It’s the start, or part, of so many of our journeys
Rewind to Autumn 2020….
A reason to be cheerful!
There, in our inbox, shining bright like a Kingfisher on the cut, a little email that reads…. ‘Your application for a National Lottery Heritage Emergency Fund has been SUCCESSFUL!’
Life’s been a bit black and white of late. A world of two halves where your activities are effortlessly categorised as essential or…….otherwise.
Community led restorations of historic canal boats are lovely, but essential they are not.
Hope, however, is.
The Heritage Emergency Fund allowed us to invest a little in the bank of hope. We are hopeful that one day our volunteers will share a packet of biscuits, a car ride, or even…...a hug. And that we’ll build our theatre boat together, and fill it with musicians, actors and any other soul who wants a slice of the Kilsby pie!
The grant not only allowed us to maintain our mooring at Tooley’s boatyard in Banbury, where they carefully keep watch over Kilsby, but allowed us to find a new way to ‘exist’ in a landscape where sharing hugs, biscuits and live performances is just a smidge beyond the horizon. In short, we raised our digital game.
The Kilsby project relies on people knowing about it, being inspired and excited by it, and keeping it alive by talking about it. Without people idly nattering about it on the towpath, or in the co-op queue, it’s just a hull and a dream. Our main aim this winter was to prepare for a brighter future by telling people about it and offering opportunities to become part of the action, from at least two metres away.
A new website, community film, carol concert, and community arts project later, we feel a whole lot more prepared for the next stage of our adventure, whatever that may bring. The foundations have been laid for phase 2 of the project. We even raised some money, enough to pay for the next 6 month’s mooring fees. More importantly we got some more PEOPLE. People who want to build the stage. People who want to paint the Kilsby sign. People who want to perform MUSICALS onboard! Thank you people, you’re the best.
Here’s one such person, Sean, who was schlepping multiple bags of shopping down Walton Street when he saw me getting ready to install our artwork from Mani Manson-Reeves in the neighbourhood…. In the spirit of community engagement, I asked him if I could engage him for this blog …..
Enter …. Sean!
1) How do you enjoy your local canal? Are you a boater? A towpath wandering daydreamer? A duck-feeding waterfowl enthusiast?
When we think of all our local trips (Port Meadow, the Trap Grounds, Wolvercote, St Barnabas and Aristotle Lane playgrounds, Castle Mill Stream, City station and the sidings, Tumbling bay, Duke’s Cut, Thrupp…), the canal joins these all together for us. It’s the start or part of so many of our journeys.
2) How did you come to hear about the Kilsby Theatre Boat Project?
From you! We met while you were installing Mani Manson-Reeves's amazing stained-glass design at Prana Yoga. You told me all about the Kilsby renovation project and the window competition.
3) What is it about the Kilsby project that sparks your interest?
A community theatre boat really piqued my interest. Kilsby feels a very worthwhile cause at a time when the performing arts need support and an antidote to the recent destruction of civilisation.
We also have a few personal reasons. My wife Emma went on lots of narrowboat holidays as a child, and her parents loved it so much that they bought their own narrowboat (even mooring in Oxford during the 2007 floods). Emma also had a schooltime Saturday job cleaning narrowboats for Black Prince Holidays. So, narrowboats are in some way in her blood!
My waterways story came later. My Mum passed away a few years ago after a long illness and our last holiday with her was very special, on a disabled-accessible narrowboat on the Kennet and Avon. Then my Dad sadly passed away last year – he was a dementia sufferer and started going on long walks when his car was taken away from him. To raise money for Dementia UK, he and a friend embarked on a charity walk along the length of the Oxford canal. Dad became too sick to finish the walk, but he made it as far as Rugby and they raised £1,100.
Theatre is also in our family histories. My Dad was a lighting technician for a local amateur dramatics group, and his mother worked professionally in theatre as a make-up artist. Emma's grandmother was an amateur theatre producer at the Civic Theatre in Leeds.
We’re hoping we can take our little boy (who features in our window design!) to watch Kilsby being renovated, and be part of it, to carry on these family stories.
4) How do you imagine you might be involved with the project in the future? Are you, for example, a design-a-poster kind of guy, a power-tool wielding kind of guy, or a playing a keytar on the stage one day kind of guy? Good at making cups of tea?
I can play guitar and Emma the violin, and you seem to have a lot of people who can sing, so maybe we knock out a few water-themed folk tunes. I can think of quite a few. I’d also love to help with some of the renovation work, if you’ll have me.
5) You took part in and won (congratulations by the way) the window illuminations competition we held in December - which involved crafting a stained glass effect art work from cellophane, black card and copious amounts of sellotape. What three words best describe your experience?
Fiddly but rewarding!
Sean, Emma and Daniel’s winning design.
6) In your dream world, who or what would be the performance at the opening night gala at the Kilsby Theatre Boat? And where on the Oxford waterways would it happen? (Note - Musicians/Actors may be brought back to life for this event, money is no object, and it will definitely not be raining)
The original line-up of the Dubliners. Kilsby could moor-up opposite the Eagle Ironworks. It forms a natural amphitheatre.
By Sophie Stanley, with huge thanks to Sean Robinson for sharing his stories. Welcome aboard!
