A flotilla of crafts will go down the River Welland through Spalding on June 8 in a display it’s hoped will encourage more use of the waterway.
The Spalding Town Forum is putting on the Celebrate The River event on that day.
It’s being led by Coun James Le Sage who has arranged a meeting with Anglian Water in the hope it will open up more of the waterway to public usage.
The event will start at Welland Yacht Club where it will coincide with their open day and head to The Moorings pub.
“There will be canoes and sailing for people to have a go at the yacht club,” Coun Le Sage said. “The idea is that about midday a flotilla of canoes and stand up paddle boards will make their way down the river.
“We’ll head to the Moorings pub where there will be food laid on and then we’ll return later on to enjoy the hospitality at the yacht club.
“Hopefully it will highlight how the river has been under utilised.
“We’ll get some good shots of a flotilla, or an armada, going down the river and it will convince Anglian Water it’s a damn good idea to get more access to the water.
“I’m hoping they will get behind this project seriously.
“‘I’d like to think there’s bigger things possible than just access to the river.”
Coun Le Sage said that currently the yacht club had the only safe access to the river.
“There’s access near Bakkavor where you have to give three days notice to go through those gates,” he continued. “Only very small crafts can come through as we have so many low bridges through the town.
“There will be a safety boat provided by the Spalding sub-aqua club.”
