Galleon Storage & Mooring at Puddingmoor Beccles, has invested £500,000 in transforming a run down yard into one of the most state of the art and environmentally friendly yards on the Norfolk Broads.

Among its eco-friendly features is a unique decontamination facility, which removes toxic chemicals from hull wash water and bilge water. After the boats are washed down in a specially built bay the wash water is stored in a decontamination tank. It is then run though a WashTek filtration system and 98% of the pollutants are absorbed by cartridges before the clean water is returned to the river.

The American WashTek system is considered to be the most efficient equipment of its kind in the world and it can be mobilised to deal with oil and diesel spills.

The Broads Authority's Sustainable Development Fund has contributed £12,500 to the project.

Conservation Officer, Andrea Kelly, who has worked closely with the yard, said: "This is an innovative boatyard development which has adopted very good practice in protecting the Broads from pollutants, and we hope other boatyards will be inspired by it."


The yard is also the first on the Broads to offer a 'dry stack' system of boat storage which does away with the need to antifoul boats. The yard is able to store boats up to 33 ft long out of the water, launching them when owners wish to use them, saving the cost of antifouling and the cost to the environment.

The yard also offers three EZdock pontoons for storing small boats out of the water.

To add to the yard's environmental credentials the navigation lights marking the entrance from the River Waveney are solar powered.

Work to the yard has included dredging out and piling a yacht basin, building a slipway for the launch and recovery of 'trailer sailers' and secure facilities for storage of cars and trailers. There are also ten berths for boats either awaiting their owners or left ready for returning to the shore after use.

The man behind the venture, Mr William Bent, said: "We were concerned about a lot of antifouled boats being in a basin where there were no tides to sweep the pollutants away. Although I'm not obsessive about being green I think everyone should do their best to protect the environment.

I adopted the dry stack system because of the limited bankside moorings and slipways in the area. I wanted to provide a specialist facility which would enable people to bring their own boats to the Broads."

Wavian Jerrycans, Jerry Cans, Gas Cans, Fuel Cans, Petrol Cans, Diesel Cans . . .
Welcome to our range of top quality Jerrycans. Using the original design and then improving it, our cans are manufactured to a high standard and we are proud that they have been referred to as the ‘best Jerrycans in the world!’
Please compare the quality of build, the extra features and fine paintwork - more than adequate to meet our guarantee of 5 years under normal use. Examine the large breather pipe, essential for easy splash-proof pouring.

Our jerrycans are available in a range of colours, 5 litre, 10 litre and 20 litre, with optional Spouts, and including 20 litre WATER CANS.
Check out the internal lining created by special process and with a formulation which ensures adhesion and protection even with rough handling. This means no flaking paint or rust contaminating the fuel.
Every can is tested before it leaves the factory. Beware of cheaper/lesser options!Wavian Associates was formed in 1996 by the founder Barry Webster and has grown to be one of the largest suppliers of Jerrycans and associated products in the UK.

We operate from offices and large warehouse in East Anglia and distribute our goods mostly within the UK but also Europe, the United States and other countries around the world.

Our customers benefit from high quality products designed to be practical, easy to use and built to give many years of service.

Whether you are looking for one item for use at home or work or are resellers looking to purchase larger quantities we are able to help with a friendly, efficient service.

You can now buy cans direct from our online shop at

The 2012 Festival takes place on Sunday 27th May on Oulton Broad in Nicholas Everitt Park, Lowestoft with new charity partner, St Elizabeth Hospice on board, and is one of the largest and most eagerly anticipated team events in the region.

Over 30 crews representing companies, organisations, clubs and groups of friends from all over East Anglia are expected to battle it out over the 200m race course. They will all be seeking to knock Expro North Sea from Great Yarmouth off their pedestal as reigning champions whilst also aiming to add to the event’s impressive fund-raising total of more than £100,000 for charity over the years.

Dragon boat racing has an ancient Chinese history and the Festival is a re-enactment of a tragic event that took place more than 2,000 years ago in the kingdom of Chu. Legend has it that falsely accused of treason and exiled by jealous rivals in the government, despairing warrior poet, Qu Yuan, threw himself into the Mi Lo River.

Local fishermen rowed out to save the drowning poet and tried to rescue him from vicious fish by beating the water with their paddles. But their attempts failed and every year in Hong Kong a Tuen Ng (Dragon Boat) Festival is held as a mark of respect for the fishermen’s frantic efforts and to commemorate the tragic death of Qu Yuan.

The dragon boat’s fierce looking dragon’s heads were added later to ward off evil spirits and in Hong Kong special dumplings are eaten to represent the dumplings that were thrown in to the river to stop the fish eating the mighty Qu’s body.

According to the Chinese calendar, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon which may result in some interesting races as the dragon is said to be all powerful but completely unpredictable! It also symbolises great success and happiness, so the winning teams should be even more excited than usual in their victories!

No previous experience is required to take part in the dragon boat racing, just plenty of team spirit so why not take up the challenge? Thankfully, you don’t need the physical strength of a Steve Redgrave or the athleticism of a Jessica Ennis to be successful as teamwork and timing win the day.

