A NEW viewing gallery has been unveiled to mark the restoration of a historic sailing barge on Maldon’s waterfront.

The Thames Sailing Barge Trust has launched the viewing gallery at Chandlers Quay, Fullbridge, where the historic barge Pudge is undergoing a £738,000 restoration and refit.

The trust has teamed up with Plume Academy to create information boards and a leaflet outlining Pudge’s history.

The boards have been designed by pupils Ashleigh Collar, Anna Roman, Holly Buckingham and Kyeisha Bright.

Graphic design teacher Helen Bush said: “Working with the Thames Sailing Barge Trust was an exciting opportunity for the students, especially for them to be working directly with a client and to be able to respond and act on feedback given.

“It gave the students a great insight into designing for a client outside of the classroom and a little example of designing in the real world.

“It is something I am very happy to have been able to support and I am very proud of how the students conducted themselves, and given other commitments they had at the time, they didn’t fault at getting work completed for the given deadlines.”