Held over the late May/Whitsun bank holiday weekend this year of Saturday 23rd to Monday 25th May 2026, The Crick Boat Show is the UK’s leading inland waterways festival, bringing together narrowboats, marine exhibitors, live entertainment, boating seminars and family attractions.

And here’s are just a few good reasons why you should stop by and see the team from LNBP over ‘the three-days of Crick’.

1. Book your ticket and join us on the Crick Boat Show trip boats

We will once again be operating the hugely-popular Trips Boats for visitors to the Show who can enjoy a short boat trip with us from the Marina and along the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal aboard canal boats which are once again run by our volunteer team of skippers.

The half-hour trips are run and provided free, but we welcome donations in lieu, and will run every 10 minutes from 10.10am each day of the show.

As these trips always prove very popular year-on-year, our advice is to book with us once you arrive at the Show to avoid disappointment.

You will find us at Stand Q50 by the quayside where you can up pick your tickets from our team who can tell you more about we can do and offer.

2. Donate to support us and benefit others

As mentioned above, the boat trips we run on behalf of the Crick Boat Show are provided to the Show’s visitors FREE of charge.

However LNBP do accept donations in lieu.

This is enable us as a non-proft volunteer-led charity to continue our work in the community and provide opportunities for those less than fortunate to enjoy a trip on our boats on the canals and inland waterway networks of central England

You can make donations either by cash in the collection buckets that will be on the boats and by our Booking Tent, by card via our card payment terminal, or scan the QR code on the posters on the trip boats or at the Booking Tent to make a donation payment  via our website (which you can also do here)

3. Find out more about short break residential trips for your community group or organisation

Members of our team will be on hand throughout the weekend to tell you more about the opportunities we can provide to community groups and organisations on our boats. 

Whether it be short break residential of two or more nights at weekends or during the week, or a day trip as part of the limited number of inexpensive day trips we also provide from Braunston, talk to us about your group and how we can help create memories and an experience that will stay with your group members for years to come.

Why not even make an enquiry for your community group or organisation for 2027 or 2028?

4. Ask about volunteering with us

LNBP Community Boating is reliant on the efforts of volunteers who give their time to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and the canal boat experiences we provide.

And we are always keen to welcome new volunteers to our organisation, so if you are 16 years old and over, why not consider getting involved?

There are many ways you can get involved, and many benefits for individuals who volunteer with us, so talk to a member of our team (themselves, all volunteers) on how you can get involved; even if it is just for an hour or two here and there.

You can also find out more here

5. Find out and register for CCBM training

We are also also an accredited Training Centre for the Certificate in Community Boat Management (CCBM) and run several training weeks a year.

Administered by the National Community Boats Association (NCBA) of which LNBP Community Boating is a member, the CCBM course is designed to improve the knowledge and skills of people operating boats carrying groups of twelve passengers or less. It is

It is aimed at boat users in the voluntary or public sectors, but the scheme is also open to all group leaders using commercial hirecraft. Many organisations require the CCBM as a prerequisite for group leaders who are planning to self-steer.

For more information, talk to a member of our team and our Project Skippers who will be at the Show and running the trip boats. Why not even register your interest for our next CCBM Training event too.

As always,  we welcome any enquiries from all Show Visitors and are only too happy to answer any questions you may have.

So please don’t be afraid to pop by our Stand or ask a member of our team on the trip boats. You won’t miss us – we will have our distinctive blue polo shirts and sweat shirts on (and hopefully won’t need raincoats and umbrellas).

We look forward to seeing and meeting you at Crick.

The post Great reasons to see LNBP Community Boating at the 2026 Crick Boat Show appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

You will have hopefully seen that Rachel was embarking on a 26.2 mile walk from Napton to Stoke Bruerne along the Oxford and Grand Union Canals tow paths on Sunday as part of London Marathon ‘MyWay’ – Read more here.

Well, after much training, Sunday arrived and and an early start from Napton was greeted with decent weather, and off she went.

https://www.facebook.com/rachel.spruce/posts/pfbid0Ash8ve33qgXbBMDGnj5thAqSbEQDviEhCTzFa5AKCoWrZ7PR8YTve3J1azgfLdkrl

And before you know it, 26.2 miles later….

