After completing the restoration of the Dawn, a Thames sailing barge, to seaworthiness in 2008 ,the role of the Trust is to ensure the safeguarding of the barge for the future. Its aim is to keep her in an outstanding condition whilst allowing a number of environmental and wellbeing activities aboard the barge in the waters of the Thames Estuary.Working with partners to achieve these aims.
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The Dawn Sailing Barge Trust was formed in 1996 when her old skipper could not bear the thought of his barge being left to rot where she sat in Hoo alongside others she had traded with for nearly 100 years.
The aim of the Trust was to secure ownership, raise funds, return her to her home port of Maldon, restore and protect.
All of the above was achieved and SB Dawn is good for another 100 years.
Now it’s time for Dawn to get to work and play her part in helping give others a new horizon to aim for.
'A Name to Remember' is a one off fundraising program to raise both funds and awareness for the DSBT.
One job that has to be completed is the replacement of the ratlines, which are lengths of thin line tied between the shrouds of a sailing ship to form a ladder. This enables the crew to climb aloft to attend to the topsail.
We would like to use this opportunity to invite different communities' commitments, hopes, wishes, testaments and memories to be woven into the lay of the ropes as they are tied to form the ladder on either side of the barge’s rigging. Each category will be a different colour producing a cascade of hues from the top of the mast to the decks, a rainbow of hope.
There will be an opportunity to purchase a copper plate and a colourful ribbon with the inscription on that which will be stitched into the knot on the ratline.
Gradually the rigging will grow and so will the very special cargo of wishes that have been shared by the community. The barge will carry these precious thoughts with her for the coming decade, at first they will be a bright, colourful statement then gradually over a period of time, an enduring reminder and testament of a commitment to a vision that the vessel is an integral asset within the communities.
Alongside this there will be an opportunity to purchase an engraving on a more permanent element of the rigging. The top ratlines have oak rungs which will remain with The Dawn for a very long time. There are 20 oak rungs that can be engraved. These will be offered to carry the name of those communities served by THE DAWN
Then there will be four more elements that will carry the engraving permanently, the cap on the bowsprit, the cap on the sprite, the truck on the mizzen and the larger truck on the mast, the very pinnacle of the vessel. Each one of these will be available to have an inscription carved on to them and then gold leafed. It is envisaged that this will carry the names of our founding and long term partner organisations.