Fundraisers in memory of canal society man

Aug 19 2010 by Marjorie Kerr, West Lothian Courier

A DAY of fundraising is set to be held next month in memory of David Wilson, a founder member of the Bridge 19-40 Canal Society.

David sadly died recently following a battle with cancer and members of the society, which he co-founded, plan a day of fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support in his memory.

The Bridge 19-40 Canal Society will donate all the proceeds from their canal trips on September 5 to the charity.

The trips leave from Port Buchan, Broxburn, with the group running trips for an extra hour on that day.

David was one of the founder members of the Buchan Society which became the Bridge 19-40 Canal Society some 14 years ago.

Living near the canal and being a member of Broxburn Community Council, David helped create the canal society which worked alongside other canal societies and British Waterways to re-open the Union Canal, which had been closed for about 40 years.

David's dream came true in May 2000 when the canal obstructions at the M8 and Greendykes Road were lifted. By this time, David's canal interest had widened and he qualified as a skipper of passenger trip boats and for several years he drove a restaurant boat at the Bridge Inn, Ratho.

The Bridge 19-40 Canal Society was running boat trips once a month on Roseann but were saving up to buy a bigger trip boat when they were offered a 40-foot narrow boat, St John Crusader.

The Bridge 19-40 jumped at the chance to buy the boat which they renamed Bluebell.

For the next four years a few members, including David, worked to restore Bluebell and she now gives many people a canal experience.

David was also very keen to see a small marina development as part of the Candleworks site in Broxburn and he was at least partly responsible for West Lothian Council including this in the Local Plan. He moved away from Broxburn to Dumfriesshire with his wife Maggie a few years ago, but sadly David's health deteriorated and he died of cancer earlier this month.

The fundraising trips will take place between noon and 4pm on September 5, from Port Buchan, Broxburn.

l Anyone who can’t make it to the event, but wants to donate, can send a cheque to Macmillan Cancer Support, South Scotland Fundraising Office, 25 High Street, Biggar, South Lanarkshire, ML12 6DA; donate via the website at http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Home.aspx or tel: Ann Street on 01506 417685.