Former waterbus now back on River Aire (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Former waterbus now back on River Aire

9:17am Saturday 4th July 2009

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Ahoy there! It’s all aboard for a charity’s latest money-making venture.

Volunteers have been busy polishing, painting and varnishing to set sail with their new ‘dream’ project on the River Aire.

Yesterday Sports Minister and Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe was at Shipley Wharfe to do the honours and launch the Apollo waterbus.

The 39-seater is being leased from its owner by Dream Achie-vers, a social enterprise run by the Bradford Motor Education Project.

It has 12 months to make a go of the business idea, running pleasure trips out of Shipley.

Dream Achievers already operates four boats out of the marina, using them to tidy towpaths, clean up the river and improve habitat for otters along the way.

Director Trevor Roberts said: “We’ve painted Micklethwaite Bridge and we’ve pulled a stolen Harley Davidson out of the river, even made the riverside a more habitable place for otters. There’s always plenty to do.”

But now the project is chugging ahead and will see the Apollo re-introduced to the River Aire. The vessel stopped its waterbus service seven years ago, marking the end of an era.

Mr Roberts said: “We’ve already had lots of interest in the trips from schools, businesses and social groups.

“We can go either way out of the Wharfe, taking in lots of natural and industrial heritage. There’s Saltaire, Hirst Woods, Five Rise Locks at Bingley, then there’s a more open run down through Buckwood at Thackley.

“We’re hoping the pleasure trips will make us more self-sufficient and bring in money that will help reduce our dependency on grants and other funding sources.”

At the moment funding comes in through contracts with organisations such as Youth Offen-ding, Shipley’s own healthy eating and living HALE project and Bradford Council.

It was five years ago when Bradford Motor Education Project first took to the waterways.

It works with young people aged eight to 21 who are not in “mainstream provision”, including those who have been excluded from school, for example, or who are involved with the probation service. They get to learn how to drive the boat and keep up its maintenance.

For details, e-mail info@drea machievers.co.uk or telephone 0845 2415497.

e-mail: kathie.griffiths @telegraphandargus.co.uk

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