Since setting up just over five years ago, we’ve dedicated ourselves to creating a Raybel community - bringing people together around our themes of environment, heritage, trade and transport.

We’ve sought to be welcoming, open, generous and fun… but with a fiery, activist side too, aiming to create positive change for people and planet!

We are not for profit and volunteer run. Staff and directors are only paid through time-limited project funding, and no-one is in a salaried position. All proceeds from everything we do will always go back into the projects we run.

Join the Raybellians - become a supporter

SUPPORTER BENEFITS

£5 / month - thankyou! Your support is essential to keeping Raybel sailing

£12.50 / month - early booking on sails + invite to annual membership event + £10 sail cargo voucher on sign up

£25 / month - early booking on sails + invite to annual membership event + one free sail per year + £10 sail cargo voucher on sign-up

£50 / month - early booking on sails + invite to annual membership event + two free sails per year + £10 sail cargo voucher on sign-up

In the last five years we have…

  • Brought TSB Raybel back to Sittingbourne where she was first built in 1920

  • Revived the heritage of barge building to Milton Creek

  • Raised funding to refloat Raybel and managed a programme of extensive shipwright work 

  • Supported the Raybel volunteer team to carry out more than 11,000 hours work to the barge 

  • Run work experience schemes for young people; and training for women in shipwright skills

  • Hosted 10 Open Day bringing together 1,200+ people at Lloyd’s Wharf

  • Provided over 200 barge tours of the restoration work

  • Provided music and reminiscence sessions in local elder care homes

  • Given over 20 talks to more than 500 people

  • Welcomed class groups from 6 local schools and colleges 

  • Organised 8 sail cargo voyages into London and traded £50,000 of produce from producers in Portugal, France and Colombia, creating a unique supply chain: farmer – sailor – trader –  you

  • National Maritime Award Winner 2023 'Best Community Initiative'

  • Society for Sailing Barge Research 'Colindell' Award 2025

  • Heritage Heroes Volunteer Awards - Runner Up 2025

  • “Can’t recommend enough as the Raybel is real hidden gem in a forgotten part of Sittingbourne.”

  • “The whole of the wharf site has been greatly improved and enhanced since the arrival of the Raybel and Raybel Team.”

  • “A force for good at Lloyd’s Wharf… It’s a key anchor point and destination point at Lloyd’s Wharf.”

  • “The Raybel team have been amazing, offering something for everyone. So many exciting ideas we wouldn’t have thought of. Often groups pretend to be doing community stuff, but this is for real.”

  • “Wonderful dedicated people. Had all the passion and patience to explain restoration and ongoing plans."

  • “I would like to express my immense thanks for generously contributing your time, resources, and expertise to deliver the exceptional Masterclass you put on for our Saturday Club.”

  • “I have never seen these types of practical courses for women in Swale before. … it was so refreshing to see it on offer.”

  • “I just wanted to say thank you for the brilliant workshops across our federation last week. Both schools were thrilled with the days and the children flourished and created wonderful work.”

  • “The art was fantastic. The artists were amazing with the children and couldn't have been more helpful. The children were amazed that this was in Sittingbourne. None of us (including me) knew it was there so to find this little gem on our doorstep was incredible."

  • “It was inspiring to visit Raybel Charters as a young adult in a time of pessimism about the future,trying to build a working life that is meaningful. I saw that there are people coming together to make something that is mindful and generative, addressing two vital but vulnerable pillars of a healthy world, environment, and community.”

  • "Really fascinating and so lovely to be in a group setting where everyone's learning together and sharing what they know (amazed at the older folks local knowledge!)."

  • “This morning we had a music session. Marina showed us artefacts from Raybel and shared the history and also sang songs which all of the residents enjoyed. It was a wonderful morning.”

  • “So much fun! Learnt a lot about a new place and its history, as well as directing for stage. The people involved were all wonderful too and great to work alongside”

  • "Our deepest gratitude to you and the team for such an incredible time! It was the perfect ending to a beautiful river pilgrimage."

  • "I would like to thank you for inviting us on Raybel yesterday We had a very enjoyable time and it was lovely to meet the people behind the restoration."

  • "We both enjoyed it greatly and you have a most welcoming crew - learning a bit about how barges work really added to the day."

  • "What a great trip on the Raybel ... absolutely awesome to see the Raybel in action again after all of the hard work from the team."

Our next phase plans include

  • Internal fit out – water system, galley and ‘heads’ (aka bathroom) (£10k)

  • Begin sail cargo voyages on the Thames – skipper, mooring fees, event costs (£10k)

  • Continue programme of events at Lloyd’s Wharf, Sittingbourne (£5k)

  • Develop a multi-year programme of cultural activities with communities along the Thames estuary (£15k)

  • Develop our national and international sail cargo supply chain (£5k)

  • Extend water quality and ecological regeneration project through new planting and community engagement on Milton Creek (10k)

Our record

As well as the Raybel restoration, we’ve sought to create a vision of how Lloyd’s Wharf could become a heritage and cultural space for the Sittingbourne community. 

We’ve produced an acclaimed youth theatre project for Lewisham Borough of Culture 2022..

… and started an ambitious project to improve water quality and marine ecology on Milton Creek and beyond. 

All of this has been done with an expanding network of partners and collaborators. 

Our mission is to create projects that connect people and communities to the heritage and nature of the Thames estuary; to promote trade that works with nature and supports social justice, and to search for chances to make local nature improvements to the maritime environment.

Thank you