GoBoat London offers free cruises to help vulnerable people socialise after lockdown

A London boat rental company is offering free trips to help vulnerable groups “connect better to society” after lockdown.

GoBoat London is supporting the deaf community and other vulnerable groups by providing free tours between Paddington Basin and Camden Lock every Tuesday.

A report by deafness charity SignHealth showed that more than one in three deaf people in the UK reported struggling with their mental health during the pandemic.

The scheme aims to provide an opportunity for groups to socialise again and to improve their mental health.

Suzie Aries, a communications support worker for Empowering Deaf Society, said that this initiative is a fantastic opportunity for the deaf community.

“Days like this are absolutely fantastic for the deaf community. It means that everyone can come together, they can talk to each other and it’s really fantastic,” she told LondonWorld.

“Throughout the pandemic it’s been really difficult for the deaf community because they rely on face-to-face communication so during lockdown that was impossible for them but now they can communicate and go face-to-face.

“An activity like GoBoat is really great because they can meet and chat to each other and have a really nice time.”

So far the scheme has hosted groups from the Royal National Institute for the Blind and the Empowering Deaf Society.

Frederick Cowes, a supervisor at GoBoat, said the initiative has been a great success so far.

“On Tuesdays, we help vulnerable people or people who have felt left out over the lockdown,” he said.

“We decided Tuesday would be the best day to do it because it’s less busy.

“We’ve had loads of different organisations, the last one we had was for the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIP) and we took a couple of boats out for them.

“It’s just about trying to get people to connect better to society and to try to help people who have been feeling left out over the lockdown.

“So far everyone seems to have loved the experience, they’ve gotten really involved with it and have really enjoyed driving the boats.

“The route is amazing and it helps get everyone together.”

GoBoat is offering free cruises every Tuesday for the remainder of the year to any charity or community group who would like to avail of the opportunity.