Welcome to The Bruce Trust web site!

The Trust.

The Bruce Trust is a registered charity which provides purpose-built, wide-beam canal boats on the Kennet and Avon Canal from two bases, for hire for self catering holidays by disabled, disadvantaged or elderly people and their carers. The Kennet and Avon canal runs through Berkshire and Wiltshire, from the River Thames at Reading to the River Avon at Bath.

The Trust has a fleet of four hire boats. Two have a capacity of 12 each, one accommodates 10 people and the fourth boat sleeps 4/6. Three boats operate from Great Bedwyn, near Marlborough with a changeover day of Saturday. They are ideally situated to cruise towards Newbury and Reading or westward to Devizes and down the Caen Hill Flight.

One boat is based at Lower Foxhangers wharf, near Devizes, and is well placed for luxury cruises westward to Bath. Changeover day at Foxhangers is Sunday.

for a map of our locations

Each hire boat has the highest quality accommodation and the ultimate flexibility for people with a wide variety of special needs. The extra width of the boats provides excellent manoeuvrability for wheelchair users. The boats have special built-in facilities, including hydraulic lifts, wide access boarding ramps, low-level bunks, heating and specially fitted showers, toilets, etc. All the boats are well fitted with crockery, cutlery and cooking equipment, but bedding is not included. Life jackets and hydraulic transfer hoists are available on request (subject to availability).

Rebecca, Hannah and Diana have been designed by us to allow wheelchair users the opportunity of steering the boat using the tiller and our boat Hannah has been fitted with a remote steering device that enables someone with less upper body mobility to steer from their wheelchair, using a joystick. Rachel is not suitable for a wheelchair user to steer.

The Trust is a non-profit making organisation run by over fifty enthusiastic voluntary helpers. However, hiring charges have to be made to cover the mooring, licensing, heating, fuel and other operating costs.
The Trust prides itself in the high standard of boat handling by the hirers. Group Leaders without at least one week's experience of canal cruising, must successfully complete a residential training course with the Trust prior to the holiday.

Full details of the Trust, are obtainable from:-

or by filling in the form on the contact page

Voluntary Help.

The Trust now operates four boats and we require more willing and capable volunteers to assist with the successful running of the fleet and in particular, the turn-round work on Saturday and Sunday mornings during the season. The work is not arduous or complicated but very enjoyable working as a member of a team in the knowledge that your efforts contribute directly to the enjoyment of people with disabilities. The administrator will be pleased to talk to anyone interested, about the work involved and the commitment expected.

The Background.

The Bruce Charitable Trust was formed in 1988 by Louise and David Bruce, following the sale of Bruces's Brewery and the Firkin Pubs in London. Being keen to plough back some of the proceeds into a project which would benefit the community, they became intrigued with the possibility of offering to disabled disadvantaged or elderly people, the opportunity to enjoy self-catering holidays, cruising on the Kennet & Avon Canal.

Having carried out considerable research into the existing facilities for people with special needs on Britain's other inland waterways, the Bruces invested over £80,000 into building The Rebecca . This specially designed, purpose-built wide-beam canal boat offers the highest quality accommodation and the ultimate flexibility for up to twelve people.

Due to extraordinary market demand for The Rebecca during her first two seasons, an appeal was launched in January 1991 to fund the development of more boats. Over 500 donations between £2 and £10,000 were received, enabling The Hannah to be built.

In September 1993, the trust purchased another wide-beamed boat, purpose-built for disabled people. This third boat, The Rachel, which can sleep up to six people, is particularly suitable for smaller or family groups.

The fourth boat, named Diana joined the fleet in 1998. This is another wide-beamed boat, with accommodation for 10 and with the latest devices for helping people with special needs.
 

to find out more about DART (Disabled Afloat Riverboats Trust)

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