Sir – Alive and Kicking in Jericho, a group of lively older people in Jericho, were very saddened to read the news that The Oxfordshire Narrowboat Charitable Trust who operate The Venturer is finding it too expensive to carry on.

Our boat trip in July 2014 was the highlight of our year.

The volunteer boat crew were kind, thoughtful and courteous and The Venturer is a wonderful Oxfordshire resource which enables disabled young people and older, less- able people to enjoy our lovely waterways.

In his letter to our group, Mike Stanley says ‘the only boat available near here is The River Time Trust at Henley’. There are no other boats in Oxford which are adapted to carry older and disabled groups.    

Our day out on The Venturer in July 2014 was a really magical occasion and we had intended to make more bookings this year.

Barbara, who will be 99 this month, said that for people like her, who could not walk far, it was wonderful to enjoy seeing the scenery and she had brought a booklet with her on wildflowers so that people could identify them.

My 85-year-old sister Betty, who is severely disabled, said that our family trip on The Venturer was fantastic “ just to see the wonderful scenery, the wildlife and to be with friends and family and watch the countryside go by without the pain of walking was marvellous. We suggest that a campaign to save this wonderful resource be launched locally and appeal to readers of The Oxford Times for suggestions.

Anne Mobbs, Alive and Kicking in Jericho, Oxford