Bruce Boats sets sail for Great Bedwyn Easter Fayre

A community will be holding an Easter Fayre with a special twist on Easter Monday.

Bruce Boats will be running between 2pm and 5pm at an Easter Fair on Great Bedwyn Wharf on April 1.

The fair will feature craft stalls, boat trips, children’s crafts, plus live music.

Visitors will have the opportunity to look around the boats and to meet the volunteers and engineering team.

And they will also have an opportunity to discover the group’s exciting plans to convert one of its boats into a hybrid (diesel-electric) propulsion — capable of running on battery power for day trips and diesel for longer holidays.

Bruce Boats, owned by the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust, has been running as a not-for-profit charity for more than 35 years, in which time it has helped more than 30,000 people.

It operates five boats to provide holidays and day trips on the canal for disabled, disadvantaged, elderly and youth groups.

The charity said that many people work behind the scenes to make such events possible, including the day trip crews and turn-around teams, who clean and prep the boats between bookings.

The engineering teams are also responsible for the general maintenance and repairs.

Fundraising this year was kicked off by Janet, Ollie and Beth from the Three Tuns in Great Bedwyn, who completed a sponsored run in the New Forest and raised more than £2,000.

The group is always fundraising and looking for recruits. If you are interested in helping, come along to this event and speak to a volunteer.