Come & See Us at The Glasgow River Festival 2008!

Thursday, 17 July 2008

Come & See Us at The Glasgow River Festival 2008!

The branch will have their usual stand at the Glasgow River Festival this Saturday & Sunday. We will be in the same place as 2007 which is in front of the Crowne Plazza Hotel (North Bank of the River Clyde in front of the SECC).

You can park the SECC carpark (approx £4 per day) or in the Glasgow Science Centre carpark on the opposite side of the river (£3 per day) and walk across Bells Bridge or the Millenium Bridge.

In addition to our photo displays there will be an Audio Visual Presentation telling Waverley's story, movie footage of her in various sailing areas as well as information on Scotland's other paddler Maid of the Loch.

PLUS.....

Buy One get One 1/2 Price Vouchers for all of Waverley's Sunday sailings to Lochranza until the end of her Clyde Season (Sunday 31st August)

PLUS.........

The chance to win a cruise for 2 courtesy of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines - tickets are only £1 each - all proceeds from River Festival sales will go towards the continued operation and preservation of Waverley.

FINALLY.....

You can join the PSPS at our stand by filling in a membership leaflet.

A full adult membership is £17, Junior (ages 8 - 18) £12, Senior Citizens £12 and Couples £24
You will receive a unique membership pack to take away with you on the day!!

As well as our stand there are numerous things to see and do over the Saturday & Sunday - visit the official festival website

So you've no excuse now - come along and see us!!

Gavin Stewart - Branch Exhibitions Manager

The Society

The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS) is Britain's longest established, largest and most successful steamship preservation group.
A registered charity founded in 1959, we have over 3000 members and through our associated charitable companies we operate the only two working paddle steamers in Great Britain.
Without the PSPS there would no longer be the opportunity to sail on a Paddle Steamer in Great Britain.

Our aims
i) to preserve paddle steamers in sailing condition
ii) to educate the public in the historic significance of paddle steamers in the Nation's maritime and industrial heritage
iii) to acquire, preserve and exhibit a collection of equipment and material associated with paddle steamers.

Our Ships

Flagship of our fleet is Waverley the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world. Built in 1947 Waverley was gifted to the Society for just £1. As well as operating on her native Clyde each summer she visits other coastal areas around the UK during the spring and autumn each year.

Kingswear Castle is Britain's only operational coal-fired paddle steamer. Built in 1924 to sail on the River Dart she was purchased by the Society in 1967. From 1985 until 2012 she sailed the Thames and Medway. In 2013 Kingswear Castle returned to the Dart where she now operates public sailings during the summer season.

The society is composed of five branches: Scottish, London & Home Counties, Bristol Channel, Wessex & Dart and North England - all of which help raise money to keep our paddle steamers sailing.

The Scottish Branch

The Scottish Branch was formed in 1969 by Douglas McGowan, now our Honorary Branch President. In November 1973 Douglas was invited to attend a meeting with CalMac which resulted in Paddle Steamer Waverley being gifted to the PSPS for £1! It was then on 8th August 1974 that the PSPS took ownership of the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world and her second career in preservation had begun. Since 1974 the Scottish Branch has been directly linked to supporting Waverley.

The Scottish Branch is proud of its achievements. We are an active and forward thinking branch with a thriving membership of over 800 - we are proud to be the branch which secured an operational future for Waverley. Our members are regularly involved with voluntary work which helps ensure Waverley continues to sail. During the summer sailing season we help raise funds through the Society's Grand Draw and our annual fundraising cruise on Waverley. The Branch meets in Glasgow each month during the non-sailing season (October - April) and we extend an invitation to join the Society and indeed join the Scottish Branch.

Thursday, 17 July 2008