One of our members, W Bro Cliff Phillips, will this year be taking part in the River Thames Barge Driving Race.
Considerable skill is needed to pilot unpowered barges, rowed under oars or sweeps and ride the tidal river currents alone, up river. These events commemorate the skills of lightermen who moved freight this way along the Thames up until the 1930s and in a wider context it encourages ongoing interest in moving cargo via water and as a way to recruit younger people back into river trades.
Have a look at this video of a previous race!
