Our Stories​
Mark’s Story:
A long time ago, whilst working on the other side of the river, Mark happened to ask a colleague why Sailors Creek was in such a mess and nobody used it any more.
“Ahh, it’s just a total nightmare.”
Mmmmm, thought Mark, what a shame all those moorings are out of use.
After a climbing trip with Andrew a plan was formulated and presented to the landowner.
It was an ambitious and bold plan, and when presented to the public it was thoroughly rejected.
A valuable lesson was learned.
Along comes Andrew and Anna with a new plan which involves leasing two fields that had reverted to scrub.
This was a game changer: it allows us to plant a Forest Garden and build a trackway which reduces the cost of rubbish removal from the creek, leading to the reinstatement of 26 beach berths.
Andrew’s story:
It feels great to be 2 years into our leases on the land and moorings - and to see how much has been achieved! It is still really important that a solution is found for processing end of life GRP boats, and marine pollution in general, but we have shown what a difference a determined group of individuals can make to our local environs. If we can nurture the relationships that come as part of life on the sea then we will be closer to our objective.
​
Loz’s story:
I have lived and worked on the river for over 35 years and Sailors Creek has always been, frankly, a mess - it is just lovely to be involved with clearing it up and making it accessible for everyone.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Who We Are
​
There are 6 Directors involved, who are principally investing their time, as well as funding the clean-up of the creek and the planting of the Forest Garden:
​
Andrew Marston
I am a dedicated sailor, environmentalist and community creator. My day job is managing the Jubilee Wharf and Warehouse projects in Penryn but helping Sailors Creek become gently enjoyable has become a quiet purpose for me.
Mark Cann
Master welder, Project Manager, Designer/builder. Projects include: ‘Arro’ 38’ steel yacht, ‘Cadmus’ 50’ Glastonbury Festival playship, ‘Brain of Brian’ 80’ office barge, ‘Obarvagh’ Multi-cat workboat, restoration ‘Donna Capel’. Design and build Mistery 1 and Mistery 2 - both exemplar liveaboard houseboats. 3 years offshore rig welder, 3 years TA soldier, 30 years rock climber, yacht master.
Lorraine Cann
Charter skipper in Caribbean for 8 years, 20,000+ sea miles, yachtmaster/oceanmaster. Full restoration 1920s Looe Lugger from wreck to sailing a London Science Museum exhibit. Survived single parenthood. Project managed the Wrenched Maid (steel motor yacht). Shipwright in rebuild of Donna Capel. Financial control of ‘Cadmus’ project at Glastonbury Festival. Design & build residential houseboats ‘Little Miss’ & ‘Mistery 2'. Still recognised all over as a local rock star.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
What is a CIC?
CIC stands for Community Interest Company – it is a limited company that provides benefit to the community. It also has an asset lock that prevents selling the company assets.
​
What is the difference between a CIC and a charity?
A CIC is expected to make a profit/surplus whereas a charity is considered as a not-for-profit which should not profit from the work it carries out. CICs are expected to reinvest their surpluses to do more of their work but can also pay a proportion of this out to the owners or investors.
The CIC structure provides:
-
Continuity of purpose – once incorporated it will continue as a CIC, providing benefit to the community, until dissolved or converted into a charity
-
There are clauses, and an asset lock, to prevent demutualisation.
-
The Limited liability of a company
-
Greater flexibility than a charity but with no tax incentives
Sailors Creek CIC’s purpose is defined as:
-
to regenerate and enhance the boating community of Sailors Creek and the biodiversity of the adjacent fields.
-
to support ecological, social, environmental and artistic activities in Sailors Creek and within a five mile radius thereof.
-
to publicise and promote the work of Sailors Creek, and other local regenerative grassroots organisations, within the local community.
-
to introduce members of the general public to the pleasures of life afloat, and to the rewards of cultivation.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Beach Clean Up
The beach clean up is our focus and the initial motivation for the project.
We will be holding regular beach clean up days.
