Your View event – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Barnardo’s Bridge adventure adds ‘Ultimate Experience’ for lucky few

‘Your View on the Forth Bridge is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event for those lucky enough to secure a ticket’

It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that has brought joy to thousands and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for Scotland’s leading children’s charity. And now, after a six-year hiatus, the famous Barnardo’s Scotland ‘Your View’ event atop the iconic Forth Bridge is bringing back its much-coveted ‘Ultimate Experience’.

Your View – now in its seventh year – affords members of the public one of the most sought after and unique experiences in Scotland; namely the chance to ascend 361 feet up the historic bridge and enjoy an uninterrupted 360-degree panoramic view of the Edinburgh and Fife coastline.

This memorable experience has brought joy to thousands and raised vital funds for the work of Barnardo’s Scotland.

In addition to the popular Your View event over three days in September, the reprised Ultimate Experience, which is limited to a lucky few ticket holders, provides an extended tour which affords visitors the chance to stand at track level of the legendary bridge for some amazing photo opportunities.

And that’s not all: Thereafter, visitors will descend another level for a bridge walk under the railway track on the pathway out on to the Forth.

This remarkable experience culminates with refreshments and a certificate during a further historic talk and exhibition of historical artifacts in the 1930s-listed Bothy which most people will have never even spotted even if they have crossed the bridge many times. This 2½-hour ultimate experience will be offered twice a day across the weekend.

Your View 2025, which is run in conjunction with Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, will take place from Friday, 19^th to Sunday, 21^st September, with tickets going on sale at 10am tomorrow (Monday 16^th June).

To date, more than 6,000 visitors have experienced the event and there have been around a dozen marriage proposals on the vertiginous viewing platform.

Best of all, though, the event has raised more than £375,000 to fund the work of Barnardo’s Scotland. To find out more, or to book tickets for the event, please visit: www.barnardos.org.uk/events/your-view-forth-bridge.

This year’s Your View event also coincides with a celebration of 200th anniversary of the railway and the 10th anniversary of the Forth Bridge gaining World Heritage status.

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Your View is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event for those lucky enough to secure a ticket. Not only is it a never-to-be-forgotten experience for those atop the iconic bridge, it is also a crucial fundraiser for Barnardo’s Scotland as we continue to support children, young people and their families throughout the country, notably in our fostering service.

“Right now, Scotland is facing a foster care crisis at an unprecedented rate, with too many children still entering the care system and an insufficient number of loving homes to accommodate them. The impact of the crisis is felt most by children in the care system. Without enough potential foster homes, children are already at risk of being placed in unsuitable situations as a last resort.

“As I am often reminded, tickets for Your View sell out very quickly indeed, so I would urge all of those keen to attend to sign up as quickly as possible. The return of the ‘Ultimate Experience’ this year is particularly exciting as it really does give one a rare behind-the-scenes tour of the bridge that only a precious view people will ever get to witness.

“Your View would not be possible without the generosity of Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, and I wish to thank both organisations and our wonderful volunteers for making this special weekend happen.”

Alan Ross, Network Rail Scotland’s Director of Engineering and Asset Management, added: “Few landmarks are as instantly recognisable and deeply cherished as the Forth Bridge, and as proud custodians, we couldn’t be happier to open it up for such a unique and special event.

“It’s a rare privilege to experience the bridge up close, and even more meaningful knowing that every step to the top supports the incredible work Barnardo’s Scotland does for children and families. We’re delighted again to support this fantastic event and look forward to welcoming visitors up on to one of Scotland’s most iconic structures.”

Colin Hardie, Construction Superintendent for Balfour Beatty, said: “At Balfour Beatty, we are committed to giving back to the communities we serve.

“The Your View event is one example of how we do just that, raising valuable funds to support disadvantaged children and families in Scotland.

“It has been an honour to work alongside Barnardo’s Scotland once again, to offer members of the public this memorable experience on one of the most iconic, unique and admired structures in the world – the Forth Bridge.”

