top of page

Doris the Boat 

On Turlin Moor Estate, in Poole, Lucy Bolster has been working with neighbours and local charities to care for the shoreline area. It is currently an area in which boats are abandoned and left to rot away, which is a source of tension and frustration in the community.

 

Sensing the narrative of death, decay and endings, she wondered along with others

how they might demonstrate a kingdom-flavoured change to that narrative?

X

The idea of reclaiming boats emerged, and friends of all faiths and none have gathered

together to begin to carve out a space of new life, growth and new beginnings to which all are invited.

 

Below is the 'story' that Lucy told on the launch day after a number of working days to clean, line, fill and plant the first of their "Bloomin' boats" - Doris.

20240901_120305.jpg

So here is a story….

​

Once, there was a boat.

She was a hard working boat.

Piloted by skilful fisherman's hands,

She worked day and night to harvest clams. 

She saw the sea in all its stages - calm, choppy, threatening, safe, slate grey and aqua blue…mysterious by night and sparkling by day. 

 

Her hard work came to an end, and she rested.

She wondered about the life she had already lived and what might happen next?

 

After some time, she was bought by

Nicki and Gordon and their family.

She had a new name - Doris.

She travelled around the harbour 

Full of family jokes, laughter, water fights, picnics and fishing.

She saw the brilliant bird life at Arne

And carried her precious family up the Wareham channel on sunny days for fish n chips and ice creams on the Quay.

 

And in time, it wasn't so easy anymore for the family to take her out, so gradually, she came to rest just here, amongst the reeds 

She watched the other boats coming and going.

Her paint began to peel

She acquired a few holes

She was no longer ready to face the sparkling sea by day or the mysterious sea by night.

She thought that this was the end.

 

After a while, some people noticed her

And looked, and saw with fresh eyes. 

What if…..they thought….

 

What if, a bit like the story of Jesus, (some of you may know) ……there are always new beginnings where it feels like there are endings?

 

What if there could be growth instead of decay?

What if there was a new journey to go on together?

What if we're all invited?

 

And so…..Doris has new friends who have been here to scrub and line and fill and paint and plant and hope! She had gifts of plants from friends, neighbours and charities. Little Nora and her family gave her apple tree that they wanted to leave as a gift to this community.

 

And now Doris holds a whole lot of thankfulness for the people, the conversations and stories who have linked together to bring her and us to where we are now.

 

Perhaps this is a new beginning for this whole area? More boats to plant? More people to meet? More stories to tell?

 

Today, Doris is ready and I wonder where her journey of new life, growth and hope will take our community now?

 

I wonder……

Where you are in this story?

 

I wonder….

Where you might like to be in the ongoing story of Doris and other Blooming Boats?

 

I wonder….

Where we might travel together?

 

Now it is time to launch her with our wildflower bomb. Bless Doris and all who spend time here, who look after her and all the Bloomin’ Boats to come! 

 

Rev Lucy Bolster

1-9-2024

20240804_142914.jpg
bottom of page