17/05/2023
Last weekend, Underfall Yard in Bristol (where I have my workshop) suffered an arson attack.
The fire was discovered by one of the boatbuilders sleeping on his barge around midnight.
Luckily no one was hurt. However, the big main shed is completely gone with everything in it (tools, boats, materials etc), the shipwright's workshop roof is damaged, the blacksmith's shed is gone, and the back of another workshop is damaged.
Everything that didn't catch fire got soaked from the fire hose.
Several boats were completely destroyed.
The fire didn't reach the slipway or the winch shed side of the yard so everything on that side is okay, inc my workshop.
I’m very lucky - but a lot of the guys now can’t work.
If you'd like to support the yard and boatbuilders there are 2 ways:
There is a JustGiving page set up by the yard, to help with rebuilding: https://www.justgiving.com/theunderfallyardtrust
There is a separate justgiving page to help raise funds for replacement tools for the boatbuilders in the yard: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/boat-builders-tools-fund?utm_id=2&utm_term=w9av4EDMn