Also featuring over the weekend will be the famous ‘Briggers’. The Briggers are a Forth Bridge research and presentation group of volunteers based in South Queensferry.

Named after the bridge workers, the group was formed to identify the names of the 73 men and boys who died constructing the Forth Bridge, they provide details on the history of the bridge and the people involved in its construction.

For more information on this year’s Your View event, please visit:

www.barnardos.org.uk/events/your-view-forth-bridge.

For more information on becoming a foster carer with Barnardo’s in Scotland, please visit www.barnardos.org.uk/foster, or call 08000 277 280. The charity’s friendly and supportive staff are available from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm.

At Barnardo’s, our purpose is clear: Changing childhoods and changing lives, so that children, young people, and families are safe, happy, healthy, and hopeful. Last year, we worked with thousands of children across Scotland through more than 150 services and partnerships.

For more than 150 years, we’ve been here for the children and young people who need us most – bringing love, care and hope into their lives and giving them a place where they feel they belong.

Over the course of the financial year 2023-24, more than 16,000 people volunteered for Barnardo’s across the UK – a total of 1.7 million hours of their time. To donate, volunteer or fundraise, please visit: www.barnardos.org.uk/get-involved/raise-money.

Hundreds join Barnardo’s on top of Forth Bridge

It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that has brought joy to those seeking adventure and has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for Scotland’s leading children’s charity. And now, a precious few were once again able to stand atop the iconic Forth Bridge to help raise money for Barnardo’s Scotland.

The charity’s ‘Your View’ event allows members of the public one of the most sought after and unique experiences in Scotland – namely the chance to ascend 361 feet up the historic bridge and enjoy an uninterrupted 360-degree panoramic view of the Edinburgh and Fife coastline.

Your View is in its sixth year – run in conjunction with Network Rail and Balfour Beatty – and another lucky 900 people travelled from all across the world to take part – including visitors from New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada, Denmark and Portugal.

More than 6,000 visitors in total have experienced the event and there have been no fewer than ten marriage proposals on the vertiginous viewing platform since 2017. Best of all, though, the event has now raised more than £375,000 to fund the work of Barnardo’s Scotland.

The latest couple to get engaged atop the bridge were Laura Dowds, 34, and Connor Robertson 31, from Armadale, in West Lothian. The couple met in 2020, and Laura admitted that she had no idea that she would be engaged by the time she set foot back on terra firma.

Laura explains: “The proposal was a complete surprise! Connor didn’t even tell me that we were doing the bridge viewing until we arrived in the car park, so the whole day was a pleasant surprise from start to finish.

“I was stunned to say the least; I couldn’t believe my eyes seeing him down on one knee! The amazing photographer managed to capture lots of snaps of our special moment, too, and we are so grateful to have these fantastic memories.

“We don’t have a date for the wedding yet, as I’m going to let Connor recover from all the work he put into the proposal! But it will be local and hopefully in the next year. We’re so excited for this exciting new chapter.”

Along with the proposal, Laura said that the couple thoroughly enjoyed their Your View experience: “Your View was one of the best things we’ve done together – getting to be up on top of the bridge and taking in some of the most amazing sights.

“I’d recommend it to anyone. The volunteers were amazing, too, from getting history about the bridge being built, to the friendly and helpful staff joining you as you make your way up in the hoist.

“It was a day we will never forget. Barnardo’s is an incredible charity and we’re over the moon that all of the money from tickets goes straight towards the great work that they do.”

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Your View proved once again to be a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience for those lucky enough to secure a ticket. We want to thank all of those who joined us over the weekend as this is a crucial fundraiser for Barnardo’s Scotland as we continue to support children, young people and their families throughout the country.

Barnardo’s Scotland intends to use the funds raised to continue to deliver employability support in 12 local authority areas across Scotland from five hubs in Aberdeen, Inverness, Dundee, Edinburgh and Paisley.

Cliff Graham, Head of Operations for employment, training and skills in Scotland at Barnardo’s, said: “Barnardo’s Works provide employability support and training to 1,100 young people a year in Scotland. We provide one-to-one support, informal group work, vocational training and work experience across a range of programmes.

