This has been a very strange year having got everything ready for open days then Covid arrived. With no way of safely complying with the government guidelines for public access we decided to stay put at Whitehouse wharf. We have tried to use the downtime positively by getting on with long standing “wish list” jobs. Our Chairman Barry and project lead Les have been working on board separately but with a struggle made some good progress. We have updated some of the photo displays and refurbished most of the exhibits. We have also improved the aft entrance stairway by using the redundant former forward stairs.

This years tree festival runs from the 6th to 15th December. We are preparing ours for this year and as usual we have a different theme to explain what we are busy with. Please support this as all monies from visitors go to Church funds. Our winter project is the fitting of our new inboard generator part funded by Nottinghamshire County Council.

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The barge will be open August bank holiday weekend Sat 24th, Sun25th, and Mon26th at Newark Riverside park from 11am to 4pm.

In conjunction with English Heritage, Heritage Open Days we will be open Fri 13th, Sat 14th and Sun 15th. On the Sunday we will be moving a bit nearer the bridge to accommodate organisers of the Dragon Boat race in aid of Beamond House Hospice and the Childrens Bereavement centre.
The following week we will be open Fri 20th, Sat 21st and Sun 22nd.

The next important date is our AGM to be held on board Leicester Trader, Tuesday 24th September, 12pm for 1pm start.
All welcome , refreshments on board.

Leicester Trader will be open 19th, 20th and 21st July to coincide with Newark Traditions weekend, 11am to 4pm. Come and see our recent photo and model displays upgrades. Always hoping to meet new members who would like to learn about our river history and  help on open days, Les, 07971 589612.

Our first open days of 2019 are at our home mooring to the rear of 24 The Weavers, NG24 4RY from 11am to 5pm . We are improving some of our displays of photographs and also our models with the addition of our latest one found by chance on ebay. It is a builders half model of the Trent Navigation co. keel, “Humber” built at Newark in 1904. It is significant in being one of the first of what became the standard Trent size of 82ft6in x 14ft6in and our Leicester Trader being the last built of this shape and size. We also have on display the model of the Trent Navigation co most powerful towing barge “Frank Rayner” which was made and donated by former boatman Bob Hodgson.

Enquiries call Les on 07971 589612

Our best ever national publicity yet—Leicester Trader was the local interest centrepiece and project lead Les Reid was interviewed by presenter Anita Manning on board. Available to view on I player for 30 days from the 4th.

We are pleased to yet again be a part of the Christmas tree festival in aid of our local Parish Church, St Mary Magdaline. This runs from December 1st to 9th. Committee member Margaret Catley and her friend Di have assembled this years tree with the theme that Leicester Trader will feature on BBC television Bargain Hunt in the new year.

Learning about flotation–if the barge is made of steel how can it float? The simplest things capture the imagination and phones and I pads put aside. Loading barges (sardine tins) with heavy cargo(old pennies). How many before it sinks?!

General view with our chairman Barry teaching a few magic trick with rope.

How did we lift sails and cargo on sailing ships before we had engines and cranes?

How did you do that?