In 1995 Nottingham couple Alan and Hazel Dilnot, who owned a canal boat and were committed Christians, wanted to get in touch with other like minded people. They wrote a letter which was published in Waterways World, a well known boating magazine.

They had a good response, and in November 1995, they held a meeting where 30 people gathered, and the Boaters Christian Fellowship was formed.

From the start, BCF members became involved in public events like the IWA National, and work was started on the BCF church directory.

BCF members started to become involved at local rallies, but having little recognition at first we sometimes had to persuade and plead to be allowed to introduce a Christian presence to these events.

We started to produce our own literature such as Still Waters, The Sword. Also children's literature Friends Afloat, Bertie the Boat, etc.

Growth has been steady since then, and the BCF logo is now a familiar sight on boats up and down the country.

Organisations such as the Inland Waterways Association and British Waterways no longer have a problem with our presence at their events, and sometimes they invite us to become involved.

God has really blessed BCF both numerically and with skills and gifts.

In 2000, the country was divided into regions, and since then, some of the regions have subdivided again. By the end of 2004 there were 600 members, and we had become a registered charity No 1101100 with our own constitution.

In 2005, we celebrated our 10th birthday by having a huge party and thanksgiving service on the Trent & Mersey Canal, during the middle weekend of the Mission to the Heart.