News

Cathja Takes a trip!
October 2024

She headed down to Tower Bridge, Hermitage Moorings for a 4 hour voyage with our current crew of attendees. This was a chance to run up her engines and for everyone to take a turn at steering Cathja, under the watchful eyes of Captain Carl.

The trip passed under most of the bridges on the Thames, even the very low Hammersmith Bridge. All the crew had a great time.

Carl wins Make a Difference Carers Award
October 2023

Carl was nominated for Radio London's Make a Difference award and was a winner.

This is a fitting acknowledgement of his fantastic commitment to Cathja and its work over the years.

Farewell to Barry Chambers
February 2023

Cathja and the crew are mourning the sad departure of Barry. His work for the charity spanned 22 years and was a vital component of the barge's operation. He will be missed by everyone and is remembered very fondly for his total loyalty and inimitable character. He is irreplaceable.

Farewell to Debbie Wright
September 2022

We were all sad to lose Debbie Wright, a lovely and popular Cathja crew member over many years, at only 59.

Thanks to her family for their generous donations to Cathja. Click/tap on the image for more.

Ruth Cadbury fundraising
November 2021

Our MP, Ruth Cadbury, completed the full Thames Meander marathon, from Kingston to Barn Elms and back.

Her two chosen charities were Macmillan and Friends of Cathja. Click/tap the image to see a bigger version.

Tribute to Bob Grattan,
January 2021

Long term Cathja crew member, Bob Grattan, has succumbed to Covid. Click/tap the image to see a bigger version.

Bob will be remembered and missed by everyone who met him over the years.

Friends of Cathja re-opens, plus a new shop, July 2020

The Cathja barge re-opened after the Covid lockdown, with enhanced sanitising measures. The new Cathja shop, by Watemans, also opened, 5 days a week.

Tribute to Daisy,
May 2020

Sue Cooper, a local artist, has become a Cathja Trustee. Here is her latest grouping, on the barge.

It's a tribute to Daisy, who nearly made it to 100 years old.

Cathja and Brentford Together, April 2020

Cathja may have had to close the Cathja barge temporarily, due to Covid-19, but is actively engaged in providing workshops, on sewing, knitting, bike maintenance and first aid. For now they are online.
Click/tap here for the Brentford Together website.

Mayor opens Cathja shop,
September 2019

The new Mayor of Houslow, Tony Louki, officially opened the Cathja shop in Isleworth on 27 September.

See a video clip of his speech here.

Trip to Wapping,
September 2019

On September 7th fourteen of us set out in Cathja, travelling down The Thames to Wapping. It stayed dry and we all had an enjoyable time on the water. The ladies in the picture provided a delicious lunch.

Currie Motors Toyota,
July 2019

Allan Ball, of Currie Motors Toyota, presented a very welcome donation of £750 to Cathja. The Isleworth and Chiswick branches came first and second for sales nationwide for Toyota and decided to donate the charity element of the prize to us.

New Isleworth shop opens, June 2019

On June 29th our new shop opened in the old Moore Brothers Cycles premises near Isleworth station. We do not expect to have it for that many months but it will in the meantime provide a valuable boost to Cathja's funding and also provide a community hub for a variety of activities.

Sewing with Mary, February to April 2019

Our thanks to Houslow Borough, who are funding eight sewing sessions with Mary on the Cathja barge (see the Contact page for location and click/tap on the picture to the right for full information).

End of an era, January 2019

Our Brentford High Street shop had to close to make way for the huge Brentford Waterside development.

Dennis Couchman, December 2018

Our thanks to the family and friends of the late Dennis Couchman, a long time greatly valued member of the charity and the barge. Dennis' daughter Helen was able to attend our Christmas party where the Mayor of Hounslow lit the candles for the first time in memory of Dennis in the model of Cathja that he made some 10 years ago.

Cathja Christmas Party, December 2018

It was held in the Brentford High Street shop, which opened in 2016 and, sadly, has to close soon as the whole area is bulldozed and re-developed.

The Major of Hounslow, Samia Choudhary, came along and everyone had a very convivial time. There was even a band; see a video clip here.

New Cathja website launched, December 2018

A total revamp of the Cathja website was published in mid December. New volunteer Eric brought the site right up to date and went through thousands of images from the Cathja image archive to give it a new look.

Now it will be kept up to date, especially important in these difficult times, with the Brentford High Street shop having to close in late 2018 to make way for the huge Brentford Waterside development.

Generous Co-op members, November 2018

The members of the Co-op Food store on Boston Manor Road, TW8 9GB, in Brentford chose Cathja as a charity to share their Co-op dividend every time they shop there.

Here the store manager is presenting a very generous cheque to Cathja Trustee Orla in the store.