​
One of our goals as a CIC is to reach and model zero discharge to the creek.
Go to our Diary Dates page for details of our next planned beach clean up.
​
​
Our Partners
​
Trefusis Estate
Home to the Trefusis family for over 750 years, the estate sits in a prime position overlooking the Fal Estuary. It comprises farms, cottages, diverse commercial premises and community hubs, as well as moorings, with Trefusis House at its core.
​
​
Andrew Lane
I’ve been a shellfish farmer for most of my life. In 1977 myself and my friend Johnny started growing oysters in Loch Fyne.
It was a lovely life but we were skint and it didn’t pay the bills so we had to diversify into scallops , fish smoking , and ultimately set up a shop and restaurant which at last yielded a profit and secured the business.
As the company grew I spent more time exploring the ins and outs of UK food business and became increasingly disenchanted. Over fishing, dreadful animal welfare and the destruction of our countryside and wildlife are the hallmarks of modern agribusiness.
When Johnny unexpectedly died we sold up and my family and I moved south to Cornwall. We bought a hill farm on Bodmin Moor and a mostly arable farm down at Tregew , Flushing. Between the two landholdings our whole purpose is to show that animals can be reared with kindness, that farming and wildlife can flourish in harmony and that local food sold to local people is key to a healthy landscape and community.
​
​
Simon Miles - The Forest Garden
Our nursery is home to a variety of top fruit trees, including Cornish apple trees, Asian pear trees and cherry trees. We also grow nut trees, shrubs, herbs, perennial plants and vegetables to sell to gardeners. Most of the gardeners we work with aim to become biologically sustainable from yielding a number of different edible products.
Situated near Falmouth, we specialise in growing and selling perennial plants to gardeners and land owners online, which can be re-planted and intermixed with other forest garden products. By making use of companion planting, forest gardeners will be able to grow edible plants in a succession of layers from the tops of the trees down to the ground and to the roots underneath.
We offer a friendly consultancy and design service to gardeners who are looking to start their own forest garden at home. We can help you organise and position your plant species based on their requirements, such as shelter, light, moisture and pollination, so you can successfully cultivate your own edible landscape.
​
​
The Sailors Creek Shellfish Co
We established Sailors Creek Shellfish back in 2014 just outside the beautiful seaside village of Flushing on the Fal estuary in South West Cornwall. Formed on over 40 years of collective experience in the shellfish business Martin Laity and Tom Knights, the co founders of Sailors Creek Shellfish have a shared vision to reinvigorate the native shellfish industry and make their produce as widely available to as many people as possible. We work with around 150 English fishing boats and gatherers to source the oysters, mussels, scallops, razor clams and other shellfish that we then prepare for sale to individuals and local hospitality alike. Fresh and rich in nutrients our shellfish are well reviewed by all that eat them from professional chefs to avid home cooks.
www.sailorscreekshellfish.co.uk
​
​
Vessels at Sailors Creek
Update on Ibis - Sail Trade South West project
Some of you may remember the Lugger Ibis FY519 that has been at the creek for years. We can very happily share with you that the team behind the Tamar Barge 'Lynher' have been granted £250,000 of heritage Lottery funding to 'educate coastal communities on the benefits of creating a net zero carbon circular food economy by restoring the Port Mellon lugger “Ibis FY519”... Sail Trade South West will enable young refugees, asylum seekers and coastal communities of the South West to connect with maritime heritage and learn new skills, such as boatbuilding, seamanship, digital skills, cooking and dancing ... School children from the Plymouth area will learn how food used to be sourced and transported under sail. Young people with disabilities will have the opportunity to learn the tale of Ibis FY519 and interpret it into a dance workshop and performance. Finally, the project will create volunteering opportunities for young refugees to learn boatbuilding and seamanship skills and provide a safe space for asylum seekers to be together to cook and share their kitchen culture using fair trade produce transported under sail.'
Full press release here: https://tamarbarge.org.uk/support-ibis-fy519/
​
​
​
​
​
