Sponsors
National Historic Ships UK acknowledges the financial support of its sponsors
About Tiller & Wheel CIC
Tiller & Wheel are a small family business dedicated to promoting the historic East Coast fleet of smacks and barges and providing high quality experiences aboard their historic vessels Edith May, a Thames Sailing Barge, and Thistle, a Whitstable oyster smack.
In March 2024, Tiller & Wheel became the new custodians of the 1909 wooden sailing barge Ardwina. Following former owner Rolfe Judd’s long stewardship, Ardwina will become part of Tiller & Wheel's active fleet, providing opportunities for the public to engage with these ships and ensure they survive long into the future. This would have been difficult for a small organisation to take on, but Rolfe Judd have generously offered to sponsor Tiller and Wheel over the coming years to help keep Ardwina in good condition and enable her to join their fleet, creating special experiences for a new generation.
2020 was shaping up to be an exceptional year for Tiller & Wheel - no one could have predicted how exceptional it would be for us all! Whilst their public sailing schedule was cancelled for 2020, they were able to reflect on their direction and have announced a new path that they hope will benefit the community and help them realise their aim of a sustainable future for Thames Barges.
In a first for the East Coast and possibly the world, Tiller and Wheel have removed the price tag from sailing trips aboard their historic Thames barge Edith May, and will be making their public sailing schedule free to all. This is made possible through the power of crowdfunding.
Whilst they will be offering a free sailing schedule, they hope that people choose to support their work through their Patreon page. From as little as £3 a month, people can sign up to help the heritage business achieve their aims of taking thousands of people out on the river who would not normally have the opportunity.
There used to be over 2000 Thames Sailing Barges but now there are only around 30 left sailing. Tiller & Wheel’s two Directors, Ed Gransden and Heather Burgess, want to ensure a sustainable future for all the remaining Thames Sailing Barges.
The Festival of Chatham Reach
The Festival of Chatham Reach, an annual event developed by Tiller & Wheel and Sun Pier House, with support from Medway Council, was first held in 2021. The Festival creates a country fayre atmosphere by the water, focusing on the heritage of the river and historic river vessels, with activities located on Sun Pier and alongside at Sun Pier House, in Chatham.
Heritage and Education
Tiller & Wheel are passionate about developing an arts and educational programme to support the unique history and opportunities these historic vessels offer.
There are so many opportunities they are exploring. From residencies, sailing apprenticeships, crowdfunding, venue hire, art installations, educational visits, performance space… they can offer a truly unique and MOVING art facility connecting communities across the East Coast.
They are at the early stages of exploring this aspect of the business and are keen to form new partnerships as part of this development. If you have a proposal for them, or would like to know more, please contact them.
Find out more:
Follow them on social media:
