The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services – 2007

ã Seagull Trust Cruises
April, 10

Welcome to Seagull Trust Cruises

The Seagull Trust was formed in 1978 to provide free canal cruising for disabled people and to help revitalise the decaying Scottish Lowland Waterways.  In 1997 Seagull Trust Cruises was formed as a Company Limited by Guarantee to simplify some of the operational functions of the Trust.  At the end of October 2007 the Seagull Trust was disbanded leaving the Company to manage the operation of the cruising programme.  Initially cruises ran from Ratho on the Union Canal but there are now a total of four branches located in Scotland on the Union, Forth & Clyde and Caledonian Canals.

Cruising takes place on a daily basis, including weekends, during the months of April to October and the duration of the cruise is in accordance with local conditions and the wishes of the user group.

Volunteers crew the purpose built canal boats and all that is asked of our guests is that: they organise their own transport to the Canal, provide their own carers, medical requirements, any special equipment or food they may require, (we provide the tea and coffee), and that they enjoy the experience of calm tranquility cruising the Scottish Canals.

In July 2003 we introduced a residential canal boat, Marion Seagull, into service which allows a family with a disabled member to cruise the Lowland Canals at their own speed over a period of a few days to one week.  She is managed by the Falkirk Branch.

Medical opinion confirms that canal cruising is of considerable therapeutic value to people with Special Needs, and this is borne out by the many comments we receive back from our guests.

Details on how to book cruises, or to arrange for a talk about our work, can be found on the individual Branch web sites.

Falkirk: based in our own boathouse in Bantaskine Park, our passengers come from the Falkirk, Stirling and  Fife area and from as far north as Dundee.
Highland: on the Caledonian Canal in Inverness.  Our passengers come from the Inverness area and all over the Highlands of Scotland from Aberdeen to Wick.
Kirkintilloch: based in our own boathouse in the new Southbank Marina near the centre of Kirkintilloch.  Our passengers come from the Glasgow area and the South West of Scotland,
Ratho: based near the Bridge Inn in Ratho.  Most of our passengers come from Edinburgh and its surroundings as well as from the Borders.
 

 Scottish Charity Number SC027163. Incorporated in Scotland as a Company Limited by Guarantee. Company Number SC179736
Registered Office: 19 Dean Terrace, Edinburgh EH4 1NL

For further information on Seagull Trust Cruises please E-mail us at seagulltrust@btinternet.com