A PROJECT aimed at bringing the ancient crafts of boat-building and rowing back to Lydney looks to be set fair after a successful trial.

It is hoped to bring together a group of volunteers to build a skiff – a type of rowing boat – as a community project.

It is being led by Sue Llewellyn, of Newnham, who is a rowing enthusiast and Steve Brown of Lydney who is a boat builder.

On Saturday, members of the All Aboard Bristol group brought their skiff Edward Colston to Lydney to test it on the Severn.

Sue said: “They’ve come along to demonstrate theirs and hopefully enthuse the local people and to test the waters to see how viable it’s going to be.

“It’s been very successful – we were able to launch and it coped with the wind and waves.”

Sue joined the rowers from Bristol to add her knowledge of the river and she also had a go at rowing.

She added: “It was wonderful, it rows very well.”

Around 30 people signed up to the project after seeing the skiff and a display at Lydney Harbour.

They were joined by members of SARA (Severn Area Rescue Association), Chepstow Coastguard and Alec Jordan whose company makes the kits from which the skiff are built.

The boats are usually built as community projects and there are nearly 250 around the world.

Sue said: “We need more people on board to create a steering group and go for funding – it is really early days.”

Steve has won boat building awards and he is helping Sue – who is a qualified cabinet maker – restore an old boat.

They are hoping to bring together people interested in boat building or rowing or who may have skills that will help the group such as developing a website.

Sue said: “While the skiff is being built, which is usually about a year, we want to have a ‘plastic’ boat on the canal to develop regular team rowing.

“What we need now are some more people to help steer this exciting project forward – we feel it has much to offer Lydney.”

For more information e-mail lydneyskiffproject @outlook.org or search for Lydney Skiff Project on Facebook.

Alec Jordan will give a talk at Lydney Yacht Club about building a skiff on Thursday, April 14 at 7.30pm.