ELLUM was created by Nora Marie Vatland, as a final-year project for her BA Journalism degree at Kingston University. ‘Ellum’ is a term for the narrowboat’s steering apparatus and is a considered mispronunciation of the word ‘helm’. The magazine is printed on recycled paper using vegetables based ink. The cover image, a portrait of interviewee Liv Brown, was taken by Nora Marie Vatland.(40 pages)

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London’s waterways have, for decades, played an integral part of both the city’s trade and unique charm. The miles of water flowing through London and its surrounding area continue to be a space used for enjoyment and housing so it comes as no surprise that the boating-community has quadrupled since 2010. This is largely driven by a housing crisis that has not been helped by the Covid-19 pandemic. That is why younger generations are turning their backs on life on land and opting for a lifestyle closer to nature. With social inequalities and challenges between navigation authorities, land residents, boaters and official bodies, navigating canal life is not always an easy feat. I hope that those who have opted for a floating life find some comfort within these pages during the summer months of 2022.

Whether you are reading this piece while cruising the glorious Grand Union, River Lee, Regents canal or another part of the city’s 142 miles of waterways - this issue aims to bring together the community of individuals and businesses while discussing the happenings within the boating community.