Month: May 2019

Making Waves with Canal Clean Up in Falkirk

Staff from national water retailer Wave, based in Edinburgh, recently took part in a canal clean at The Falkirk Wheel.

The Falkirk Wheel joins the Forth & Clyde Canal with the Union Canal and eight staff volunteered to clean the canals, which are vital parts of Scotland’s industrial heritage, ensuring that they are maintained as a beautiful place for everyone.

They got to work painting the lock gates and also removed vegetation from the surrounding area and cleared litter from both the waterways and canal bank and towpath.

Staff from Wave also volunteered in a similar canal cleaning exercise at the Union Canal in Edinburgh last year.

John McGowan, Volunteer Co-ordinator for Scottish Canals said: “The team at Wave play a fantastic role in volunteering to clean up the canals. With the hard work of volunteers, we can make a huge difference to these waterways, which attract millions of visitors each year.

“The canal provides the perfect place for walkers, cyclists and boaters to relax, discover and explore. Volunteers like those from Wave help keep the canal a beautiful place for everyone.”

Jane Austin, HR Director for Wave said: “As a national water retailer we are conscious of the need to protect the natural environment and ensure that it can be enjoyed by both this and future generations.

“Canals play a key part in this and both The Falkirk Wheel and the canals it serves are major attractions. We thoroughly enjoyed the day and it was great to support such an important cause.”

Participants (l-r): Rebecca Shafi, Abigail Laing, Jamie Palmer, Julie Lindsay, David Campbell, Raymond Young, Peter Callaghan, John McGowan (Scottish Canals) and Martin Bryce.

Letters: Thank You from Cats Protection

Dear Editor,

This Volunteers Week (1-7 June), I would like to take the opportunity to thank our fantastic volunteers who give so much of their time, skill and dedication for the benefit of cats in our care.

At Cats Protection we were grateful to involve over 11,200 volunteers during 2018. Volunteers are truly the foundation and life-blood of the charity. Whether volunteering in our shops or populating our social media channels; researching advocacy campaigns or fostering kittens, they ensure that every day we move closer to our vision of a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs.

Without them, we would not have been able to help rehome or reunite 44,000 cats and neuter around 143,000. Nor would we have delivered 1,693 education talks to 52,343 people. They are vital to every aspect of everything we achieve.

I would also like to thank players of People’s Postcode Lottery who are supporting volunteering across England, Scotland and Wales. Their support for our Volunteer Team Leaders means that we can share best practice through our adoption centres and out to our network of volunteer branches and shops.

We will be sharing a new animation for Volunteers’ Week on our social media channels about the many volunteering roles available with us and would love to hear from cat lovers who would like to help cats locally. They can visit www.cats.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering to find out more.

Yours sincerely,

Julie Meredith

Head of Volunteering Development

Cats Protection, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath RH17 7TT

Bear with Me: Forthview parents produce fabulous new book

Forthview Primary School parents proudly unveiled their latest story ‘Bear with Me’ at a launch at the City Chambers on Wednesday. Continue reading Bear with Me: Forthview parents produce fabulous new book

Letter: Assange must be protected

Dear Editor

Sweden is a country associated with the better side of human activity: it is a reputation to be respected and treasured.

Recent events around the situation of Julian Assange is doing harm to this reputation, which must be a concern for the Swedish people.

Included in this letter is an appeal to the authorities of Sweden in the UK to use their good offices to secure justice for, and the protection of, Julian Assange from others.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens