BALMORAL’S NOW BACK AT MSHED – BETTER AND BRIGHTER!

THANK YOU!! to National Lottery players, temporary neighbours, and all who’ve just enabled Balmoral’s move from her Festival “holiday home” to the safer berth, with electrical power, outside MShed’s cranes. A short journey but still involving many people and much preparation. And a big step! Balmoral’s now fully returned from Albion Dock Company’s amazing work in dry dock, using our Heritage Fund grant for definitive work to her hull. We hope you’ve been following the work and the Festival fun on Facebook.

BALMORAL, last minute painting completed, sailed straight out of dry dock to the Steam Crane berth to join Bristol Harbour Festival’s activity. Thousands came on board to our events and visit the ship. A couple of later open days completed a very exhausting 3 months. Volunteers then carried on working for seven weeks of summer amidst heatwaves, holidays and downpours, and running generators for power.

NOW IT’LL BE EASIER to run and advertise our Heritage Fund-enabled social, community and educational activities. Balmoral’s known as the ‘People’s Liner’ so we want to hear from Bristol’s many communities about what their ship could provide in the harbour. Trustees would greatly welcome additional volunteers, especially those interested in helping our social activities, managing the historic ship and widening her opportunities. Some of the admin help needn’t be Bristol-based!

THANK YOU! if you helped achieve the extra time and hugely important work in dry dock. But we can’t stop now!! As well as running the ship we’ll be carrying on with all the further maintenance / improvement we’re capable of and allowed to do in harbour. And of course – that we can afford!  Ways of donating / information on Gift Aid etc are described on our secure website page for donations. 

If you are Bristol based, or planning to visit: LOOK OUT FOR:
SEPTEMBER EVENTS – more detail will be on Facebook, 
WAVING@WATCHET –  exhibition now open in Balmoral’s lower saloon: accessible during Tuesday and Friday work days, and during for events;
SATURDAY 21st – SHANTY FESTIVAL – Balmoral is one of the day hosts for roving bands; and a performance venue in the evening.
FRIDAY 27th – Caravan Collective’s evening of sHip Hop music and rap
SATURDAY 28th / Sunday 29th – DOCKS HERITAGE WEEKEND – Balmoral will be open for visits and tours.

Photography credits: Maggie Urquhart, Neil Osborne and Adrian Wilkinson