Manx Beauty - Where are we now? - The Cellardyke Trust

THE VESSEL

We have measured and surveyed every inch of the vessel.

From this detailed work a scale model built by David Tod shows our audiences and participants the vision of the rebuilt boat. CAD drawings are being developed.

The Manx Beauty is covered to protect it and further plans for individual frames are being drawn up while we work with funders.

Volunteers have been stabilising the boat to keep it in the safest condition prior to rebuild.

SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS

A document has been drawn up with the Waid Academy in Anstruther identifying the potential educational benefits and certified training opportunities for specific student groups.

We will work with Students who are looking for practical experience and pathways to further education. addressing the fact that there are very few opportunities to do this locally. We will also work with students who need volunteering opportunities to broaden their life experience and strengthen their applications for further education or work placements. We will work with pupils who need extra support in the education system and a focus on alternative positive experiences. In partnership with school professionals we will tailor these experiences to their needs.

FIFE COUNCIL

Fife Council have provided a working yard within easy walking distance of the Waid Community Campus and local trasnsport links. This excellent resource has an indoor facility for a teaching space, wet weather working and equipment storage.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

We have developed partnerships with The East Neuk Foodbank, East Neuk Men’s Shed, Oor Space (- Support Group) and Coastline Community Church

With these groups we have identified the specific need for positive practical projects in the East Neuk and evidence based strategies for supporting individuals with mental health needs when they take part in the Manx Beauty Project.

Discussions are being held with ENERGI, our local mental health charity, based in St Monans and we have a firm commitment for developing a partnership with Fife Social Work Restorative Justice Dept.

RNLI – ANSTRUTHER‘S LIFEBOAT

We are developing a practical sea safety education programme with our local RNLI Coxswain Michael Bruce. Using the rebuilt Manx Beauty we will take school pupils and community participants aboard and with the RNLI team, lifeboat and training facilities provide practical experiences at sea.

ECO PROJECT

We have presented the Eco Project to 5th year students in Madras College in St Andrews and look forward to developing it in 2023

Almost 60 oak seedlings are currently fostered by families and individuals in our community. Once they are about three years old we will retrieve them for replanting, thereby replacing more wood than used in our rebuild, this also has a postive carbon capture effect

Small scale replanting has begun on land in Ayrshire belonging to supporters of the project, Ayrshire is the home of the most successful ringnet fishermen.

Early in our project we started discussions with Catriona Brown. She is a design graduate developing mycelium tree guards as an eco alternative to plastic sapling guards. We hope to work further with her.

We have formed a partnership with the East Neuk Hatchery. When the vessel is rebuilt we will offer the public an experience of restocking juvenile lobsters from the Manx Beauty as part of a trip round the May Island.

East Neuk Mens’ Shed are piloting products that can be created from reclaimed and recycled wood arising from the rebuild process. Works in progress include unique pieces such as table tops , and small pieces of jewellery, adapting examples and design ideas created for us by All Things Arbor

As Anstruther is famous for chip shops we have investigated the use of bio diesel made from recycled oils – we look forward to developing partnerships to operate the vessel using recycled oils.

HERITAGE OUTREACH

We are currently running a pilot kntting project where we have engaged knitters from each area with which the Manx Beauty was associated. Sample gansey squares based on the theme “a sense of place” are being designed. This will create a network of heritage knitters to develop a major gansey project. Areas involved include- East Neuk of Fife, Birkenhead, Isle of Man, North Wales, Cornwall, Tobermorry and County Cork

We have provided significant information about the Peel fishing industry to Peel Museum, and look forward to further joint exhibitions with them and other museums.

HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS

In 2022 Robin Peoples, Lecturer, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, with technicians and students of the Theatre Design Dept visited the Manx Beauty and the Scottish Fisheries Musuem, to see the boat and learn about fishing boat design and development

Working with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland we are developing a musical theatre performance based round the story of the building of the Manx Beauty. This will involve young musicians from the Isle of Man, The East Neuk of Fife, and potentially other areas where the Manx Beauty worked. The young musicians will work with RCS students from the Traditional Music School and be taught how to develop a show based on a story and incorporating traditions from their own area. In conjunction with the School of Theatre Design the show will be designed and set built by students. The Boat, a vessel, and container of stories, will be built on stage as a theatrical device and launched. Collaborations are being developed with St Andrews University and the premier of the show will be in The Byre Theatre, St Andrews. The show will also be designed to tour and be performed at harbours where boat building took place. -Sustainable practices and recycling are key to the design and build process.

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS

East Neuk Salt Co –

This high profile highly successful new company has been one of the major supporters from the start providing advice and help with our 2021 Crowd Funding and pledging 5000 Units of Salt towards our project, this is the equivalent of £42 000

Over and above this, the East Neuk Salt Co are helping us develop a product which will be a significant part of our business plan for the operation of the vessel once rebuilt. We will host events aboard which will showcase the best of Scottish Seafood and ingredients. Mhairi Peattie the Salt Co head chef has developed a Menu that can be cooked aboard.

A pilot event was be held in the Salt Co premises 28th Jan 2023, incorporating story telling and traditional music creating a unique heritage experience for our customers

Partnerships with local businesses were formed during our Crowd Funder to promote their products, the area and the project. We will continue to develop these partnerships

BUSINESS PLAN

Our business plan for the operation of the Manx Beauty after her rebuild is fully developed. Ten types of events aboard and appearances of the vessel have been planned in an annual sailing programme. These include short training sessions, a local and National heritage programme and live aboard events with community and business partners. The vessel can make a profit on a 70% capacity operating for 40 sailing days a year (this minimal programme has been drawn up to ensure that weather and tidal conditions are taken into consideration in realistic maritime event planning )

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Regular talks are given to community groups, Women’s Guild, Rotary, local history interest groups and attendances at Maritime festivals.

SCOTTISH FISHERIES MUSEUM AND THEIR BOATS CLUB

The Scottish Fisheries Museum have provided a significant amount of wood towards the rebuild, This wood was left over from their own recent restoration of their flagship historical vessel the Reaper. Our main group of practical volunteers are Musuem boats club members who have been integral to the restoration and operation of the Scottish Fisheries Museum fleet.

SHIPSHAPE NETWORK

The Manx Beauty project partners and works with the Shipshape Network in Scotland. On 11th March the Chair of our Trust and project leader Richard Wemyss has been invired to speak at Shipshape Conference at the Scottish Fisheries Musuem. “Engaging Audiences – How to hook the unaware enthusiast” – Exploring how to attract those who are blissfully unaware that they are going to become enthusiastic long term supporters of your community heritage asset.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Kirstie Behrens has been working with us since the vessel arrived back in the East Neuk Her work investigates our wooden boat from tree to sea, to rebuild project. This has won the An Talla Solais Award for the etching ‘Manx Beauty, the Passage of Time.’ in 2022

YOUNG READERS

Working with author Andrew Macintosh ( Ex DI Greig from TV’s “The Bill”) and his daughter illustrator, Florence, we are developing the concept of a series of first reader/ bedtime story books based round the cat, Jingle, and dog, Sam. These characters lived aboard the Manx Beauty in the 1970’s/ early ’80’s. Initial plans include an adventure tale based in four of the areas of the Manx Beauty’s working history. Cellardyke, Birkenhead, Tobermory and Peel. The Adventures of Jingle and Sam

Ellie Deas Great Granddaughter of Skipper John Deas and Andrew MacIntosh discuss the children’s stories after a visit to the boat

HISTORICAL RECORDS AND ONGOING DOCUMENTATION

Our 166 page document is continually growing – this contains.

Historic Significance
Historical Context
The Story of the build of The Manx Beauty and Manx Fairy
Profiles and history of the first Skippers
War service
Ownership
Measurements and descriptions when built and on acquisition
Status and Surveys on acquisition
Appendices, providing details and all aspects of ownership, skippers and crews, the Manx Fisheries Company and sister ships
Transcription of oral history recordings

KEEPING UP OUR PROFILE

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