The dragon boats, qualified helms and all racing equipment are provided and each crew is guaranteed a minimum of three races. The Festival offers a full day of fun on land as well as water with plenty of activities on the bankside to entertain teams and spectators between races. The event is supported by Waveney District Council, BBC Radio Suffolk and The Lowestoft Journal.

St Elizabeth Hospice is delighted to be the new official Festival charity this year having seen the event’s unique potential for fundraising and fun. The charity is dedicated to helping people living with a progressive illness and supporting their families free of charge. This year it is expanding its services for patients in Waveney and Great Yarmouth. The Hospice relies on fundraising events such as the Dragon Boat Festival as well as individual and corporate donations and the income generated from its shops.

Sara White, St Elizabeth Hospice’s Corporate Fundraising Manager, said: “We are encouraging as many businesses as possible to take up the challenge and enter a team in this year’s Dragon Boat Festival and raise sponsorship for St Elizabeth Hospice. By entering a team in this fun event you will be helping us to raise awareness of the services we provide free of charge in the local area as well as raising funds which will help us to continue to provide these services in future.”

The top fundraisers for St Elizabeth Hospice will win the charity trophy plus a full day of spa and gym use and lunch kindly donated by the Marriott Sprowston Manor in Norwich.

Carol Lester, Director of Festival organisers, Gable Events, adds: “The Festival is a great chance for companies and organisations to try something completely different, promote themselves to a large local audience, network with local companies and potential clients and raise money for St Elizabeth Hospice. It is also a fantastic team building opportunity - what better way to get to know what makes your colleagues and competitors tick?! We expect the Festival to be as popular as ever this time around so we recommend teams get their entries in early to guarantee a place”.

For further information and an entry form visit www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/eastanglia or call Gable Events on 01780 470 718. To find out more about St Elizabeth Hospice services in your area call 01493 690990 or visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk

Attached pictures of the East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival, courtesy of Satalight Photography.

The East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival is one of seven Dragon Boat Festivals Gable Events organise around the UK. They also offer a variety of other corporate events for motivation, team building and fun. For further information on the East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival and Gable Events services, call Carol Lester on 01780 470718 or visit www.gable-events.co.uk


 

Their holiday lodges and penthouses are great for a short break or holiday at any time of year, featuring fabulous views across Carlton marshes, and with unlimited use of the pool and spa included in the price. The Park also has a friendly pub, large shop and day cruiser hire.

If you're planning your 2012 holidays and fancy a few days on the water, why not base yourself at Waveney River Centre's marina and enjoy a series of day trips with a guaranteed mooring at night, complete with use of the swimming pool and luxury showers? Or for a Broads holiday with a unique twist, combine your boating journey with a few days camping or a break in one of their lodges.

Waveney River Centre holds the David Bellamy Gold Conservation Award and last year was a triple winner at the EDP Norfolk Tourism Awards - winning Best Holiday Park, Best Broads Experience and the Customer Care Award. This year they are finalists in the EDP Business Awards (Environment and Sustainability).

Check out their website at http://www.waveneyrivercentre.co.uk for full information and a video tour.

Or make friends with A Fish Called Eddie and get all the latest news - http://www.facebook.com/afishcallededdie

James Knight
Waveney River Centre

Callishibori
Callishibori has made the specialist art of indigo dyeing and shibori accessible and achievable both to the beginner and the more experienced textile practitioner.

Not until Callishibori have indigo, the necessary reducing agent, fabric prepared with a design, and stitch formats been brought together, with thorough instruction. They are presented as informative starter packs and project packs.

For the beginner, the starter packs make that first step into the world of indigo shaped resist dyeing, 'shibori', much less daunting, and provide a solid foundation upon which to build skill and knowledge. The more experienced textile practionioner can benefit from a tailor made service, as ingredients can be supplied for their specified vat size.

With stitch instruction, templates and the ever poplular 'Seriously Strong Thread' you will be able to design your own patterns, and produce unique indigo shibori fabrics which are ideal for patchwork and quilting, embroidery, art textiles, fashion and many other textile disiplines. They can, of course be enjoyed as indigo fabrics in their own right!

Callishibori came about by listening to students. Now almost everything that is needed to start an indigo shibori project is just there, conveniently packaged, with easy to follow instructions and generous information.

Indigo
The story of indigo is amazing! Known to man in ancient times and harvested from plants flourishing in hot climates, it became the world’s most important dyestuff by the end of the 17th century. The invention in 1856 of the first coal tar dyestuff heralded the manufacture of synthetic indigo some years later.

Shibori
With shibori resists, (and shibori relief), one is immediately engaged with the fabric, organising it, then securing it, often into odd shapes and distorted 3D forms, before it is dyed. It is the essence of fabric manipulation - quite different from other textile colouring methods in which cloth is kept flat and open to receive dye.

Callishibori enables you to create shibori and enjoy the magic of indigo through indigo dye packs, stitch packs, shibori stencils and much more. Products are available through mail order, at shows and exhibitions.

"My educational programme includes masterclasses, workshops and summer schools. Power Point presentations.

'Kaleidoscope' is currently on display in a major touring exhibition on indigo. 'Indigo, a blue to dye for' runs until early January at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery."
– Jane Callender