Ahoy there from Neighbours Connect Southmead! We have had another wonderful day out together, down to the water for a boat trip – and we got lucky with the glorious Springtime sunshine.
It was a fantastic day with All-Aboard Watersports – a charity run by volunteers who took great care of us on two of their boats – thank you to all at All-Aboard. We travelled for two hours, serenely down the canal, seeing Bristol from a new perspective – from the water.
We made it as far as the Feeder Canal – dodging fishermen and their lines – and briefly popped out onto the River Avon, before turning back and heading to the harbourside again.
Along the route we saw some brilliant Bristol historical sites such as the Bullet Tower, known as the ‘Cheese Lane Shot Tower’. It was built in 1782 by William Watts, who invented the process of making lead shot by dropping molten lead from a great height – it was the first shot tower in the world.
We also saw artwork at Glass Wharf, an area that up to the 17th Century was home to Bristol’s glass industry. It comments on Bristol’s long history of glass forges and the Bristol Blue Glass industry.
Everyone in our group loved the trip, they said: “It was great to see Bristol from the water!”, “I had a lovely day out”, and “I was brave enough to drive the boat for a while!”.
When we get together like this it is so much more than a simple day out. Neighbours Connect Southmead aims to foster connection, to support people who may otherwise feel alone, and to promote companionship.
Neighbours Connect works by volunteers spending time with residents who have been professionally referred to us. They may have been identified as needing other people in their lives as they live alone, or are coping with a health condition.
If you can volunteer for Neighbours Connect Southmead and spend a few hours a week with someone who would appreciate your company, please do email our Volunteer Coordinator, Alex: alexbennet@southmead.org, or call: 0117 950 3335.
Our next trip out is going to be to the beautiful Bristol Botanic Garden for a spot of lunch. Watch this space for an update and some more pics!
Contact, email: info@southmead.org, tel: 0117 950 3335
