People, Place and Relationships; Helping our community explore our beautiful natural asset, The Thames
Chiswick Pier Trust is self-financing community asset using a model created by LBH. The Trust does not cost the council anything.
Chiswick Pier Trust provides community facilities for the benefit of the community, and in line with the Hounslow demographic.
Core users in the Chiswick Pier Trust building include the educational charity Thames Explorer Trust (classes up to 200 schools each year), the Chiswick Sea Cadets, the Chiswick Pier Canoe Club and the RNLI (4000 launches aided 1900 people and saved 120 lives). As well as their core function, all of these users have a remit to engage, educate and help people understand more about the local river and community.
Chiswick Pier Trust’s remit is to bring people to the river. We have enabled sessions that have seen attendance of an estimated 10,000 people across the year which includes those participating with our core users. Between all core users, approximately 3,100 volunteer hours are given to river based activities at Chiswick Pier per annum. This does not include the RNLI’s 100 volunteers.
Chiswick Pier Trust runs, manages and maintains the CPT building, pontoon and environs. It is a hub and entry point for people wishing to engage in the river including boaters, canoeists, sea cadets and emergency services (RNLI). The office is open every weekday from 11am -3pm and there is a community hall which is rented out to charities and community groups (at discounted rates) and used for parties. Thames Explorer Trust use the hall for workshops for school children.
Chiswick Pier Trust manages moorings for eight permanent houseboats, currently featured on a newly created riverside information sign about the historic houseboats. This houseboat sign is one of two (the other focusing on the history of the river and Eyot) produced and funded by CPT for the walkway.
Chiswick Pier Trust creates and manages an extensive programme of local events for families and local community groups to bring people to the river who otherwise might not come. Two of these hinge on existing events of national and international stature – parties and vantage points for the Boat Race and the Great River Race. Chiswick Pier is cited by the Boat Race organisers as one of the best viewing spots on the Middlesex side.
Chiswick Pier Trust provides low-cost recreational opportunities for the locality; the annual Party on the Pier has free rides on Princess Freda, a Dunkirk Little Ship, as well as stalls, affordable food stands and sponsored beer, free educational mudlarking events, free live music, canoe taster sessions and children’s entertainment with Amanda’s Action Kids and face painters etc. Chiswick Pier Trust works with local businesses to ensure sponsorship of major events like Party on the Pier. Fullers Brewery sponsorship is used to provide free rides on the Princess Freda and local estate agent Sworn & Co sponsor Amanda’s Action Kids.
Chiswick Pier Trust traditionally mounts at least two affordable annual cruises – the Mother’s Day cruise and the Midsummer Jazz Cruise.
Chiswick Pier Trust arranges regular workshops on a variety of different subjects such as watercolour painting, Alexander Technique classes, nature walks and first aid courses. These are for the benefit of the local community.
Chiswick Pier Trust runs an annual programme of six educational talks which are an opportunity to explore organisations and influencers with an interest in the river. Speakers include Hazel Forsyth from the Museum of London, Sarah Gaventa, director of the Illuminated River project, Matthew Morgan from the Royal Collection, mudlarks Jason Sandy and Tobias Neto (who found the Thames VC), Julie Ashdown OBE from Emery Walker House, poets and Yeats experts Cahal Dallat and Anne Marie Fyfe, award winning Thames documentary film director Dorothy Leiper, archaeologist Josh Frost from the Thames Discovery Programme, Sue Hennessey talking on the role of women in the RNLI, canal boater and food historian Di Murrell, The Londonist’s Matt Brown, and historian Chris Everett.
As part of its community service, Chiswick Pier Trust provides an annual cruise for Mencap children.
The Team
Anne Gill – Trust Officer: Administration
Gill Exton – Trust Officer: Events
Sam Mills – Trust Officer: Development, PR & Marketing
The team are supported by 12 Trustees.