DUKE AND DIVING
Sisters to show Wills seabed project
TWO Scots girls are hoping to take Prince William and his family snorkelling to show them their conservation success story.
Caillin Patterson, 14, and her sister Maia, 11, from Ullapool, will appear on the Duke of Cambridge’s documentary on STV tonight in which he travels the world championing the pioneering work of local heroes.
Caillin created the Ullapool Sea Savers, a kids’ environmental action group trying to protect ocean wildlife from the damage done by trawlers dredging the seabed for scallops.
After a campaign to Parliament, the area is now protected and all scallop fishing must be done by hand.
William had planned to visit Wester Ross and don a wetsuit and see for himself the work t h e y ’re doing but had to make do with a Zoom call because of lockdown. But the duke hopes to bring wife Kate and children George, Charlotte and Louis up for a dip in the chilly waters. The girls said: “We can’t wait to take him and his family snorkelling a n d exploring when they come to visit. He said they’ll come as soon as they can once it is safe.
“It was amazing to be given the opportunity to talk to the future king. We hope he can help USS get everyone to love the sea.
“Ullapool Sea Savers had all been really looking forward to meeting Prince William, so when lockdown happened it was a disappointment. But two of us were lucky enough to chat with him on Zoom and it was brilliant. He was so nice and friendly.
“We were super-nervous at first, but he was really cool and seemed genuinely, totally interested in what the sea savers do.
“He asked lots of questions about the work we do and we found out lots about his own family and what they’d been up to during lockdown.”
William said: “Someone has to put their head above the parapet and say, ‘I care about this. To have the belief that if we all work together, we can make a difference’.”
Prince William: A Planet for Us All is on STV tonight at 9pm.