Further to my recent coverage of the Environment Agency’s desire to sell off several of the lock-keeper’s cottages in our area, I’m delighted to report that there is potentially some good news.
Author: Mort Smith
The river runs through him
Pat Brady has always loved the river. The 66-year-old from Loudwater Road, Lower Sunbury, spent the majority of his working life on and around the Thames and its tributaries.
There is hope on the horizon
So, finally, a small spark of common sense appears to have appeared at the Environment Agency – with the news that they have put on hold their controversial plans to sell off ten of the 57 lock-keepers cottages on the River Thames.
The feast of July
One of the real benefits of living close to the Thames is that there are a whole raft of events to enjoy during the summer months – and July is one of the busiest.
Time to clean up our act
It’s quite astounding how much junk there is in the River Thames. Everyone has probably seen a supermarket shopping trolley nestling in the shallows close to the bank or the odd lorry tyre rotting gently in the mud.
The proof of the pudding…
It’s definitely that time of year when the thoughts of many folk turn towards the possibility of getting out on the river.
It’s plain sailing in Staines
Fancy doing something a little different this weekend? If so, why not get yourself down to Staines Sailing Club to take advantage of their free ‘Go Boating’ day on Saturday, June 7 between 11am and 5pm.
Jenny’s happy to be at the helm
Being a woman in a man’s world is never easy – but when the ‘world’ is that of boats and things nautical, it presents an even bigger difficulty. But that’s a challenge boatyard boss Jenny Beagle, who runs Bridge Marine in Shepperton, has been happy to meet since she took over the business from her parents in 1998.
Brothers united on the river
Brothers Chris, Keith and Jeffrey French had summer jobs on the river when they were growing up so it was probably no surprise when their mum, Margaret Anne, suggested the three brothers should join together and set up a venture offering trips on the river to paying passengers back in 1978.
Rainbow chasing
When Sam Dawson’s father, Ronald, died in 2003 at the age of 74 from a stroke it changed his son’s life completely. For years, the pair had been running the film lighting and equipment hire company – called Rainbow Lighting – that Ronald had founded in the 1960s, working long hours and travelling all over the country.