The Friends of Raymond
Helping to Restore and Preserve the Past

2008 - A very special year!  Raymond was built at Braunston in 1958 in a shed which stood beside the Wharf Arm. Her Golden Jubilee was celebrated at the Historic Narrowboat Rally at Braunston on 28/29 June.           

Pictures

 Both Raymond and Nutfield have now been registered on the National Historic Ships Register.  

About us
The Friends of Raymond was formed in October 1996 to recover and restore Raymond, the last wooden working boat. By 2002 this was completed and then in 2003 Nutfield (which used to tow Raymond) came on the market and we managed to buy her.

The story in brief . . Please wait
Find out much more about what we have done and our plans for the future by exploring this website.

Nutfield was a great acquisition but we had to spend a lot of money on her (some borrowed) and we are actively money-raising for the next stage of her restoration as well as to keep Raymond in tip-top condition.

If you think what we are trying to do is worthwhile, why not join us – it costs just £10 per year.

Can you help?
It has been said that, "if you have a boat, you always have a job". We have two boats and so lots of jobs. If you can help by crewing, helping with the stand at events we visit or with maintenance work, please email Steve Miles.
Help is particulary needed with blacking and painting on the w/e 16-18 October, as well as boat moving early on the Friday and Monday mornings.

New DVDs
The video "Rebuilding Raymond" is now also available as a DVD. There is also a new DVD about the Jam 'Ole Run and the early work of the charity. Find out more.

Change at the top
After many years of service as Chairman of the Trustees, Francis Stapleton has retired and we are glad to welcome Christopher Jones (previously Secretary) as our new Chairman. We do, therefore, need a new Secretary (who does not need to be a Trustee) - any volunteers?
Plans are already afoot for a special effort in 2010 to raise £10k for further work on Nutfield.

Repair work
Nutfield has had major repairs to the bottom under the cabin and engine room but another £20K will needed to be spent in the next few years mainly for work on her stern. Raymond will be going into dry dock over the w/e 16-18 October (2009) - helpers wanted for various jobs. Please email Steve Miles if you can help in any way.

Over Easter 2007, 12 helpers did a lot of work on Raymond including major repairs to the cabin (which is now water-tight again) and Ron Hough (below) repainted the cabin sides in the Blue Line livery.


The cabin-side of Raymond completed.
This is the livery used by Raymond in the late 1960s while being towed by Nutfield. It was felt appropriate to change from the original Barlow livery (below) so now, when seen together, the two boats will match just as they used to do.


Raymond and Nutfield together in their new (matching) livery.

Grand Draw
The winning tickets were drawn by Tim Coghlan on 27th September 2008 and winners have been notified. Below are the prizes laid out on a table in the Executive Suite with the quilt used as a tablecloth!


Tim Coghlan (MD of Braunston Marina) drawing the winning tickets while Marty Seymour looks anxiously on!
List of prize winners.

Jam 'Ole Runs
Nutfield towed Raymond for the last time carrying coal to the Kearley & Tonge jam factory at Southall in 1970.

Since then there have been a number of re-enactments and, since their restoration, either Raymond or Nutfield (or both) have taken part. The picture above shows Nutfield leaving Braunston at the start of the very successful 2006 re-enactment -- almost exactly 36 years to the day
after the final Jam Run proper.

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