Fife project unites heritage and hands-on training
A major heritage and skills investment has landed in the East Neuk, with the Cellardyke Trust securing £1.2 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to rebuild the Manx Beauty, a 1930s fishing vessel long associated with the region’s maritime identity. The grant is one of three awards totalling £3 million announced by the fund, aimed at safeguarding historic boats and the know-how required to maintain them.
At the centre of the scheme is a temporary working boatyard to be established within the grounds of Waid Academy in Anstruther. The site will host accredited programmes, work placements, apprenticeships and volunteering roles, opening up structured routes into further education and employment while offering pupils and local residents the chance to learn traditional boatbuilding methods first-hand.
Skills at risk brought back to the fore
The funder has highlighted mounting pressures on custodians of historic vessels across the UK, noting that 30% of the National Historic Fleet is classed as ‘at risk’. Alongside the physical condition of vessels, the skills pipeline is also fragile: crafts including boatbuilding, spar-making, sail making and traditional rigging are now on the Red List of Endangered Crafts. The Manx Beauty rebuild is positioned as a response to those pressures, marrying conservation with training to replenish expertise.
“We are delighted to hear the news of this award. We are now looking forward to getting started with the project and creating meaningful opportunities for our community,” said Richard Wemyss, chair of Cellardyke Trust.
“Historic vessels are a remarkable part of the UK’s heritage, representing industrial and coastal history, and encapsulating the stories of communities and places,” said Eilish McGuinness, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund. “However, we know that the skills and organisations needed to care for them are under increasing pressure.”
Temporary boatyard at Waid: what it will offer
The Trust’s plan places education and employability at the core of conservation. The Waid Academy boatyard will provide structured, practical learning in disciplines tied to maritime maintenance and fabrication. According to the Trust and funder, the programme is designed to help close local skills gaps and build capacity for future care of historic craft.
- Accredited training modules delivered on site
- Work placements to gain experience on an active rebuild
- Apprenticeships aligned to traditional marine trades
- Volunteering routes for community involvement
Once completed, the Manx Beauty is expected to return to Anstruther Harbour as a working heritage asset, supporting ongoing training, public events and cultural activity. Its presence on the quay is intended to celebrate the skills and traditions that shaped communities in the East Neuk, while providing a visible platform for continued learning.
Project snapshot
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Funding secured | £1.2 million (National Lottery Heritage Fund) |
| Lead organisation | Cellardyke Trust |
| Vessel | Manx Beauty (1930s fishing boat) |
| Training hub | Temporary working boatyard at Waid Academy |
| End goal | Return to Anstruther Harbour as a living heritage asset |
| Wider context | 30% of the National Historic Fleet ‘at risk’ |
Why this matters for Fife
Fife’s coastal communities have been shaped by generations of fishing and boatbuilding. This investment provides a practical route for residents—particularly young people—to gain recognised skills linked to that heritage while addressing contemporary shortages in specialised trades. By situating the rebuild at a secondary school, the project brings heritage conservation into daily community life and opens clear pathways into further study or marine-related employment.
The approach also helps to strengthen local capacity to maintain historic vessels in the years ahead. As the funder has warned, the organisations and craftspeople capable of caring for such assets face increasing strain. By expanding opportunities for apprentices and volunteers to learn on the job, the Fife initiative seeks to ensure those crafts do not slip further into rarity.
When the Manx Beauty returns to Anstruther, the plan is that it will continue to underpin training and outreach, anchoring a programme of public engagement around Fife’s maritime story. For residents, that means a tangible, year-round presence that links classroom learning, hands-on practice, and the living history of the East Neuk’s working harbour.
