Help Save Our Boat Home!

Luna is a historic 87 ft lighter barge that has been moored in Deptford Creek for years and acts as a hub for the local boating community and our home. Over 50 people have called Luna home over the years, a film has been shot on it and it was part of the award-winning "Creekshow" performance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It has grown into a beautiful, diverse and LGBTQ+ friendly space where food, resources and space is shared, and a community keystone of Deptford Creek’s groundbreaking mooring co-op (https://crossbones-coop.com/). However, this vital role it plays in the local community is under threat.

Due to personal financial circumstances, the current owner is desperate to sell the boat. He has tried to wait for us to organise co-operative finance, but the situation has moved too quickly and he is now in a position of having to take the offer he has received from a developer, which will see this community asset turned into studios/office spaces. If action is not taken, Luna will be lost, and we will be rendered homeless amid a wider housing crisis.

The community on the creek are raising money to match the asking price of £150,000 and have figured out how to source £90,250, but this relies heavily on personal loans and will make everyone’s lives a lot harder even assuming everyone who has pledged is able to come through. We desperately need to be able to move quickly to counteroffer and are reaching out to all our networks to find funding and advice. This is an unparalleled opportunity to provide housing and community space in the heart of London for a fraction of the price of a typical studio flat, but we need help to do it.

We had already started to formally register as a housing co-operative, to provide long-term stable and safe housing for young/queer folks who need a supportive community, but are still in the final stages of the registration process. If the houseboat is sold to an outside party, it would completely undermine our plans to create this much-needed queer-friendly housing co-op. The emphasis is not just about saving our personal living situation - it's about preserving an opportunity to build a thriving, inclusive community as well as long- term sustainable housing.

The funds raised would allow us to purchase the boat outright and secure it as the foundation for our housing cooperative. We would work together to maintain the boat home and shared living spaces, fostering community and mutual support. Beyond providing affordable housing, the co-op would also serve as a hub for learning about marine trade and environmental sustainability.

Please consider donating whatever you can so that Luna can be brought into community ownership and this one-of-a-kind place is not lost. If you're interested in investing in the project or giving more substantial sums, please get in touch with us on our website at https://www.lunahouseboatcoop.co.uk

Thank you!