Electra ‘takes the biscuit’
Photo credit: Gill Prince Photography
Electra, the all-electric community boat, is pleased to announce partnerships with several local catering suppliers.
Lead Cabin Host, James Clifton said: “I’m delighted that we can offer our on-board guests food and drink sourced from local Milton Keynes suppliers. It is part of our green agenda to try to reduce our food-miles by sourcing locally wherever possible”
The team has created business links with several local catering suppliers. These include scones baked by Camphill Milton Keynes cafe, hand-made jam from JamMK in Walnut Tree, a selection of artisan ice creams from The Willen Ice Cream Company, and fish and chips from Ashland’s Moore’s Fish & Chips.
Owner of the Concrete Cow Brewery, Dan Bonner, said: “I was so impressed by the aims of the new charity boat that I asked if I could name one of my new Local Heroes range of beers after her and pleased that it will be for sale on board.”
Electra is a brand-new fully-electric, 54-foot narrowboat that can carry up to 12 guests in line with social distancing regulations. It is accessible, with a lift and lavatory that accommodate a standard size wheelchair.
“Cruises leave from Campbell Wharf and last between 1 -2 hours. Full details, including booking instructions can be found on Electra cruises and booking details”, James added.
For more information:
Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust www.bmkwaterway.org Media contact: James Clifton, B&MK Waterway Trust; mobile: 07710-175410; The boat can carry up to 12 guests and is accessible, with lavatory provision and access lift for users of standard size wheelchairs, and is fully Covid-19 compliant. Subject to Covid-19 restrictions, trips are planned to run from August to September in 2021. These will offer ‘something for everyone’ – from short ‘eye-spy’ family cruises to Friday night ‘bubbles and bites’, relaxing days out in nature, mindfulness trips and walkers’ one-way hops. Eventually, Electra could carry up to 4,000 passengers a year. This will be the first all-electric trip boat to be built by Warwickshire-based boatbuilders Colecraft Engineering, run by Gary Cole along with a team of 20 supporting steelwork, carpentry, engineering and sales staff. They have built more than 30 trip boats built since 2010, including two for Longleat Safari Park and twelve for the Olympic Games in 2012. The narrowboat will use an all-electric propulsion unit from Fischer Panda. The electric propulsion batteries with be capable of being charged from both mains power and on-board solar panels. The Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust is funding the construction of the boat, with contributions from Crest Nicholson, via Milton Keynes Council s106 funding for the Campbell Wharf development, the Milton Keynes Community Foundation, and donations from Trust members. Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust The Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust was established in 1995 to promote a new 16-mile Waterway Park, incorporating a new broad canal connecting the Grand Union Canal in Milton Keynes to the River Great Ouse in Bedford. Running trip boats is a key activity for the Trust, raising funds and awareness. Its cruises let thousands of local people enjoy being on their local waterway in Bedford, and soon in Milton Keynes, demonstrating the value that Waterway Parks can bring. Having designed a route, now protected by local authority policies in three Local Plans, it is currently lobbying for its inclusion as part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc infrastructure. The Trust works with a range of partners to ensure opportunities to integrate the Waterway into development and deliver local benefits are maximized. It is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity.
email: james.Clifton@b-mkwaterway.org