Canal society wins charity giveaway
BRIDGE 19-40 Canal Society was one of 100-plus Scottish organisations to benefit from the generosity of C J Lang, the Spar wholesaler for Scotland, celebrating its 100th anniversary with a massive charity giveaway.
The society was selected to receive £1000 which will help support regular boat maintenance. It operates two boats – 45ft narrowboat Bluebell and workboat Roseann – and encourages people to take an interest in the canal and help maintain it as an amenity for boating, walking, cycling and fishing.
C J Lang launched the awards last August to celebrate 100 years of the company, looking for nominations from local charities for awards from a total fund of more than £100,000.
The company’s aim is to give something back to registered local charities in the vicinity of every one of its 114 company-owned stores.
The society has pledged to offer a weekend of free boat trips when the current stay-at-home restrictions are lifted. The society had to cancel the fully booked Easter Bunny boat trips, due to have taken place on Easter Sunday.
Sue Bedford-Visser, the society’s vicechairman, said: “The Easter Bunny and all of our volunteer helmsmen, crew and support team were so disappointed. These annual trips on our narrowboat Bluebell are normally one the highlights of our year on the canal. It’s a really happy occasion and we love meeting all the children and their families.
“Sadly, national advice is currently urging people not to use the canal towpaths for their daily exercise at this time as they are not wide enough to practice safe social distancing. Like everyone else we’ve also had to put everything on hold,” she continued.
“But in these uncertain times we wanted to do something positive and would ask people to follow our Facebook page for more information when boat trips become possible once again.”