The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services – 2007

Seagull Trust Cruises

Free Canal Cruising in Scotland for People with Special Needs

Formerly the Seagull Trust

ã Seagull Trust Cruises
January 2008

Headquarters

The Headquarters of the Seagull Trust are located at:

 THE SEAGULL TRUST,
   Canal Side,
Baird Road,
Ratho.
EH28  8RA.

Telephone/Fax:  0131 - 333 - 0322

E-mail:  seagulltrust@btinternet.com

The office is manned by volunteers Monday - Friday a.m. only, out with these times please leave a message on the answer machine.

The Seagull Trust is governed by a body of 23 Trustees who are appointed from a wide spectrum of Scottish life and who meet regularly at the Trust’s Edinburgh headquarters and at the Branch locations.  The Trustees comprise:

Brigadier F.A.L. Alstead, CBE, MPhil, DL:
J.M. Black, BA
Miss J. Clark:
Brigadier F.H. Coutts, CBE, DL: (Hon. Vice-President)
Captain G.M. Daly:
Sir R. Easton, CBE, CEng, FIMechE, FIMarE, FRINA:
W.A.E.  Fraser, MBE:
R.R. Harvey-Jamieson, TD, LIB, MBA:
J.R. Hume, OBE, BDc, ATCST, FSA Scot: (Hon. President)
H.M.M. Johnston, DL, CA:(Hon. Treasurer)
F.R.A. Marr
J. Middlecote, MBE: (Hon Secretary)
Mrs. E. Milne:
A.K. Milroy, FRICS, MIPS:
M. Napier:(Vice Chairman)
S.P. Ross-Smith, FRIBA, OStJ:
R. Rusack, MBE, CStJ: (Chairman)
R. Russell, OBE:.
Dr. J.G.  Sime, BSc, PhD, CChem, CEng, FRSC, FBCS:
Mrs. P. Sime
G. Taylor
Mrs. M. Taylor.
 

The Seagull Trust is a registered charity and welcomes applications for membership from any group or individual, donations or Deeds of Covenant, details of which can be obtained from the above address.

PLEASE CONSIDER A LEGACY

Legacies of any amount are extremely welcome and make a valuable contribution to the work of the Seagull Trust. They can also be a loving way of remembering and being remembered.

The Seagull Trust can accept legacies in cash or in the form of realisable investments, and you may direct how you wish a legacy to be used. For example you may wish to benefit the work of a particular branch, or perhaps to assist towards the purchase or maintenance of a particular canal boat.

There may also be a financial advantage in leaving a legacy to the Seagull Trust in your Will. The Seagull Trust is recognised as a charity in Scotland, and as the law now stands legacies in its’ favour are exempt from Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax. What this means is that if your estate exceeds £250,000 (including the value of your house), then a legacy of £1,000 will effectively only cost your estate £600, the difference being the amount of tax which would have otherwise have had to be paid. It would not have gone to your other nominated beneficiaries.

In some instances it may be possible to use a charitable legacy to escape any tax charge whatsoever on your estate. This can be done if you leave personal legacies up to the value of the tax threshold (presently £250,000) to friends and family, and the balance to charities.

Whatever you decide, it is essential that you take proper professional advice before making a Will. In normal circumstances this is not particularly expensive, and the advice can often represent good value. Your solicitor or other professional adviser will take time to guide you through what can be a daunting process, and will ensure that your affairs are satisfactorily arranged in accordance with your instructions.

Once made, your Will can be stored safely for you. Should you later change your mind about anything in your Will, it should be relatively easy and straightforward to consult your adviser about adding a Codicil to it, or you may even be able just to leave an informal writing to be placed with it.

If you intend to remember the Seagull Trust in your Will, please let your adviser know our details. Or you can contact us direct at the address and phone number at the top of this page.
 

The Inland Revenue recognise the Seagull Trust and Seagull Trust Cruises as Scottish Charities No. SC013757 and SC027163 respectively.

Seagull Trust Cruises is a company limited by guarantee in Scotland No. SC 179736.   Registered Office: 39, Castle Street, Edinburgh.  EH2 3BH.

SEAGULL  TRUST  CRUISES  Ltd

The Canal Boats are operated by a limited company - Seagull Trust Cruises Ltd. - on behalf of the Trustees.  The Directors of the Company are made up of Trustees and representatives of the Branches. They met six times during the year following immediately after meetings of the Trustees. This continues to be a successful arrangement as members of both groups are invited to attend the other, thereby improving communication within the organisation. 

The number of passengers carried by all the Trust boats, in 2005, is summarised in the following table.

Numbers are again up on last season by about 9%, with all of the branches carrying more passengers this year, the greatest increase being in Ratho.

Crews                                                                                                                                                       The emphasis has again focussed on the importance that the Directors place on having appropriately qualified people in charge of the boats. All of our Skippers have now obtained their Helmsman’s Certificates or hold a higher qualification and it is our firm intention to ensure that all of the Skippers have an appropriate qualification.

As always we are very grateful to all of the crew members for the time and dedication they put into their tasks and the additional time to take training. All of this ensures that our passengers can relax and have a happy and enjoyable experience knowing that they are in safe hands.

 The Seagull Trust is always looking for volunteers, so if you live in, or adjacent to, the area of any of our Branches and feel you can give some of your free time to help disabled people, please contact one of the Local Committee Members detailed on the Branch pages, or the address above, for more information