Helping hand for Scottish waterway charities

Reproduced from Waterways World

Andrew Denny ~ 26th June 2020

Scottish Waterways for All, the consortium of voluntary groups on the Scottish canal network, has launched a joint appeal to support waterway charities whose activities have been seriously curtailed during the coronavirus lockdown.

Called ‘The Big Splash’, the campaign is a recovery fund currently involving 11 of the main charities on the Scottish canal network. SWfA is inviting other waterway charities to join.

“Because of the pandemic, many charities have seen their fundraising income disappear or drastically reduced, putting the benefit they provide to so many communities at risk,” said Stuart Rennie of SWfA.

Further details about the initiative are available online, where you can choose the specific charity you wish to support, and donate via the JustGiving platform. All funds raised go direct to the donor's favoured charity, ensuring that local communities can support their closest organisation. As of 26th June the appeal had raised over £1,400.

The new campaign is a result of the SWfA-organised Scottish Canal Volunteer Awards being put on hold this year because of lockdown. They will be relaunched in 2021.

The Big Splash has some similarity with the Waterway Charities Appeal launched by the Canal & River Trust in England and Wales. But one key difference is that Big Splash donors can choose the charity they wish to support, whereas the CRT appeal is creating a central fund with a panel deciding on the distribution.

The Seagull Trust is one of the charities involved in the Big Splash appeal. Photo: The Seagull Trust.