Our Story

In 1988 the River Thames Boat Project was created by Martin Emerson, then Mayor of Richmond, and registered as a charity. It was European Year of the Environment and he had the visionary idea of a boat on the Thames that would be used for education and recreation by both the able-bodied and people with disabilities.

That year the Gerja was lying in Rotterdam for sale. She was bought by an agent acting on behalf of Sir Richard Branson, but by the time she was imported to the UK, Branson had decided to have a new boat built to his specifications, rather than a converted barge. Alan Borough, a Thames philanthropist, heard about Martin’s plan, acquired the vessel and sold her to the charity for £1.00.

Black and white shot of Thames Venturer before she was refurbished, and renamed.

About Us

Funds were raised to convert the former cargo boat into a community boat and in 1989 the boat was fitted with a new engine. In early 1990, Martin Emerson approached BBC Television’s “Challenge Anneka” programme for help to convert the barge. The programme-makers agreed, and the design team of Derek Plummer (Architect), Simon Harris (Marine Engineer) and Miranda Jaggers (then RTBP Project Manager) had only five months in which to design the conversion, plan the fit out and ensure the necessary structural works were ready. The barge had to include a large multi-purpose saloon, sleeping accommodation and disabled access, to enable the widest sections of the community to make use of the boat and discover the Thames. Major structural steel work had to be completed before filming could start.

During three days of filming the saloon and galley were fitted out, the lift installed, and the hull and topsides painted. At the end of filming Anneka Rice chose the new name for the barge – Richmond Venturer.

Following “Challenge Anneka” funds had to be raised to complete the accommodation: two accessible toilets and cabins, with bunks to sleep 10, were built, and central heating installed. In 2010 solar panels were fitted.

At a special ceremony in February 2013 the barge was renamed Thames Venturer by a group of Young Carers and the Mayor of Kingston Cllr. Mary Heathcote. The new name recognises that our clients come from across the Thames catchment area.

With the growing demand for outdoor learning and cruises for disabled people of all ages, a new boat was commissioned to create more opportunities for a greater number of people to access, enjoy and learn about the river. Thanks to some incredibly generous donations and match funding, our second boat, Thames Discoverer, made her virgin voyage in 2018. This custom-built, accessible boat is now used for the majority of our therapeutic cruises, whilst Thames Venturer is mostly used as a floating classroom for our environmental education days.

We now have a long-term secure berth in Kingston, which will help us to plan for the future.