East Manchester Community Boat Project
Community Spirit 2
We were awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service on the 2nd June 2018.
A great achievement by all our volunteers.
Group photo taken at the Community Spirit II Launch.
Our specially designed narrowboat “Community Spirit 2” was delivered in November 2016. Through hard work and generous support, almost £100,000 was raised in two years – a magnificent achievement! With our new state-of-the-art narrowboat we continue to help those who may be disabled or disadvantaged, by providing a free day out on the canal.
The diesel engine on “Community Spirit 2” was recently replaced with an electric motor powered by batteries. The smooth and silent running is very calming and our passenger groups have unanimously endorsed the changes.
Download our flyer: May 2023 Leaflet
The Reach at Piccadilly Manchester Takes on 97-Mile Charity Canal Walk for East Manchester Community Boat Project
On Monday 11th May team members from The Reach at Piccadilly Manchester are embarking on a 97-mile charity walk around the Cheshire Ring Canal loop to raise £500 for the East Manchester Community Boat Project (EMCBP). The funds will go towards purchasing a generator for the community boat, Community Spirit 2, allowing it to travel further without stopping to charge and increasing its overall mileage range.
The ambitious walk will cover six different canals across four counties, navigating 92 locks along the entire towpath route. The journey begins at Lock 84 on the Rochdale Canal, adjacent to The Reach at Piccadilly Manchester, which will serve as the starting point for this landmark challenge.
Peter Nye, General Manager of The Reach at Piccadilly Manchester, said:
"I am incredibly proud of our team taking on this challenge. Supporting smaller local charities like the East Manchester Community Boat Project is something we hold close to our hearts. Over the years, we have built a strong relationship with Nigel, Sue, and the entire EMCBP team, and this walk is our way of giving back. At the same time, it’s a celebration of the canals and waterways of Great Britain, which have been at the heart of our community for generations."Nathaniel Farrell, Head of Food and Drink at The Reach at Piccadilly, added:
"The team can’t wait for this epic challenge, we have missed the passing canal trade since the Bridgewater burst its banks, the Cheshire Ring has remained closed. Back in 2023, when we first opened Lock 84, we saw 10-20 boats a day come through and enjoyed offering a free drink and a helping hand through the lock. This walk will also give us a chance to assess the work that has been done and support the waterways we care so deeply about."The walk is a demonstration of The Reach’s commitment to local communities, heritage, and the waterways that connect them. All proceeds will directly benefit the East Manchester Community Boat Project, helping ensure Community Spirit 2 can continue providing educational, recreational, and community services along the region’s canals.
For more information about the walk or to donate to the cause, please click the Donate on Givey button at the top of the page
Take a, virtual trip along the Ashton Canal:
Jigsaw Foundation funds canal boat experience opportunity
We're all connected by a love of water!
East Manchester Community Boat Project is happy to be affilliated to The Canal and River Trust
We are based at Portland Basin in Ashton-under-Lyne,
Welbeck Street South, OL7 0QA
behind Portland Basin Museum.
Our shortest return trips, to Droylsden along the Ashton Canal, or Hyde on the Peak Forest Canal, take about two hours.
A return trip to Marple will take about six hours.
The route to Stalybridge gives passengers an opportunity to experience locks – and get some exercise too!
All trips are crewed and supervised by volunteers who are trained and qualified to nationally recognised standards.