Many hands make light work at Wester Hailes
A stretch of towpath at Calders Crescent, Wester Hailes has been upgraded and improved thanks to the efforts of 60 willing volunteers from the Royal Bank of Scotland.
On Tuesday 22 July, the team joined staff from waterways environmental and heritage charity, The Waterways Trust Scotland, and British Waterways Scotland to improve the canal-side environment for members of the public who use the towpath. Working alongside Watch us Grow, a gardening group for people with special needs, the teams of volunteers re-laid the towpath, built and installed three sustainable wooden seats, installed bird and bat boxes to attract wildlife to the area and undertook preservation work to the Robert Coia sculpture at the side of the canal. The volunteers were also able to view the towpath improvements from the water thanks to Re-union who provided a boat for the event. The boat was built by disadvantaged young people living in West Edinburgh. Alison Morrison, Project Officer from The Waterways Trust Scotland said: “We certainly proved that many hands make light work. As well as enjoying a great day away from the office, team building and meeting colleagues from across the organisation, RBS employees and our other volunteers have made a marked improvement to the towpath and canalside environment. “The upgrading to this stretch of the towpath will make a big difference to regular canal users and should encourage new visitors. Installation of bat and bird boxes will provide new homes for wildlife, encouraging even more species to the waterway. We are really pleased with the end result, and to have it completed so quickly.” David Salthouse from Royal Bank of Scotland said: "Royal Bank of Scotland’s commitment to the communities it operates in is not just about money, it's about our employees choosing to get out of their offices and getting involved to get the best results. This is a great example of how hard work and team spirit can make a difference and I’m delighted that the team was able to achieve so much in the space of one day.” The Waterways Trust Scotland and eager volunteers from the Royal Bank of Scotland will be returning to Wester Hailes in the autumn to continue the environmental improvements.
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