About Us

The Museum has been rebranded as The Yorkshire Waterways Museum.

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The Yorkshire Waterways Museum , together with Waterstart Thorne and Surewaters Selby, are part of the Sobriety Project a registered charity (No. 510221) and a company limited by guarantee not having a share capital.

Sobriety or ‘The Project’ describes the ‘umbrella’ organisation. Otherwise Yorkshire Waterways Museum or the abbreviation YWM is used.

Aims and Purpose

To use the heritage, arts and environment of the Yorkshire waterways as a resource for learning and regeneration and specifically to provide a pathway to worthwhile occupation for disadvantaged people.

The Business Plan 2008 – 2011 outlines seven particular aims which are;

  • Educating Children
  • Encouraging healthy living and independance
  • Working with Offenders
  • Training for employment
  • Making the best use of the natural environment
  • Conserving and Interpreting the industrial and cultural heritage of Yorkshire’s waterways
  • Encouraging enjoyment of the arts

    • Address and Registered Office:
    The Sobriety Project Ltd (a charity)
    The Yorkshire Waterways Museum
    Dutch River Side
    Goole
    East Riding of Yorkshire
    DN14 5TB

    Tel:01405 768730
    info@waterwaysmuseum.org.uk

    Objectives

  • Maintain museum, archive and fine art facilities to accreditation standards
    Establish the Museum as an agency for the social and economic improvement of Goole.
  • Develop the Yorkshire Waterways Museum as a front line tourism destination in Yorkshire.
  • Provide a pathway to worthwhile occupation for disadvantaged people who have: Mental health issues Drug/alcohol problems, Histories of offending, Learning disabilities, Long term unemployed (more than 6 months) or Living in rural isolation.

    • The Museum Aims to:

  • Provide opportunities for school curriculum enhancement.
  • Maximise the independence of elderly people through supported leisure activities.
  • Create opportunities for worthwhile volunteering.
  • Create a management and consultation structure which will further the aims and values of the Project. Be pro-active in partnerships that will help the Project to further its objectives. Strive for awards that will promote confidence in the organisation.
  • Manage resources in a business like manner and review its strategic plans regularly.

    • Recent awards

  • Winner of Yorkshire Tourist Board Best Visitor Attraction (under 50,000 visitors) 2007
  • Best Youth & Education Project
  • British Urban Regeneration Association Waterways Renaissance Award 2004
  • National Institute for Continuing Education Adult Learner of the Year 2004
  • Investor in People 2007

    • Publications

  • Reviews of the Year : Annually 1981 – 2007
  • Railway on the Water : Tom Puddings and The Yorkshire Coal Industry : Crabtree and Clarke : 1994
  • Spring to Release : The Waterways as a Re-settlement Resource : C. Buckley : 2003
  • The Waterways Museum : Educational Materials for Key Stage 2 : John Rice : 2004 (CD-ROM format)
  • Key Stage 1 Educational Resource Pack 2006

    • Yorktouristboard

    A towpath nature trail established and maintained by the Museum is the habitat of great crested newts, barn owls and several rare species of butterfly.

    In 1996, the Museum won the Unilever Prize for being the best UK Museum of industrial and social history in that year. More recently capital grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Yorkshire Forward have resulted in expansion of visitor facilities, displays and community outreach. A good example of outreach has been the development of a sister charity, the South Dock Compartment Boat Hoist Company. This has a remit to interpret and improve access to the No.5 Hoist whose Grade 2* listing puts it in the top 15% of Britain’s historic monuments.