Community Spirit 2 

Join Santa onboard narrowboat "Community Spirit 2" for a festive 40 minute round trip along the canals of Tameside with songs, stories and presents!   Each ticket includes light refreshments for all children and grown-ups.   Trips will run on the 30th November, the 1st, 4th, 7th, 11th, 14th, 18th, 20th and 21st December at 10am, 10.50am, 11.40am, 12.30pm, 13.50pm and 14.40pm.   Spaces are limited to 11 people per trip and, due to numbers being strictly limited by the boat's insurance, all passengers (including babes in arms) must purchase a ticket to be allowed on board.

Tickets go on sale at 11am on Sunday 25th August at: https://www.wegottickets.com/EastManchesterCommunityBoatProject/  

We are now offering the chance to meet Santa on Community Spirit 2 in the evenings of 4th, 11th and 16th December.
See poster below for details.

 

All tickets cost £10 (plus £1 booking fee), regardless of age.  

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Please contact us directly on 07711 268763 if you are a wheelchair user or have any other accessibility issues so we can ensure a smooth trip.   Whilst the boat is fully accessible for both self-propelling wheelchairs (max 4 no.) and electric wheelchairs (max 2 no. and dependant on weight) we do need advance notice for wheelchair boarding.

"Community Spirit 2" is moored behind Portland Basin Museum, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL7 0QA.   The mooring can be accessed through the museum or via the side gate on the same side as Bridge View Cafe.   Trips run from and return to the mooring.

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

Take a, virtual trip along the Ashton Canal:

Portland Basin to Droylsden
Droylsden to Portland Basin

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.