Family with narrowboat jewellery business float into Dudley - for one week only

Creating upcycled copper jewellery from the waterside in Market Drayton

‎The Waterways World Podcast: Living afloat with a family: Richard MacKenzie on Apple Podcasts

Upcycled copper items on sale whilst family are moored in Banbury - Banbury FM

Making jewellery on a narrowboat - Jewellery Focus

Jewellery maker floats into Chester to sell creations from 60ft narrowboat

The floating jewellery maker hoping to cause a splash

Floating jewellery maker “By Bike and Boat” arrives in Nantwich

Jewellery maker floats into Chester from Llangollen to sell creations from 60ft narrowboat

A creative family has moored its travelling business in Banbury for the next two weeks - selling upcycled copper jewellery

This family-run jewellery business on a boat has arrived in Oxford

Hey, my name's Rich. I travel about with my family and crew, Jackie my wife, Bobby and Fleur our two children, and our ship's cat Whisper and our dog Dusty on our narrowboat, Bluebell. We live and cruise on her all year round.

I create HANDMADE and UPCYCLED copper jewellery, such as bracelets, pendants and earrings. I use my hands and a few simple tools in a workshop which I set up each morning on the back of Bluebell.

We home educate our children, learning as we go. It's sometimes a challenge, but so worth it as we see them grow and experience day by day into the beautiful souls they are becoming. 



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Rich MacKenzie

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Rich and Jackie MacKenzie gave up their rented house five years ago to move onto a narrowboat with their two young children.In 2020 after the first lockdown, the family left the security of their home mooring and the day job to set sail on an adventure and haven't looked back since. &nbsp; To make ends meet and to allow them to travel around the canals and rivers throughout the country, the pair set up <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bybikeandboat.co.uk/">by Bike &amp; Boat</a>, an upcycled jewellery business in a specially built workshop on the back deck of Bluebell, the family's 60-foot narrowboat. They work with materials gifted to them such as old copper pipe and punctured bicycle inner tubes.&nbsp;The family's love of creating and traveling the UK started when Rich lost his father in 2020. He says:&nbsp;"When dad passed away, it hit me like a ton of bricks just how short life is. Having a trade that I can do from the stern deck of the boat means that we can travel the UK’s canals and rivers to our heart’s content." Rich, originally from Oxford, and Jackie, originally from Germany, spend their days home-educating 11-year-old Bobby and 5-year-old Fleur all whilst running their business and cruising along at 2mph on Bluebell.&nbsp;Living aboard with them are also the family's cat, Whisper, who loves life on the towpath with regular fuss from passersby, and 13-month-old rescue puppy Dusty.&nbsp;Rich adds:&nbsp;“The sense of freedom that we've been able to give our children growing up was the biggest reason for doing what we do. To be able to wake up in the morning and decide that you want to move is liberating. With a boat, you can move your home without the expensive legal fees. It's ultimately about giving our children the best childhood we can with lasting memories.”And with over 16,000 people following their adventures on Facebook it's clear to see that their simple yet meaningful life is inspiring others. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/newspage.com-staging/company/1181/files/e6c6e641f0a4845de7a63857debbf60b70424940f84adad866aeb4aeaa87f809c5b3903d045e2d069650225f0ae00f439c76f5722620f5cb0662c4703082b1c6.jpeg"><figcaption>The MacKenzie family with Bluebell</figcaption></figure>

Parents gave up house to take children on an adventure

A floating upcycled jewellery maker has arrived in the Black Country. Rich MacKenzie runs <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bybikeandboat.co.uk">by Bike &amp; Boat</a> and travels the waterways of the UK, making and selling his upcycled copper creations along the way. For the next week, the 42-year-old, with his family and two furry friends, will be setting up his workshop from his 60ft narrowboat moored on the canal in Dudley. Rich says:<blockquote>We’ve already had a great welcome in the Black Country and I am looking forward to setting up my workshop to make some pieces of jewellery, and hopefully sell a few whilst we’re here. Having left Oxford at the start of winter, Dudley is our midway stop on our adventure of the canals of the UK, with our ultimate destination Llangollen in North Wales."</blockquote>Rich, who lives on the boat with his wife Jackie, 11-year-old son Bobby, 5-year-old daughter Fleur as well as their cat and 13-month-old rescue puppy, says trade has been hit hard during the past two years due to the pandemic. However, his mission to upcycle around the UK continues apace. He adds:<blockquote>"I make each item of copper jewellery to order so that it’s just right and fits the customer perfectly. Selling my products on demand works well as living on a canal boat we don’t have a great deal of room to keep a big stock of pieces. I usually use copper gifted to me from local plumbers we find on our travels to make my pieces of jewellery."</blockquote>Rich's love of creating and travelling the UK started when he lost his father in 2020. He says: "When dad passed away, it &nbsp;hit me like a ton of bricks just how short life is. Having a trade that I can do from the stern deck of the boat means that we can travel the UK’s canals and rivers to our heart’s content" by Bike &amp; Boat will be open on the canal in Dudley between Monday to Friday from 10 am this week. Locals can keep an eye on by Bike &amp; Boat's UK movements on their website, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bybikeandboat.co.uk">bybikeandboat.co.uk</a>, or on their social media accounts.<figure class="image"><img src="https://s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/newspage.com-staging/company/1181/files/ac43b4a8c052dd48bba49a9492f59daf7d85dfcce1a1ae524aa8d012310571260ca5680ab573459c8978daa2d5e3b03c20db84b1968a5aa1b491f120e643c213.jpeg"><figcaption>Rich and family next to their narrowboat</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;

Narrowboat jewellery workshop floats into the Black Country

Hey, my name's Rich. I travel about with my family and crew, Jackie my wife, Bobby and Fleur our two children, and our ship's cat Whisper and our dog Dusty on our narrowboat, Bluebell. We live and cruise on her all year round. I create HANDMADE and UPCYCLED copper jewellery, such as bracelets, pendants and earrings. I use my hands and a few simple tools in a workshop which I set up each morning on the back of Bluebell. We home educate our children, learning as we go. It's sometimes a challenge,…

Jewellery maker

by Bike & Boat

Media coverage of Rich MacKenzie