Boat trip charity marks 30th anniversary

The charity now operates four boats and has about 150 volunteers

Volunteers who help run boat trips for disabled and vulnerable passengers have been celebrating the 30th anniversary of their charity.

Safe Anchor Trust, based in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, ran trips for more than 7,500 people in the past year on its four boats.

The organisation began in 1995 with a single boat, The Lady Rhodes. It now has several specially adapted vessels and is supported by about 150 volunteers.

Kevin Rhodes, one of the volunteers, said: "Whether it's the water, or relaxing, people absolutely love it on the boat."

Declan, 16, who has special educational needs and uses a wheelchair, took a trip with his carer, Hayley Townend.

Ms Townend said the service provided by the charity was "really important".

"It's all about inclusivity, getting people out in the community, getting them on the water - living life as full as they can," she said.

Declan, 16, is one of thousands of disabled passengers the charity takes on boat trips every year

The boats travel along the Calder and Hebble Navigation and Calder river and the organisation has said its aim is to make time on the water available to everyone.

Mr Rhodes said he loved to see how much passengers enjoyed getting on board.

"We even have blind and partially sighted people who will actually get up and steer the boat - the look on their faces is worth every second," he said.

The boats are also used by people with conditions such as dementia.

The charity, which is based at Shepley Bridge Marina, has been nominated for a King's Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK.

Mr Rhodes said it was "absolutely amazing" that they had been nominated and "nice to see that they had been recognised".

Volunteer Bill Batholomew helps maintain the area along the canal, cutting back foliage and clearing litter from the water

The team also helps maintain the canals, towpaths and lock gates, as well as running community events, summer outings and festive sailings - designed to "bring people together and reduce isolation," the charity said.

Another volunteer, Bill Bartholomew, said they had recently planted 400 daffodils along the towpath, in addition to around 4,000 they planted last year.

However, he said the volunteers were getting older and needed some young people to help them carry on the organisation's work.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.