The National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port and the Boat Museum Society are delighted to announce that historic canal boats, Shad and Gifford, will be taking to the waterways from Friday 6 June to Friday 4 July as part of special event celebrating Cheshire Year of Gardens.
Artist Christine Wilcox-Baker has created a unique ‘Made in Cheshire Gardens’ to adorn the historic canal boats. Shad and Gifford will carry these blooms from the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port to Middlewich as part of Cheshire’s Floating Garden Festival.
Cheshire’s Floating Garden Festival aims to promote one of Cheshire’s greatest assets – its inland waterways, by using four decorated historic and community boats cruising throughout the County under the banner of ‘Cheshire Year of Gardens’.
The four ‘blooming’ boats will meet in Middlewich and take star billing at the annual Folk & Boat Festival (June 13 – 15).
On Friday 6 June, following a blessing from Canon Humphries from Chester Cathedral, Shad and Gifford set sail from Ellesmere Port to Chester.
Stuart Gillis, National Waterways Museum Director, said: “It is great that we can play such an integral part of this important county-wide event. The history of our canals and the people who worked on them is fascinating and through this event more people will be able to see historic narrowboats travelling along the canal as they would have done many years ago.
“A variety of activities and school visits have been arranged during the expedition, giving us a great opportunity to raise awareness of the museum and this important era in our history.”
Shad and Gifford will return to the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port on Friday 4 July to take pride of place at the museum’s first garden party (4 – 6 July). With garden themed entertainment, a scarecrow party and garden stalls it will be a great day out for all the family.
