"CaRT stole my boat. I want it back."

DURING January the Canal & River Trust hit the headlines when it evicted a mentally ill boater 'Maggie' from her home with its Section 8 rules (CaRT admits mentally ill eviction), it having great repercussions. And Maggie is back in town—accusing CaRT of stealing her boat.

As you walk past Macclesfield's town centre police station, you'll see Maggie. She maintains a 24/7 vigil outside her tiny 'big protest' tent, writes Simon Greer.

She is a diminutive figure with an attractive and striking presence. Coherent and chatty. Determined and resolved in her quest.

CaRT stole my boat

"CaRT stole my boat. I want it back" is her message. An explanation is hand written in felt marker on the side of her canvas home.

The public, after only a fortnight of protesting, have taken to Maggie bringing regular gifts of food, hot drinks and support. For the moment Maggie is doing fine.

Ask if she needs anything and she is likely to ask for an endless supply of post-it notes. It comes as a curious request but with timely regularity a note gets posted on the police station window. "Where's my boat?"

Charity-less charity

As a passer-by you'll be invited to join her protest by adding a note of your own.
Mine said "CaRT the charity-less charity. Making boaters homeless."

Quite how long Maggie will remain in her tent is unknown. For the moment the police seem happy to have her as their new neighbour. That way they at least know where she is. But its an embarrassing stand-off for the police as Maggie regards the them as complicit in her eviction. She understandably keeps pressing the point home with her little notes.

Whether CaRT know what's going on here in Macclesfield remains unknown but its influence is likely to be felt sooner or later. If Maggie is instructed to move on there can be no telling where her protest will go next.

Woman on a mission

Rest assured this is a woman on a mission. A woman as dogged as a dog with a bone.

Maggie declares CaRT took her boat illegally and should not be allowed to get away with their legal fancy footwork and bullyboy tactics paid for out of our licence money.

I'm sympathetic. Maggie gets my vote. After all who knows which of CaRTs customers is next on their hit list?