Who we are
We are a crew of people living and working on boats who met through the boating community of London.
During Covid we realised that the boating community did not receive any government support even though many boaters were losing their jobs due to the pandemic. We decided to stand up for the community and help keep boaters afloat. We came together to make the Boat Fairies, an independent organisation designed to look out for people living on the canals and rivers in and around London.
As boaters ourselves, we understand what boaters need and the importance of community. We are a brand new organisation bringing all our talents together to meet the needs of the London boating community.
Our mission
“Supporting boaters from their first until their last breath”
Our goal, as an independent organisation is to connect boaters to people who provide both general and emergency services for the London boating community. We are a support network of independent people and we do not work with any government-related institutions.
We provide both practical and emotional support depending on the needs of the individual. We want our services to be fully accessible to anybody who needs them and payment plans can be negotiated on an individual basis.
We feel that people of all ages, backgrounds and needs are equally important and deserve support. We aim to be completely inclusive, for example, supporting new mothers living on the canals to helping older people maintain their boating lifestyle despite having additional needs.
Where the government is not meeting the needs of the boating community, we, the people, believe that we must look after each other. We keep the issues of our service users confidential (unless we are walking into a life-threatening situation). We do not rely on any other institutions or organisations.
As boaters ourselves, we understand how overwhelming life can be on the rivers and canals of London. Many boaters don’t know where to go to for help and support and are living in isolation, we aim to connect the community.
Long term goals
Connecting the boating community in and around London. We aim to establish healthy, long lasting, supportive and beneficial relationships between boaters of all ages and backgrounds.
Housing people on boats and helping them find work.
Location
Any boater living in London inside the M25 or 20 miles outside of the M25 can access our services. When transporting our service users’ boats both in and out of London, we can travel as far as the north of England.
We are a cruising crew so do not have a fixed location, but can be reached 24/7 on our emergency line for boaters in distress. This includes both mechanical and personal issues.
Skills, qualifications, and talents
- Cleaning, both industrial and domestic.
- Boat carpentry.
- Qualified boat welding.
- Interior and exterior painting, including traditional English narrowboat painting and blacking.
- Boat moving with an experienced skipper.
- Care work.
- Rebirthing therapeutic work.
- Holistic midwifery.
- Support with letter writing, CVs, and study skills.
Click here for more info on our services page.
Prices
Some of our prices are set and others can be negotiated depending on the needs of the service user.
Payment plans can be negotiated (for example, monthly payments). It is important to us that our services can be accessed by anybody who needs them.