A virtual medal to prove it, and a very well-earned drink to boot (no pun intended)

As part of the MyWay walk, Rachel was raising money for LNBP Community Boating and having set a target to raise £1000.00….has so far raised £1500.00!

Again, a magnificent achievement of which everyone at LNBP is so grateful for and to everyone who has donated.

Whilst we once again offer our many congratulations to Rachel for taking on and completing this challenge, and for doing it all in aid of LNBP, it is only right the final word is hers…

https://www.facebook.com/LNBPCommunityBoating/posts/pfbid0D5FU3MZpB2vkR9T7n9X6zK6e36vdRi7LHhM1rXurcg6yjN3zQA5zcg7pwQZTcx4Kl

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Rachel Spruce will be undertaking the challenge of The London Marathon MyWay on Sunday 26^th April 2026.

The TCS London Marathon MyWay provides the opportunity to complete 26.2 miles however and wherever you wish (except indoors or on a treadmill) on Marathon Day. The start line can be wherever you choose, as long as you can complete the distance from 00:00 to 23:59:59 BST on Sunday 26 April 2026

In Rachel’s case, she will be walking the towpath of the Grand Union Canal, starting from Napton and heading for her ‘finish line’ at Stoke Bruerne via Braunston, all to raise money for LNBP Community Boating.

To find out more and sponsor Rachel in her efforts, head to her Justgiving page here

And you can follow Rachel’s progress on Strava – which includes her training and the actual walk on the day, by clicking this link:- Check out Rachel Spruce on Strava

• We are sure you will join everyone at LNBP to wish Rachel all the very best of luck with her challenge and we extend our thanks to her for all the efforts in aid of LNBP.

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Once again the weekend long event was held over the late May Whitsun bank holiday period with the public days of Saturday 24th to Monday 26th May following the Show’s Trade and Preview Day on the Friday 23rd.

The LNBP team were once again brought in to operate the Show’s trip boats which saw three day boats run every 15 minutes from the marina quayside, out and up a short distance of the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal and back.

The trip boats are always a popular feature amongst showgoers and this year was again no exception with initial reports suggesting the boats and tickets for them were used to capacity and sold out. Although the trips were provided free of charge, donations were encouraged either by cash or card payment in lieu, and gratefully received. Full report details to follow.

The event also provides an ideal platform for LNBP to promote and market its services to the Show visitors with another useful source of enquiries generated

‘Crick’ also is a great venue and opportunity to bring all LNBP members together in one place to hold its AGM on the Saturday as well as provide a post-day social of a spot of food and drink.  This year was no exception and with the notable inclusion and installation of a new Chairperson – more details to follow about this hortly.

All in all it was another excellent, busy and productive Crick Show and thank you to everyone who contributed in whatever capacity during the course of the week and the days leading up to and after it.

Look out for more post-Crick details to follow.

The post In pictures – LNBP at 2025 Crick Boat Show appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

With their two narrowboats based at Bottom Lock in Braunston, we are a non-proft charity who are reliant on the efforts of volunteers who give their time to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and the canal boat experiences we provide.

We are always keen to welcome new volunteers to our organisation with a variety of roles available including boat maintenance, skippers for the boats, fundraising, marketing, ‘meet and greet’ and administration.

Experience is not necessary (but always useful) as training can be given. So if you are 16 years old and over, why not consider getting involved?

We will be canalside at Bottom Lock with our distinctive green narrowboats Lancelot and Guinevere on Friday 7th, Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th February undertaking a variety of tasks to ensure  L & G are clean, fresh and ship-shape for the months to come.  So why not pop by and say hello, meet some of the team and come and see our boats, and find out more about us and how you can get involved. We would love to meet you.

For further enquiries, email us at marketing@lnbp.co.uk, or call us on 07783 002073

The post Find out more about our volunteer roles at our Dewinterising Weekend appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

With their two narrowboats based at Bottom Lock in Braunston, we are a non-proft charity who are reliant on the efforts of volunteers who give their time to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and the canal boat experiences we provide.

