THE PRESENT

The DAWN Trust believes it has identified how its maritime heritage can now be employed to serve the more isolated coastal communities along the Essex Coast & Rivers.

This would be achieved by providing a dependable, regular and scheduled facility to be exploited as a community hub, for use by contracting CVS agencies to engage locally, whilst also offering the opportunity for social programmes designed to engage those seeking social interaction and support.

Within the scheduled programme, The DAWN would berth for five days within each participating community, prior to making passage to the next scheduled port.

During the active three days in each port , a programme of outreaching events and counselling would be provided by the contracting agencies.

This project has received funding from the Heritage Lottery enabling it to become one step closer to a reality.

The DAWN Sailing Barge Trust has created the New Horizon project to undertake the following;

• Recommission The Dawn

• Research the Needs of Coastal Communities and how The DAWN might achieve sustainability by serving those needs

• Develop a proof of concept and Prepare a five year Business Plan to support the findings.

• Adopt a new Constitution and develop a new organisation to support the business plan.

A review of the trust constitution and policies are being undertaken in order for the trust to be relevant for its future.

The Dawn is in the process of being recommissioned ahead of her exciting future.