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Christmas

December 2009

We wish you a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Please remember the Office and Reception will close at midday on Christmas Eve and reopen on Tuesday 29th December. We will also be closed on Friday 1st January 2010. Please make sure you have sufficient electricity cards, gas and coal and will not be in need of diesel or a pump out while the office is closed.

Happy Christmas!
Seasons Greetings,

Robert, Andrea, Sarah, Sue, David, Paul, Mick, Woody, James and Julie.

Christmas Decorations

December 2009

Well done to those of you who have decorated your boats, especially Ron and Val McClaren & Tinky Mac looks fantastic.

Meet our Team…

December 2009

• Robert – Director
• Andrea – Director
• Paul – Foreman
• Sue – Marina Supervisor
• Woody – Groundsman
• Mick – Boat Blacking and Maintenance
• Julie – Hygiene Technician
• David – Brokerage and IT
• Sarah – Secretary

Farewell and Welcome

December 2009

We would like to extend a warm welcome to three new moorers at the marina; Joe Sheldon on Chardonnay and Brian and Celia Hutcheson on Life After Work. We hope you will soon settle in and enjoy being part of the Aqueduct Marina community.

We also bid a sad farewell to Ira and Carolyn Theobold on Albion, who are moving to a residential mooring at Norbury Wharf and to Steve and Margaret Herbert are selling S'Wonderful and moving nearer to their family and grand children.

Boat Jumble

December 2009

The Boaty Boot Sale which took place on the 22nd November was a minor success with six brave souls out from 8.45 am until 12 noon, standing in horizontal rain and sub-zero temperatures. With monies collected and very generous donations from Maxine and Jim Clark, Mandy and Keith Jones, Judith Lowe and Lisa Hoy we are sending the McMillan Nurses £135.00. A big thank you to everyone who supported the event. We will arrange another for next year but trust us, it won't be in November!

Fire Service Visit

December 2009

On Saturday 21st November the Cheshire Fire Service visited the marina. They were offering a free boat safety inspection along with a fire alarm. The day went very well until Fireman Willie Sarson unfortunately cracked his head leaving the last boat and needed attention at A & E. We were pleased to hear he is now recovered and back at work.

We will be organising a further visit so if you missed out this time but would like to be included in future, either phone us on 01270 525041 or e-mail sue.m@aqueductmarina.co.uk and we will advise you of the next date.

Radio

December 2009

On Wednesday, 2nd December Robert spent two and a half hours on a local radio chat show, CAT Radio 87.7FM, with DJ Dave Dean. Although Robert failed to name Santa's reindeers he held his own and thoroughly enjoyed the morning. Watch out Chris Evans, your days may be numbered!

You can find CAT Radio on the internet at www.thisisthecat.com

Short cuts!

December 2009

A wise precaution is to check your friend's gunwales are sanded before drinking their whiskey and taking a short cut home. Mr Taffe can testify to the water in the marina being both wet and cold!

Flowers

December 2009

We would like to extend a big thank you to Barbara Lanning for the lovely flower arrangements she has made for the reception and for her donation of spring flowers that, along with the daffodils supplied by the Parish Council, have been planted around the marina. We look forward to a splendid display in the Spring.

Facebook

December 2009

For a tale of misfortune take a look at the Aqueduct Marina Facebook page. The “bin compound” entry shows the misfortune of one lady who became trapped inside. The lesson to be learned from this is if you notice the gate to the compound is swinging open, do check inside for bodies before closing it.

Petition

December 2009

You may have read the media speculation that the Government intends to include the British Waterways property portfolio as a component of a £16bn assets sale. The Government has made no announcements and is steadfastly refusing to be drawn on the subject. However, should you wish to object to this sale you can register your objection via the following e-petition:
http://petitions.number10-gov.uk/protectourcanals/

Latest from Aqueduct Marina

27/10/09

As winter approaches you may have thought life in general would slow down a little. Not so! The café, The Galley, has gone from strength to strength with a new menu, great food at very reasonable prices. Georgina has maintained the Friday late night and has extended the opening until 9pm. In addition Georgina is ready to take bookings for New Years Eve for which there will be a comprehensive menu. Tickets will be only £25 per head and are available on a first come first served basis with a maximum of 48, so book early through the café to avoid disappointment.

Friday 2nd of October caused a little excitement as the marina woke up to several British Waterways employees on the grass in front of A jetty. An old field drain, which goes under the canal into the fields opposite, had breached causing a significant drop in the water level on the canal. This required us to loosen all mooring ropes as a precaution in case of any further drop. GJP (the contractors) were on site the following Monday with the problem solved over the next few days. Before GJP left the site they also installed rubbing strakes to the towpath side of the entrance this will hopefully protect both your boat and the concrete edge.

Having to loosen all ropes brought to our attention that in an emergency some of the boats were tied in quite a complicated manner and it took longer than anticipated, we would appreciate simple rope work just in case another problem arises.

