The Boat Project

Surrey Heath's Donation Day

On Sunday 17 July 2011, Surrey Heath Borough Council hosted an event at Lightwater Country Park Visitor Centre inviting residents to bring a piece of wood which has a special meaning to them to be part of an extraordinary Boat Project for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

The Boat Project wanted donations of wood - but not just any old wood. Whether it was a pencil or a piano, extraordinary or mundane, they wanted something that's a part of us, something with a story to tell.

The artists behind the Boat Project, Lone Twin, are using the latest yacht building methods to turn wooden objects donated by people from across the South East into a seaworthy archive of stories and memories.

Donations from Surrey Heath included two pieces of wood rescued from the world-famous Elmhurst Ballet School in Camberley when it closed in 2004 and relocated in Birmingham. Alan Meeks who worked part-time as a photographer and videographer at Elmhurst during its final years in Camberley, was able to rescue two items (with permission) before the buildings were demolished. Alan donated a 7 foot long piece of ballet barre from the Sibley Dance Studio at Elmhurst, which more recent students will have used for support when practicing their ballet exercises, warm-ups and posture. The second item of wood was a short piece (30 inches) of special Canadian manufactured wood from one of the dance studio floors at the Ballet School. These pieces represent the thousands of students who passed through the School between the 1920's and 2004.

Other donations on the day included a piece of broken train track from a 5 year old's favorite toy, two pieces of driftwood washed up on the shores of Cornwall, a hobby carpenters first finely crafted cabinet, a clock face, a piece of wood signed by the Members of Surrey Heath Borough Council and donated by the Mayor Councillor Tim Dodds, a drawer from a childhood cabinet and a foot off a childhood cot, a young child's wooden spoon that had made lots of lovely cakes, a section of silver birch tree planted 40 years ago as a sapling, a 30 year old lacrosse stick and a cricket bat, part of an old bed, a beautifully carved outstretched hand, a hand-turned wooden vase, wood from trees felled along the Basingstoke Canal, shavings from an original Jimmi Hendrix guitar and a coffee table that had previously been a desk and would now become a boat! The Mayor also donated three items from his personal pencil collection. All of these items had interesting and sentimental stories.

Our donated wood will be used along with donations from thousands of others to build this unique 30ft sailing boat, a living archive of our lives. A book will record all of the donations and their stories and the people who made donations will be invited to the launch of the boat.

As people all over the world gather to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012, the remarkable boat will set sail on its maiden voyage during 2012. The boat, crafted by a fearlessly adventurous team of boat builders and volunteers will be made from the lives and memories of the South East.

To find out more visit www.theboatproject.com Opens in a new window