Go Forth and Clyde gets going
BASED at Lock 16 in Falkirk on the Forth & Clyde Canal, Go Forth and Clyde uses the canal to benefit the lives of local people and the environment.
Through canal-based volunteering opportunities, community events and activities, the charity wants to get locals and visitors alike more engaged with the canal and reap the benefits and fun that can bring.
Jaggy Thistle, a lovely 35ft dayboat, is available for self-drive hire between March and October. With a small cabin, covered outdoor seating, a kitchen and loo on board, visitors can enjoy a leisurely cruise and a picnic lunch. Many hirers take the opportunity of going up the Falkirk Wheel on to the Union Canal and boating through the Falkirk Tunnel to Polmont, before turning around and heading back to base.
Lock operation on the eastern side of the canal (between Lock 3 at the Kelpies and Lock 20 at Banknock) offers a unique experience for volunteers who get to learn new skills, work in a team outdoors and learn about the canal’s history and heritage.
The volunteers help boaters through the locks and look after the canal.
Also available from Go Forth and Clyde is inland waterways training accredited by the Royal Yachting Association. The training is designed specifically for the inland waterways boater and is suitable for both those with no prior knowledge or the more experienced boater who will still learn a lot to make their boating safer and more enjoyable.
A new make and mend initiative, @16, offers informal learning and accredited training, including wood working, bike maintenance, general repairs, crafting, sewing, knitting and crochet, and group walks and cycles. Saturday is the day for the bike maintenance drop-in – a free service, although donations towards parts and materials are welcomed. Previous activities have included formal bike mechanic training, making a small planter from recycled wood, and using graphics software to create a sign in wood or acrylic. A fun open day was held at the end of August, blessed by beautiful weather and enjoyed by all the visitors who enjoyed free tea and cake, plenty of chat, games, crafting and quizzes.
The organisation was born out of Re-Union, the social enterprise based in Edinburgh and Falkirk. Go Forth and Clyde was created as an independent charity to allow the Falkirk-based activities to grow and develop to meet the local community’s needs. All the Falkirk operations and assets were transferred to the new, independent organisation, including Jaggy Thistle, the RYA training school and a small cash settlement. The lock-keeping contract with Scottish Canals was renewed, allowing Go Forth and Clyde to continue the employment and experience of staff and volunteers. Follow Go Forth and Clyde on social: to find out more about the activities on offer, volunteering, RYA training or hiring Jaggy Thistle, visit goforthandclyde.org.uk