Last month we mentioned the ‘boat jumble’ this will be held on Sunday 22nd of November, £5 per car, £10 per van, after costs all profits will go to the McMillian Nurses a wonderful association testified by anyone comes into contact with them. This choice follows the death of Mandy Massey, narrowboat Daniel. Our condolences to Ken, Jake, Rachael and Veronica for the lost of such a lovely lady.

On Saturday 21st November the Cheshire Fire Service will be here for the day and are offering a free boat safety inspection along with along with a fire alarm. Sue has experienced this service and can recommend it please advise her if you would like to take part, either ring her 0n 01270 525041 or email sue.m@aqueductmarina.co.uk

After a suggestion from one of our moorers Mrs. Perkins, we have supplied three trolleys for jetties A, B and D to enable you to get all you need to your boat without trucking back and forth or causing yourself a mischief, please feel free to use them but please remember to return them after use.

Our congratulations go to Barbara and Keith Lanning who have just become grandparents following the birth of their first grandchild Jack.

Last week we sent out letters to everyone inviting you to book your mooring for next year we would appreciate a fast response and are always available to answer any queries you may have. Sue has recently completed an audit of insurance and BSC documents and has found that the vast majority are now out of date please supply copies of both of these to enable her to update the files.

For those of you who use the social networking sites we have a video on www.youtube.com search for Aqueduct Marina, and if you register on www.facebook.com and search for Aqueduct Marina, Bernie Stafford has put some pictures and discussions on please join in.

On a lighter note during the week of the breach a friend of Sue's, Maurice who was moored on her jetty for a week to help black their boat. At 5.30am in torrential rain Maurice was woken by scratching from his rear deck. On investigation he discovered a baby badger in difficulties, after half an hour of coaxing, (with his boat hook and an introduction to bad language) he managed to get the exhausted badger onto the reed beds. Later that morning the RSPCA arrived took him away (that's the badger not Maurice) and having treated him for a fractured skull (nothing to do with Maurice's rescue procedure) returned the recovered baby badger at 9pm one evening the following week.

Finally, looking forward to the end of the year the Office and reception will close at midday on Christmas Eve and reopen on Tuesday 29th December. We will also be closed on Friday 1st January 2010. Please make sure you are well stocked up on electricity cards, gas and coal and not in need of diesel or a pump out.

Very best regards,

Boatie’s Dance for Charity

10/10/09

Boatbuilder Terry Lowe teamed up with Aqueduct Marina, Church Minshull to raise £3,600 for St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice, Winsford last month.

money was raised at a joint fun day and ‘Boatie Barn Dance’ at the marina to a sell out crowd of 250 people.

Robert Parton, director of Aqueduct Marina said: “Terry chose St Luke's Cheshire Hospice to receive the donation as a thank you for looking after his daughter recently. We were delighted by the amount we raised and will definitely make the 'Boatie Barn Dance' an annual charity event.”

Jane Thompson received the donation on behalf of St Luke's Cheshire Hospice: “Our thanks go to Terry and Aqueduct Marina for this wonderful donation. All the funds raised will benefit the immediate community around Mid and South Cheshire.”

For more information tel: 01270 525 041
St Luke's Cheshire Hospice tel: 01606 555 681 www.stlukes-hospice.co.uk

Total Boats opens

04/08/09

Having experienced the constant running around looking for suitable merchandise to fit out her two hire boats Georgina Ford of Mary Gray Narrowboats has decided to expand into retail and has sourced everything from joiners to make custom built furniture to 4' Egyptian cotton fitted sheets.

Barn Dance and BBQ.

16/07/09

Don’t forget the Barn Dance and BBQ. This will be held from 7:30 on the August Bank Holiday Saturday, the 29th. A five-piece band with caller is booked and the popular hog roast will return. Book your places now at reception; tickets £10 each.

Marina services

15/07/09

Now the marina has been open a few months, the website has been updated to reflect the range of services available. The boat storage yard, with all the facilities, is proving more popular than ever for both short term work and longer projects. Plenty of space is still available however with expert assistance available on site.

Weston Agricultural Discussion Group visit

14/07/09

The marina hosted a visit from the Weston Agricultural Discussion Group, from which Robert has just retired as Chairman.

Aqueduct Brokerage

14/06/09

The Aqueduct Brokerage is now up and running, with the website in the final design stages. Sue and David will be pleased to talk to anyone thinking of buying or selling a boat.

Marina progress

12/05/09

The marina is now full and beginning to look much more established. Some final landscaping still needs to be done, but the banks are greening up and ducks and swans have moved in. Other residents include carp up to 30lb!

Marina opens!

14/02/09

The marina is now officially open and already most of the berths have been taken up. The ground still looks very bare but hopefully with spring not far off the banks will be grassed over.