Seagull Trust Cruises: Free Canal Cruising in Scotland for People with Special Needs

Seagull Trust Cruises continues to go from strength to strength and, as there seems to be an unending request for cruises. In order to ensure our ability to provide the highest quality service to the passengers, and in order to provide the volunteers every chance of maintaining the highest standards, we are working on a number of key projects. As always the only limits to our development are:

• Time 
• Money
• Expertise

We welcome help and support with all and any of these!

Refurbishing the Govan Seagull – an ongoing programme of maintenance ensures that the fleet of specially designed boats are safe and reliable, but on rotation, each boat is periodically re-fitted, the Govan Seagull is next in line!

Extending the Falkirk Boathouse - the Falkirk Branch now operates and manages three boats but the existing boathouse can only take one at a time and, besides, the Marion Seagull is actually too long to fit in. This means that one of the boats has to be kept moored to the outside of the boathouse and the Marion Seagull moored in the basin at The Falkirk Wheel. All of this means that caring for the boats, and, in particular, the winter maintenance programme is very difficult and places a considerable additional burden on our over stretched volunteers.

To provide the best care for our boats and the best facilities for our passengers it is agreed that the boathouse should be extended. Plans for this have been drawn up and the Falkirk Council has given Planning Permission.

A Replacement Boat for the Highland Branch - the Highland Seagull is the only one of our fleet not to have been purpose-built for Seagull Trust Cruises, having been converted from a second hand boat. Our experience suggests that it is now time to design a new boat which will serve our purpose better and provide a better quality of service to our passengers.

A Third Boat for the Ratho Branch - The cruising numbers for the Ratho Branch show that they are approaching their maximum capability with the existing two boats. In order to increase their ability to satisfy the current, and future, demand it is agreed that a third boat is the best option although this will require an increase in the number of volunteer crews.

If you would like to make a donation in support of Seagull Trust Cruises and our future plans for improvement please send a cheque to the address below. A copy of the Donation Form, with Gift Aid declaration, can be downloaded in PDF Format by clicking on the link below and printed. If you do not have Adobe’s PDF Reader this can be downloaded free by clicking on the “Get Adobe Reader” button and following the links:

http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/