice for boaters:
As we prepare to celebrate 75 years of the NHS, Dr Nnenda Atata, a GP in Swindon and Vaccination Programme Clinical Quality Improvement Lead offers helpful advice about how you can access the help you need, for a healthier, happier summer. She explains:
“Boat dwellers don’t have the same access to healthcare services as other communities. Working with partners and local authorities, we have introduced outreach initiatives to help people access the NHS services which are available to us all - especially those without a fixed address or permanent mooring location. As an example, over the last 2 years, we held outreach clinics onboard a canal boat, donated by the Canal Ministries. It gave people easier access to COVID-19 vaccinations, alongside other health advice.”
Register with a GP practice
Everyone is entitled to register with a GP practice free of charge, including people who don’t have ID, proof of address or immigration status. You can register as a temporary resident if you expect to live in the area for up to 3 months. If you need help or advice when registering with a GP practice, you can call 0300 311 2233.
Nnenda says: “Your GP practice will support you in managing ongoing and general health issues. In addition to face-to-face appointments, many offer telephone or video appointments.”
The Marine Accident Investigation Board have published their accident investigation report into the double fatality on board the privately owned sports cruiser Emma Louise on 11 January 2022, highlighting the need for further work to raise awareness among pleasure craft users about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO). You can read the report here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/emma-louise-report-and-safety-flyer-published
All boats with accomodation and covered by the BSS are required to have at least one CO alarm. Have you got one and is it working? Every year around 10% of boats fail their exaimation just on this point.
Calor Gas have announced that they will now continue to refill the small 4.5kg butane and equivalent propane but only as long as the existing fleet of bottles remains serviceable. They will only be available at distribution centers, i.e., not at marinas. You can see the the announcement here.
https://www.calor.co.uk/news-and-views/update-to-cylinder-range
We regard this proposal as useless, and our advice remains that if you can source an alternative to Calor that can fit your boat, and you can obtain it, go for it. If you can fit the larger Calor BBQ gas bottle in a locker, this might also be a good solution. We hear reports of boater trying to fit 6kg bottle horizontally into a locker. Don’t do this, as bottles must be upright to operate safely, allowing the liquid gas to evaporate in the bottle. We will consider what further action is needed when the BSS review is complete. We are in touch with some of the coastal user groups who are seriously affected with more than 10,000 boats with gas lockers tailored exactly to Calor’s sizing. Of course, Calor’s decision is commercial and they are not obliged to do anything that they regard a poor business.
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