“Our services aim to provided holistic support with a range of pathways that allows young people to move into a positive destination such as employment, apprenticeships college or further training. We are delighted to benefit from this funding as it will help us provide additional support and IT equipment to our service users across Scotland.”

Alan Ross, Director of Engineering and Asset Management at Network Rail Scotland, said: “We’re so proud to once again have hosted the Barnardo’s Your View event at the Forth Bridge. The event continues to be a valuable opportunity to raise vital funds for young people and their families across Scotland.

“Although the sun wasn’t shining, it was still a fantastic weekend for all involved, and the marriage proposal at the top certainly brightened everyone’s day. Enormous thanks goes to the staff and volunteers for making the day another huge success.”

Across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we provided essential support to 373,200 children, young people, parents and carers through more than 800 services and partnerships across the UK. This included 173 services in Scotland. For more than 150 years, we’ve been here for the children and young people who need us most – bringing love, care and hope into their lives and giving them a place where they feel they belong.

Gregor Townsend launches Barnardo’s fundraiser

We are more used to seeing him sitting high up in the coach’s box at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on matchday, but Scotland Rugby Head Coach Gregor Townsend yesterday swapped one lofty position for another as he ascended the iconic Forth Bridge to help launch a much-loved Barnardo’s fundraiser.

The charity’s ‘Your View’ event – now in its sixth year – affords members of the public one of the most sought after and unique experiences in Scotland; namely the chance to ascend 361 feet up the historic bridge and enjoy an uninterrupted 360-degree panoramic view of the Edinburgh and Fife coastline.

This once-in-a-lifetime experience has brought joy to thousands and raised vital funds for the work of Barnardo’s Scotland.

Gregor Townsend said: “I have long admired the work that Barnardo’s Scotland undertakes to support thousands of children, young people and their families across the country, so it is a pleasure to be a part of the launch of this year’s Your View event.

“Standing on top of the world-famous Forth Bridge has been a superb experience – the views are amazing – and I would encourage people to take this rare opportunity to climb the bridge. As well as enjoying this bucket-list moment, you will also be contributing to the work of Barnardo’s as it continues to do so much to help young people all over Scotland.”

Your View 2024, which is run in conjunction with Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, will take place from Friday, 20^th to Sunday, 22^nd September, with tickets going on sale at 10am on Thursday (20^th June).

To date, more than 5,200 visitors have experienced the event and there have been no fewer than ten marriage proposals on the vertiginous viewing platform.

Best of all, though, the event has raised more than £325,000 to fund the work of Barnardo’s Scotland. To find out more, or to book tickets for the event, please visit: www.barnardos.org.uk/events/your-view-forth-bridge.

“We cannot thank Gregor Townsend enough for his support for the event and the wider work of our charity. I must admit that it was one of the more surreal moments of my career to be alongside the Scotland Rugby Head Coach more than 350 feet above the Firth of Forth!”

Martin Crewe added: “As I am often reminded, tickets for Your View sell out very quickly indeed, so I would urge all of those keen to attend to sign up as quickly as possible. And, who knows, we might even get to enjoy another Your View wedding proposal this year!

Colin Hardie, Construction Superintendent for Balfour Beatty, said: “At Balfour Beatty, we are committed to giving back to the communities we serve. The Your View event is one example of how we do just that, raising valuable funds to support disadvantaged children and families in Scotland.

Also featuring over the weekend will be the famous ‘Briggers’. The Briggers are a Forth Bridge research and presentation group of volunteers based in South Queensferry. Named after the bridge workers, the group was formed to identify the names of the 73 men and boys who died constructing the Forth Bridge, they provide details on the history of the bridge and the people involved in its construction.

In the past year, Barnardo’s has provided essential support to more than 11,500 children, young people, parents and carers in Scotland through more than 150 specialised community-based services and partnerships across the country.

The charity works to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life.

To donate, volunteer or fundraise, please visit www.barnardos.org.uk/get-involved/raise-money.