We are delighted that the Charity Commission have now formally recognised the increased activity of the Boleh Trust with the grant of Registration Number 1135117.
We are delighted to announce that The Worshipful Company of Mercers (http://www.mercers.co.uk/) is throwing its support behind the work of the Boleh Trust.
Sponsorship from the Mercers’ Company’s will help towards the next phase of Boleh’s restoration programme. The Trust is very grateful for the Mercers’ grant, which will support apprentices as they begin the work of installing Boleh’s internal cabin structure.
Following the demise of the Meridian Sailing and Training Trust (MS&TT), we have now set up our own Charity, the Boleh Trust. The aims of the Trust are to offer practical experience in traditional shipwright skills to apprentices and young people, to provide sail training vessels for disadvantaged young people and to restore and maintain traditional vessels. HM Revenue and Customs have recognised the Trust and donations made out to the Boleh Trust will therefore attract Gift Aid. See more details of the Trust on our new web page here.
Project Boleh has received another vote of confidence. The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Fund has made a generous grant from their Grassroots Fund to help with the considerable costs of setting up and running our apprentice facility. We are very grateful for this assistance and hope it will enable us to expand the role of local apprentices in the restoration of Boleh.
We are proud to announce that Hampshire County Council has designated Project Boleh as a Host Centre for Industrial, Maritime, Aviation, Transport and Technology (IMATT) training. This reflects the Project’s quality of training and supervision and the high level of craftsmanship involved. Apprentices can now work on Boleh with the help of Industrial Heritage Bursaries supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. We are very grateful to Hampshire County Council for this timely assistance.
We’re very pleased to announce that Boleh has been identified as meriting inclusion in the National Register of Historic Vessels of the United Kingdom.
Details can be found on http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/
Although our charity partner and site leaseholder, the Meridian Sailing and Training Trust, regrettably ceased trading last week Project Boleh carries on.
Thanks to Portsmouth City Council we are pleased to say that Boleh will be able to stay at the Old Pump House site in Eastney providing apprentice training until the restoration is complete. We are also discussing with a number of charities how Project Boleh might work with them in the future.
We’re really pleased with the article that was published in Lloyds List today. It’s great to see such interest in Boleh.
This 17-tonne icon from the Orient is set to sail again, thanks to the can-do spirit of an enterprising charity.
The Boleh, a unique 60-year-old Oriental junk, is set to get a new lease of life, with the help of disadvantaged apprentices and trainees from across the city.
Read the full article (http://www.portsmouth.co.uk)
Many thanks for those of you who made it to the project Launch Event. The day a was huge success and the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth attended. Our work has been subsequently endorsed by a visit from the High Seriff of Hampshire.