We are always keen to welcome new volunteers to our organisation with a variety of roles available including boat maintenance, skippers for the boats, fundraising, marketing, ‘meet and greet’ and administration.

Experience is not necessary (but always useful) as training can be given. So if you are 16 years old and over, why not consider getting involved?

For further enquiries, email us at marketing@lnbp.co.uk, or call us on 07783 002073

The post Find out more about our volunteer roles appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

It is with great pleasure that we announce that the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Freemasons of Warwickshire have kindly donated a sum of £1000.00 to us to assist in our work.

It is wonderful that they have considered us and been able to support us in this way again.

The donations we receive enable us to continue our work and provide those less fortunate than ourselves with a day trip, short break or holiday to experience the enjoyment and benefits that life afloat can provide that they may otherwise not be in a position to afford and enjoy.

On behalf of everyone at LNBP Community Boating, may we extend our grateful thanks and appreciation to everyone at the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Freemasons of Warwickshire for their very kind consideration and donation to us.  It is hugely appreciated.

• For more details about how you can donate to LNBP Community Boating including via an online donation, click HERE

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We are a non-proft charity who are reliant on the efforts of volunteers who give their time to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and the canal boat experiences we provide.

With that in mind we are now keen to welcome new volunteers to our organisation, with a a number of roles currently available.

They are:-

• Project Boat Skippers – to run LNBP’s narrowboats for their weekend and midweek residential trip bookings, and also midweek day trips.
• ‘Meet and Greet’ – the public face of LNBP on arrival and before commencement of client group trips. Introducing client groups to the workings of the boats and the relevant health and safety procedures.
• Boat Maintenance – to assist with the periodic maintenance of LNBP’s two narrowboats.
• Project Fundraiser(s) – to assist LNBP’s marketing team with the implementation of marketing activities and campaigns, including potential attendance at our annual attendance at the Crick Boat Show.

These roles are volunteer roles with any expenses reimbursed. Experience is not necessary (but always useful) as training can be given.

More details on all these roles are available upon request and application.

So if you are 16 years old and over, why not consider getting involved and find out more about us and how you can get involved. We would love to hear from you, meet you and have you on board with us.

For further enquiries about all of the current volunteer opportunities with LNBP and how you can play a part, email us at marketing@lnbp.co.uk, or call us on 07783 002073.

The post Get involved with LNBP – volunteer roles now available appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

With their two narrowboats based at Bottom Lock in Braunston, we are a non-proft charity who are reliant on the efforts of volunteers who give their time to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and the canal boat experiences we provide.

We are always keen to welcome new volunteers to our organisation with a variety of roles available including boat maintenance, skippers for the boats, fundraising, marketing, ‘meet and greet’ and administration.

Experience is not necessary (but always useful) as training can be given. So if you are 16 years old and over, why not consider getting involved?

We will be canalside at Bottom Lock with our distinctive green narrowboats Lancelot and Guinevere on Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th February undertaking a variety of tasks to ensure  L & G are clean, fresh and ship-shape for the months to come.  So why not pop by and say hello, meet some of the team and come and see our boats, and find out more about us and how you can get involved. We would love to meet you.

For further enquiries, email us at marketing@lnbp.co.uk, or call us on 07783 002073

The post Find out more about our volunteer roles at our Dewinterising Weekend appeared first on LNBP Community Boating.

The positions currently available are that of:-

• Chairperson
• Finance Director
• Bookkeeper
• Head of Fundraising
• Project Fundraiser(s)

All the above positions are volunteer roles (with expenses paid where relevant and agreed) with an anticipated commitment of 4-5 hours per month.

Experience is preferred with training available for both roles.

Interested? Or know someone who could be?

Then please get in touch for further details and to arrange a further discussion about either roles.

Contact Alan on 07778 610422 or email marketing@lnbp.co.uk

LNBP Community Boating is reliant on the efforts of volunteers who give their time to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and the canal boat experiences we provide.

We are always keen to welcome new volunteers to our organisation, so if you are 16 years old and over, why not consider getting involved?

Click HERE for more information on how you can get involved?

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