Island Roads has swept in to support the Classic Boat Museum in Cowes by clearing stubborn bird mess from a boatshed that had been overtaken by pigeons.
The newly-cleaned boatshed can now be used for storage of some of the museum’s extension of classic boats.
Island Roads operatives Lee Jones and Kev Conway, supported by a large mechanical sweeper, spent a day at the museum clearing away the poo – leaving museum volunteers delighted.
“With a team of volunteers in their 70s, it was an impossible task to clean the floor of an 11,000 sq ft shed that had been infested with pigeons for a number of years ourselves,” said trustee Michael Loftus
“We heard from another local charity that Island Roads operates a volunteer programme to help out good causes so we approached them and they kindly agreed to help. We cannot thank Lee and Kev enough for doing such an excellent job.
“The original markings from the engineering works in the shed can now be seen for the first time in many years.”
An Island Roads spokesperson said: “It was a pretty messy job and we had to make sure Lee and Kev had the correct PPE but they worked hard all day and we are delighted to have made such a positive impact.”
Now the shed is ship-shape once more, the boatshed can be used to house more maritime exhibits that are not on main display. This in turn will help the charity in its chief goals of preserving boats either designed, built, or sailed in the Solent and adjacent waters.
The museum also runs an education programme for local schools and community engagement activities that reach out to underprivileged people.
The Classic Boat Museum was founded in 1996 by Maurice Wilmot, a keen restorer of classic boats. Over the years it has occupied various locations in Newport, East Cowes and Cowes and now has its sights fixed on establishing a permanent home in the Medina Yard at Cowes.
The museum has grown from strength to strength over the past 30 years, acquiring 100 boats of which 60 are on display. It also has built up a vast collection of maritime artefacts, archive material and an extensive library.
Fresh from the helping hands provided by Island Roads, the museum, which is hugely dependent on volunteers, is looking for enthusiasts with wood and metal-working skills and also those who can generally help around the yard.
You can discover more on the museum’s website https://www.classicboatmuseum.com/
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