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

Kirkintilloch

Having successfully established cruising from Ratho the Trustees looked westward and in the early 1980’s chose Kirkintilloch, on the wide Forth & Clyde Canal, for the second branch.  The town has a history dating back to pre-Roman times, the name being derived from the Celtic CAERPENTALLOCH, meaning “Fort at the end of the ridge of hills”, which probably refers to the roman fort built in what is now Peel Park.  The ridge of hills, which are the Campsie Fells, are readily accessible from Kirkintilloch and the combination of a trip on the “Yarrow Seagull” with a picnic in the Hills is very popular.

This area of East Dunbartonshire is rich in Roman History and more can be found out at the following, to which admission is free:  The Auld Kirk Museum and The Reference Department of the William Patrick Library both at Kirkintilloch Cross and The Lillie Art Gallery, Station Road, Milngavie.

THE  BRANCH

Following discussions with British Waterways, a boathouse with accommodation for two vessels, was built on the site of the former  J. Hay & Sons Boatbuilding Yard  below Southbank Road in the middle of the Town.  The building is substantial and can serve as a dry dock for the repair or repainting of the Trust’s canal boats  Good vehicular access is provided to within a few yards of the embarkation jetty, which has recently been upgraded.  The completion of the boathouse in the early Spring of 1984 was just in time for the arrival of the Yarrow Seagull, which had been designed at Yarrow Shipyard on the River Clyde and built by their apprentices.

The “Yarrow Seagull” being launched at Kirkintilloch in Spring 1984

It will be noted that the launch site is very close to the yard operated by Hays of Kirkintilloch, famous for the Clyde Puffers built there.

The cruising season extends from late April to early October with occasional trips out with this period, e.g.a special birthday party.  During the cruising season Branch meetings are held on the last Tuesday evening of every month in Kirkintilloch Lesser Town Hall.  Although we have office bearers who look after bookings, crewing, canal boat maintenance, finance, souvenir sales etc, all decisions concerning the Branch and it’s canal boat are made democratically at these meetings.  All our members are volunteers and crew training is arranged at the Branch according to an Instruction Manual, and our skippers are able to train for the Inland Waterways Helmsmans Certificate under the auspices of the Royal Yachting Association.

The Trust is always in need of more volunteer helpers and if you would like more information please phone 0141 777 7165.

The Branch has very close ties with British Waterways as the Seagull Trust is one of the main users of Scotland’s Lowland Canals.  Yarrow Seagull was used to carry the application for Lottery funding on the first part of it’s journey at the launch of the Millennium Link Project.  And following the successful bid for funds she was again in attendance at Maryhill Locks when H.R.H. Prince Charles visited to review the progress of the Millennium Works in June 1999.

CRUISING.

As far as possible the timing and duration of cruises is arranged for the convenience of our guests, the maximum duration generally being about two and a half hours when we cruise from Kirkintilloch to Bishopbriggs and back.  It is possible to fit three cruises into a day with an occasional cruise in the evening.  The most popular time for cruising is over lunch with our guests bringing a packed lunch, and consequently these cruises are always booked well in advance.  Sundays are reserved for essential cleaning and maintenance of the canal boat.

During the cruise there is plenty to see.  The Canal largely follows the line of the Antonine Wall, a Roman Wall built to keep the marauding Pictish and Scots tribes from the civilised central and southern Scotland, and there is an abundant natural cover for a wide variety of wildlife.  One or two herons have their territory on our stretch of Canal and there are plenty of swans and ducks eager to be fed and occasionally an otter or kingfisher may be seen.

To make a booking, for more information or to enquire about helping us out please phone our Booking Officer on 0141 777 7165.

In October 2001 we took delivery of a new boat named the “Marjorie Seagull” in honour of the late Mrs. Marjorie Brown, from Edinburgh, whose very generous bequest to the Trust has enabled this boat to be built.

The Marjorie Seagull cruises from our Kirkintilloch Base as well as the Yarrow Seagull. Large groups of between 12 and 24 can request simultaneous bookings for both boats.

OUR  GUESTS.

When the Kirkintilloch Branch was set up, there were a number of psychiatric hospitals in the district.  Patients from these hospitals enjoyed the new sensation of being on the water in a hitherto unknown environment.  Also at this time there were more schools for mentally or physically disabled children and the teachers eagerly grasped the opportunity to stimulate the children both educationally and sensorially  Over the years the type of guest we cater for has changed with the majority now coming from nursing homes, hospices, Alzheimer Clubs, ex-servicemens organisations, drug dependency units and indeed any group of disabled or disadvantaged people.  From time to time we also organise cruises for disabled people who are not associated with any group or club.

OUR  SPONSORS.

The Kirkintilloch Branch Committee are very grateful to the following companies and individuals without whose interest and support the Branch could not exist.

Our volunteer helpers who crew the Canal Boat

St. Mary’s Parish Church, Kirkintilloch

East Dunbarton Council

Greater Glasgow Health Board and it’s constituent Hospitals

Scottish Amicable Charities Team

Dora Hay Charitable Trust

British Fuels, East Kilbride

T.S. Tail Lift Services Ltd, Glasgow.

BRANCH CHAIRMANS REPORT for 2005

We have had a very successful and busy year with both boats working near to capacity over 255 days with 3113 passengers, an increase over last year of about 10% although the number of children was down by nearly 40%.

The year went very well. Three or four members felt the need to take a swim, usually inside the boathouse. The year was very busy, with an increase in sailings on last year. We received five or six new members into our branch during the year, which is encouraging.

Annette McPhee has done tremendous work raising money and looking after our finances (to the penny). Ronnie and Helen Campbell have worked tremendously hard making sure our cruises went as planned. Our hostesses really are a lovely crowd, and they do make the trip for our passengers; they work hard ensuring the trip goes well, and don’t leave the boat until it is sparkling clean.

Jim Ross carried on doing a great job ensuring the boats were maintained to their usual high standard and ready and available for the cruises. Having Jim in charge makes such an improvement over just having people come down to the boat house 'on an ad-hoc' basis.

Next season we will change our booking system to more rigid sailing times (11am and 1:30am), hopefully with a move to giving some volunteers their own 'day', making life easier for the booking officer too. It will also be more convenient for those doing both trips, as they start later and finish earlier, and have some time in between for a bite to eat. Some members still like the flexibility of being able to chop and change days so some compromise is called for, as it will also allow new members to have a chance at cruising.

We formed a new committee in November and we have some younger people in some of the positions, which is encouraging, as they are much less resistant to change and keen to move forward when needed.

Our new training manual is coming on well, with John, Les and Hamish developing content and illustrative drawings. We intend to start special crew training evenings maybe once every fortnight during the coming season, once our Health and Safety and Training procedures are in place.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Branch Members who give their time to help the Branch in any way..

CRUISING FIGURES for 2005