Welcome
Photo by David Pond. Click to enlarge.
Events and activities 2025
Here is the first issue of our 2025 Events Schedule.
2025 Events Volunteering Schedule 22 Jan 2025
We have a fairly full schedule for this year, mainly because we have been invited to attend a number of additional events. However, we’re hopeful that the difficulties we encountered getting crews for the boats last year have been resolved and that we will be able to take Nutfield & Raymond to the majority of the events in the schedule. Any we can’t take the boats to we will still attend by road.
If you would be interested in helping with any of the activities in the schedule do, please,
get in touch with us. Alternatively, just pay us a visit at one of our events. Either way, we hope to see some of you in the year ahead.
The 2025 AGM is over, but …
… the documents for the meeting still make good reading! They are HERE.
** now including the Minutes of the meeting!
The Friends of Raymond was established as a charity on 1st September 1996, to save Raymond from being lost forever. Raymond, the last wooden working narrow boat, was launched at Braunston on 11th June 1958 and, through the determination of the first Friends, she was rebuilt and returned to Braunston on 3rd July 2000.
In July 2003 we acquired the motorboat Nutfield, and reunited the pair that, between 1968 and 1970, had worked together in the colours of Blue Line Canal Carriers Ltd, looking much as they do today,
By maintaining Nutfield & Raymond, presenting them to the public, and raising the money we need to do it, The Friends of Raymond is proud to play a part in keeping alive the sight, the sound, and the story of the working boats.
In a typical year, our volunteers contribute around 2,500 hours and, apart from the costs of running the boats and the charity, every penny we raise is spent on Nutfield & Raymond.
Please explore our website to find out more about the history of our boats and our charity, the work we do and ways you can support it, and how you can become a Friend and play a part in keeping history afloat.
 | Raymond and Nutfield are both registered with National Historic Ships UK, the official voice for historic vessels in the UK. |
 | The Friends of Raymond is a member of The Historic Narrow Boat Club, dedicated to preserving the working heritage of UK canals. |
Raymond steered by the late Alice Lapworth (Click to enlarge)
The Friends of Raymond is a registered charity that preserves historic narrow boats Nutfield & Raymond, and promotes and presents them for the advancement of education.
Charity number 1059614
Registered address:
The Friends of Raymond
Braunston Marina
DAVENTRY
NN11 7JH