Massey Shaw attends the Classic Boat Rally at St Katharine's Dock

Massey Shaw
The Massey Shaw Fireboat and her crew of volunteers were invited to attend the Classic Boat Rally held at St Katharine's Dock E1 over the weekend of the 9/10th September. The event is part of the Thames Festival and attracts a wide range of vintage boats of all shapes, sizes and histories.

This year a large number of “Little Ships” were in attendance due to the interest in their role rescuing troops from the beaches of Dunkirk as depicted in the new film Dunkirk. Massey Shaw took pride of place amongst her peers and was visited by over 450 people during the weekend. Our volunteers were kept busy on each day answering a wide range of questions about the fireboat and its long history on the Thames.

Massey Shaw

This event provides an opportunity to engage with members of the public about maritime heritage and explain the importance of firefighting on the river. During the rally our volunteers worked with the LFB Fire Safety Team to provide information about boat safety and the importance of fitting Carbon Monoxide detectors on boats. This important safety message was well received and will continue to be broadcast at other events attended by Massey Shaw.

During the weekend of the 16/17th September, Massey Shaw will be supporting the Museum Open House event at the Hermitage Moorings in Wapping E1. The vessel will be open to visitors from 11am until 4pm each day, with tours and information about her unique history. Moored alongside will be the Steam Tug Portwey, the last coal fired Steam Tug operating on the Thames who will also be open for tours during the weekend.

Finally, the Massey Shaw Education Trust is pleased to announce that it has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the LFB Fire Cadets and looks forward to expanding the work of both organisations for the benefit of young people.

David Rogers
Director
Massey Shaw Education Trust