Newsletter April 2025

Women in Boatbuilding CIC
Newsletter - April 2025
 
Some of the WIBB community that missed last week’s social have asked for an update….so here it is!
Merch
After years of requests, we’ve launched the WIBB merchandise range! There is a link on the website….  Huge thanks to Polly and Obi for helping to make this happen. We’ve used TeeMill – which is used by many environmental charities. Seems to be the best option for this….using organic cotton and only printing when you’ve ordered to reduce waste. Hopefully this means the products are also nice and will last….but of course it also means that they’re not cheap. We hope you agree with the principles we’ve used, and some of you are able to include a link on your Christmas list at least. A small contribution from each product will come to WIBB and help with ongoing running costs – around £6 average. All feedback welcome on the range…and would love to feature images of you modeling it if you buy something!
 
Lots has happened this month…..
Women in Boatbuilding got a mention in Westminster!
After meeting in February with MP Edward Morello at the Boat Building Academy, we got an email from his office asking for notes so he could speak about WIBB and Traditional Boatbuilding in a Westminter debate about Shipyards and local economic growth…..so we pulled together briefing notes with the help of Woodbridge boatyard – click on link below to see his speech.  
Edward Morello MP - Westminster Hall, UK 18th March 2025
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025-03-18/debates/8440C2FB-A699-4D2E-A364-9BAE92EB3932/details#contribution-8CFCDF4D-A1B4-4B53-AAA1-518CCA9562E4
Yard News
Abbey’s moving boatyards! She’s merging with Chris Tuckett and moving to Reedham in Norfolk – exciting times. Abbey has BBA graduate Indie and also WIBB stalwart Shanna in her team at the moment – great to see the number of women working in Norfolk yards increasing.
Also moving premises is Enigma powerboats – Debbie Hood’s start-up company is going from strength to strength, which is amazing.
WIBB Profiles
We’ve interviewed some amazing women and shared their stories on our insta page…
Thanks to Claire from All Hands Boatworks in Milwaukee  https://www.allhandsboatworks.org/ who runs the Women’s Boatbuilding Workshop – brilliant initiative which has improved gender ratios across the board.
Thanks to Ellie Driver, naval architect at SR Structures, UK, who is now racing in mixed double handed race from France to St Barts. https://www.elliedriverracing.com/ - https://www.transatpaprec.com/
Always love growing our bank of women’s stories – these help to empower and inspire others, normalize your careers and raise the profile of women in the industry. Who should we interview next month?
Talks
Belinda did a talk about Women in Boatbuilding for Ipswich Maritime Trust, which was very well received. About 60 in the room, and lots of old and bold, who were incredibly supportive, which is always nice. She talked about lots of amazing women in our community…..from Paris in NZ to Gail in Scotland…sharing the amazing work you do and some of the challenges women can have in yards. South Devon College celebrated their first ever woman on a welding course last month….and in the article about her, she talks about the challenges of PPE….it shouldn’t STILL be an issue.
https://www.southdevon.ac.uk/news/2025/04/01/south-devon-college-student-ebony-burns-through-any-stereotypes-and-galvanises-her-welding-career-into-action
BIG GLOVES - https://www.tiktok.com/@south_devon_college/video/7488626585378032898
Great to have a couple of friendly faces in the audience – Thalia from Woodbridge Boatyard and Sarah from Kings at Pin Mill. Thalia was at Spirit with Belinda, many years ago now….and represented boatbuilding recently in a Suffolk Creatives exhibition – photos are amazing -  https://www.johnfergusonphoto.com/photojournal/john-fergusons-suffolk-creatives-a-celebration-of-craft-and-community
The re-scheduled Yachting Journalist Association talk also happened, with just 6 women from the YJA attending….disappointing from the men of the YJA. Allys are important, especially at this time.
EVENTS
We had a last-minute invite to the Classic Boat Awards in Knightsbridge at Royal Thames Yacht Club, thanks to Matt at Woodbridge boatyard, which was fascinating. Some amazing boats and craftsmen but not a single woman speaking – there were of course quite a few amazing women there - but it was a very male voice. Jas at TS Rigging was flying the WIBB flag for award-winners – she was involved in Heritage Marine Foundation’s apprentice restoration of Laerling which won the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ award. We would love to see more women represented in the evening next year – hopefully the new Editor will be a WIBB ally.
 
DATES FOR THE DIARY
We have some really exciting events and opportunities coming up….
Women and the Wind film screening – Tuesday 13th May - https://www.womenandthewind.com/
A documentary about 3 women that do up a 50-yr-old Wharram and sail it across the Atlantic! Hanneke from https://www.wharram.com/ has been heavily involved with this, and Angie Davies is the producer. The film has just started its worldwide premiere tour – will be in France from end April. In the UK, WIBB has been invited to co-host a Hammersmith (London) screening at the London Corinthian Sailing Club on Tuesday 13th May  - info and tickets here…… https://www.lcsc.org.uk/event/women-and-the-wind-screening
Kiana from the film will be there for a Q&A, and Obi and Belinda will also be there. Would love to see some other WIBB members/supporters.
(Angie is starting her own Wharram build in Normandy in June and will be looking for volunteers. Its going to be a ‘research and story-telling vessel’ - https://www.voyagevirage.com/floating-stories-lab)
Sunday 18th May is International Women in Maritime Day. Jane Percival from Classic Restoration Services is offering the WIBB community a tour of all the Dunkirk Little Ships at the Royal Port of Ramsgate before they head off on Wednesday 21st for the 85th anniversary Return.  We interviewed Jane last week for an upcoming profile, and she’s been working on Dunkirk Little Ships for nearly 40 years. Abbey will be heading up the tour, so please email if you’d like to go [email protected].   The plan is to meet in Ramsgate at midday – they’re expecting over 50 Little Ships and it will be an amazing opportunity and atmosphere if you’re able to get there.
Belinda is speaking at the Yacht and Garden Show https://yachtandgarden.it/it/  alongside fellow WIBB Director Gaia in Genova Italy that weekend. The ‘Italian Boatbuilder’s Tour’ episode has been out nearly 2 months, had nearly 3000 views and is continuing to make an impact.
The TRAD – The Thames Traditional Boat Festival – Henley 18th – 20th July
Very excited about this one….WIBB have been invited to take 20 young boatbuilders to the Trad this year, to be a part of the festival. We’ve been offered tickets and a camping area (maybe small charge for camping tbc) – and invited to be on the water in the sail-by on Saturday afternoon. There’s music Saturday night, all sorts of stands and things to see…. https://www.tradboatfestival.com/
If you’d like to come and spend the weekend with us, looking at boats and enjoying the festival, please drop an email to [email protected]
 
Southampton International Boat Show - 19-28th September
Planning a WIBB stand and would love volunteers to come along and ‘woman’ it – more details at next zoom.
 
Next Zoom Social – THURSDAY 15th MAY – 1900 HRS UK – hope to see you there!
Zoom link to follow on separate email. We had a recent experience with zoom which reinforced the need for zoom links to not be in the public domain.
 
In Memory
We started our zoom social with remembering Matthew of the Boatbuilding Academy. Many have been taught and inspired by his passion and skill over the years, and he was incredible supportive of WIBB. Will describes him as ‘the heart and soul of BBA’, so we’re all thinking of them and the space he has left behind at the college. Obi will be at his memorial this coming Sunday in Lyme Regis.
THANK YOU FOR READING OUR WIBB NEWSLETTER  - The WIBB team xxx