Hillingdon Narrowboats Association (HNA) provides affordable boating for the community, including schools, voluntary organizations, community groups, nursing homes and clubs, as well as families and friends. HNA has been established as a charity for over 20 years in the London Borough of Hillingdon, serving Uxbridge, Denham, Harefield, Cowley, Yiewsley, West Drayton and Hayes. Sited at their boath
ouse on Summerhouse Lane, Harefield, just above Copper Mill lock on the Grand Union Canal, HNA can reach central London in a day’s boating and often runs trips around the ‘Thames Ring’, returning in four days. HNA’s five boats: Hillingdon Star; Pisces; Spirit of 57; Theo and Merlin (the latter two inherited from a merger with the Tideway Boating charity) provide access to the canal for all sections of the community. For some 20 years, HNA has operated ‘Spirit of 57’, a disabled-access boat with wheelchair lifts and full wheelchair access all the way through, including accessible toilets and a shower. HNA runs day trips for anyone in the community or from further afield, running for a minimum of three hours. There are often partnership events with local pubs such as the Coy Carp and the Horse & Barge, running trips from outside their pubs for about an hour each time. Every year, there are Santa Special trips, spooky Halloween specials as well as celebration events for special occasions such as the Canalway Cavalcade and Rickmansworth Canal Festival. HNA also provides training in the National Community Boat Association (NCBA)-certified Certificate in Community Boat Management (CCBM) and Competent Crew Course (CCC). There are also opportunities for corporate parties to take place on board the boats, as well as celebrations for occasions such as weddings, hen and stag parties and birthday parties. One of the boats run by the association (Pisces) has historic value and used to be a working boat, plying its trade on the Grand Union canal and as a fire boat on the Thames.
