Maureen’s aim to beat vandals
Group hope to re-open boardwalk
Welcome to the latest in the East Kilbride News’series, Our People. This week Mark Pirie speaks to Maureen Potter who tells how the Friends of Langlands Moss are determined to beat the vandals.
“It’s been a busy few months,” says Maureen Potter.
That’s an understatement from the chair of Friends of Langlands Moss.
Last year, the boardwalk near the site was torched by vandals.
The popular beauty spot was ruined as senseless individuals caused over £30,000 worth of damage.
Maureen described it as looking like a “tray of toffee” after the heat melted the path – and she was able to crack it with just the tap of a hammer.
Since then, Maureen hasn’t stopped for a moment.
She has filed applications for grants and is always busy fundraising in an attempt to hit the £26,000 target, which would allow the group to have the boardwalk opened again this spring.
Maureen hopes to secure a huge £15,000 grant through the Paterson’s Quarries Ltd Landfill Trust scheme in the next few weeks.
Her group have received countless letters of support from politicians to strangers in other countries – and she can’t believe the backing they have received since the incident.
“It’s good to have all this support,” she said, “especially with everything that has happened.
“Local businesses, and volunteers, politicians and people from as far as Canada have all wrote us letters. It’s all go.
“We have provisionally offered grants, which gives me hope that we will be able to open again in the spring.
“If we get those grants, plus the £4000 we raised through donations ourselves, we would be able to build it with the help of South Lanarkshire Council.”
Maureen admits she has struggled to visit the local landmark since the fire.
Having been a founding member of the Langlands Moss group, the boardwalk had meant to much to her.
She has served the organisation since 2006, and worked for years to secure the iconic walkway.
“It can’t wait for it to re-open,” she admitted.
“I just felt so upset when I saw it, because I knew the amount of work we had put in to getting all that stuff.
“It took us at least a year to just research the materials. It’s not even just building the boardwalk.
“Because it didn’t burn, there wasn’t a great deal of damage to the actual Langlands Moss. It’s since then with people walking through the bogs and gaps that are ruining it.
“You can put up signs and tell people, but only some people listen. It’s hard to watch.
“I just haven’t been up much. I get too upset.”
The group had big plans for their anniversary celebrations last year but Maureen said everything has had to be put on hold to secure new funding.
“It was our 10th birthday in September,” she recalled.
“We wanted to celebrate it with a concert, but with everything that happened we called it off.
“That was the plan. We would like to do something similar for the reopening, but we will have to see.
“It just didn’t seem right in the circumstance.”
The hooligans who caused the boardwalk to go up in flames have never been caught.
This frustrates Maureen and she has called for a police crackdown on anti-social behaviour in the area.
She said: “When we get nearer the boardwalk opening again I’m going to speak to the police about monitoring it, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, because that is the peak time.
“It’s illegal to drink in public parks or on the streets, why should they be allowed to do it in the Langlands Moss?”
Despite all the adversity, Maureen is just happy to have her hard-working team around her to help.
“Everyone has really rallied together,” she added. “It has been a major catalyst for us all.
“We are a good group.”