TARS – The Arthur Ransome Society – has taken ownership of the two iconic dinghies featured in the 1974 film of Swallows and Amazons, with the aim of restoring them in time for the film’s 50th anniversary next year. Swallow was bought for £1 from the ‘SailRansome’ group which had managed her since the collective […]
The effect of the lockdown has so far meant that Nancy Blackett has been unable to be launched for the season and all sailing plans have been scrapped or suspended. No private pleasure boats are now allowed on the waters controlled by the Harwich Harbour Authority, and in any case, sailing aboard a boat of […]
Progress continues on Nancy Blackett’s new mast. Making it began in January at specialist spar-makers Collars, while it is now at Robertsons and in the process of being prepared to drop into the hole on Nancy’s deck. The new mast, necessitated after two cracks and a visible distortion to the (very) old one, is slightly […]
Nancy Blackett’s new mast has come a huge step closer to reality thanks to the support of Trinity House, the 500-year-old Lighthouse Authority (and so much more). The Trinity House Maritime Charity has awarded the Nancy Blackett Trust a grant of £3,000. The cheque was presented at Trinity House’s East Coast building in Harwich on 14th November […]
Nancy Blackett was back in the water in ample time for the fitting-out and planned delivery back to Woolverstone, and we offer a very big “thank you” to all of our volunteers who helped in appalling weather on Saturday 9th April. By the end of that wet day, a great deal had been done, just leaving a […]
Less than 20 days after the launch of the Nancy Blackett Trust’s 20th Anniversary Appeal, the amount raised has already exceeded 20% of the ultimate target of £20,000. Donations small and large have been gratefully received from members, friends and fans of Nancy Blackett and all things Arthur Ransome. The appeal marks the 20th anniversary […]
Twenty years after the launch of the original appeal for funds to purchase and preserve Arthur Ransome’s boat Nancy Blackett, the Nancy Blackett Trust has opened a new appeal designed to secure the future of the historic vessel. The Trust needs to raise additional funds to cover a larger-than-usual repair bill following a recent survey, and […]
Earlier today, the Nancy Blackett Trust had the honour of making a donation to leukaemia survivor Oliver Rofix, in support of his Round Britain Challenge to recruit one thousand new donors for the Anthony Nolan Trust. The donation was presented to Oliver by Skipper John Smith at 2pm, five years to the hour that Oliver […]
The campaign to buy the film Swallow at the Turks boat auction has succeeded. After a tense 40-minute online bid battle (the auction site runs an ‘overbidding’ time extension scheme) the group supported by the Nancy Blackett Trust saw the sale close on their final bid, made possible by the donations that had flooded in from all […]
The bid to buy Swallow, the dinghy used in the 1974 film of “Swallows and Amazons”, has gained the support of the Nancy Blackett Trust. The Trust is accepting donations to the bid, and because the aims of the bid group, set up by Magnus Smith and Rob Boden, are broadly consistent with the Trust’s […]
Ten years after the launch of the original appeal for funds to purchase and preserve Arthur Ransome’s boat Nancy Blackett, the Nancy Blackett Trust is opening a new fund designed to secure the future of the historic vessel. The aim is to create a reserve fund ready to meet any unforeseen emergency repairs, or more […]
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