BOATS TO GO

--- Action Outdoors Officially Opens New Outdoor Classroom at 

1st Birthday Party ---

The award-winning Action Outdoors Activity & Learning Centre in Falkirk will officially open its new outdoor classroom today, Friday 23 April. The classroom was built over the past year by young volunteers on the Green Action programme, including pupils from Carrongrange High School.

The opening of this unique learning venue coincides with the centre’s first birthday celebrations and the Lord Provost, Pat Reid will be on hand to mark the occasion.

Ten pupils from Carrongrange High School, a specialist school in the area, are looking forward to seeing their hard work unveiled at the opening. They have taken part in the 12-week Green Action youth volunteer training programme along with other young people over the past year.

Green Action is supported by the Voluntary Action Fund and Scottish Government Wider Role Fund, and provides opportunities for young people from Falkirk and surrounding areas to develop key employability skills as well as contributing to the local area through environmental projects. In addition to the ‘hard graft’ of landscaping, tree planting, maintenance and gardening, young volunteers on Green Action also use the canal on Action Outdoors’ doorstep to enjoy water based sports.

To date the programme has furthered the careers of many of the young people, with five previous programme attendees gaining employment and three heading into full time college education. Four students have also engaged in additional training to improve confidence and self esteem.

Karen Moore, development director, The Waterways Trust Scotland, said “We are thrilled with the new outdoor classroom. This is a brilliant achievement for all involved and something which everyone can benefit from. The craftsmanship involved in making the classroom is a real testament to the skills the young people are developing through their time on Green Action. 

“Today is about celebrating the achievements over the past year, as well as the passion and dedication of staff, volunteers and the young people and children who make the Action Outdoors Centre and its programmes an integral part of community life. 

“Everyone who comes along today and over the weekend will have a chance to see exactly what we do and how the centre contributes to the community.”

In addition to the official opening there will be a number of other activities throughout the morning including an environmental workshop with pupils from Westquarter Primary School, kayak and canoe demonstrations and tours of the facilities.

The celebrations will continue over the weekend as the centre throws its doors open for people living in the area to come along and try their hand at a host of outdoor activities, free of charge.

Green Action is supported by Linkwide (part of the Link group) and Paragon Housing Association through the Scottish Government Wider Role Fund. Sheila Maxwell, community regeneration officer for Linkwide said “Through the Green Action programme we know the difference initiatives like this can make to a young person’s life. The interaction, team working and skill development are key to providing opportunities that previously may not have materialised. Today provides a great opportunity to see what the young volunteers have achieved and how appreciated this is by the local community.”

BTCV Scotland (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) which has been working with the volunteers on the programme said: “The volunteers have worked very hard on their programmes, and encountered some very challenging weather, particularly over the extended winter months. The new outdoor classroom is one of many achievements which volunteers will be able to recognise as their work around the local area.”

Action Outdoors is an innovative learning centre built by The Waterways Trust Scotland and managed by Falkirk Council. It offers young people in the area a host of healthy waterside activities, new experiences, the opportunity to meet new people and the chance to develop new skills. Its work has already received national recognition by winning a prestigious Waterways Renaissance Award.

Green Action is a collaborative effort between The Waterways Trust Scotland, BTCV Scotland, Action Outdoors, Falkirk Council and British Waterways Scotland. The volunteers receive employability support, support to gain Youth Achievement and John Muir Awards and advice and information on progressing to further education at Forth Valley College or Oatridge College.

The Green Action programme is now recruiting for the 24^th May and 6^th September intakes.  Anyone interested should contact the Green Action Project on 01324 677809.

Action Outdoors’ first open weekend takes place on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April, 10am – 4pm. Members of the public are invited to come along and ‘have a go!’.

Two news releases from the Boat Safety Scheme, both dealing with the single issue of petrol safety, but from two different angles.

ISSUE 1

Boaters whose boats have petrol engines need to take more care to avoid of the dangers of petrol vapour as the numbers of incidents on inland waters linked to petrol and petrol engines rose for the second year running from one in 2007 to nine in 2009.

‘We are asking that owners of petrol engined boats take a simple, planned approach to keep themselves safe and keep alert to any signs of a petrol leak in the fuel system before it develops into something threatening,’ said Graham Watts, the Boat Safety Scheme Manager

He added: ‘Appropriately constructed and well maintained petrol systems are safe, but boaters shouldn’t fall into the trap of applying the modern road vehicle experience of never lifting the bonnet; just turning the key and then setting off.

The BSS worried that too many boaters, especially recent entrants, may not realise that if petrol leaks, weeps or drips, it will vaporise and, like liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the vapour will sink in still air and gather in the lower parts of the boat

With petrol engines often located close to spark generating equipment, it is not difficult to see how such a vapour/air mix could ignite easily. This combustion is both rapid and powerful and in the wrong circumstances, the skipper, crew and possibly bystanders can be in danger. More people are hurt in petrol vapour ignitions than any other cause of boat fires.

Here are some BSS tips for owners of petrol boats to stay safe from fire and explosion.

·         Plan ahead and well before the season starts, take a look around the boat, especially the whole petrol supply system from filling point to carburettor or fuel injectors. By sight, touch and smell, check for signs of damage, deterioration, looseness, cracks, weeping and leaks.

·         Before each use check fuel pipes, joints, hoses, fuel tank connections, and other fuel components that should have special attention as all are points for potential leaks.

·         Do it again whenever you fill the tank; the extra weight and pressure of the fuel may reveal leaks or weeps that may not be there with less fuel.

·         Outboard owners can open up the cowling and look for any otherwise hidden problems.

·         Crucially, before turning the battery isolator switch and turning the key, have a good sniff around, if there’s a strong smell of petrol, don’t attempt to start the engine.

In the past six years the BSS has recorded 34 incidents of fire or explosion linked to petrol engines on inland waterways and coastal boats. 31 people needed hospital treatment, including some in intensive care. Three petrol-engined boats exploded on family trips in May last year.

The BSS is a public safety project owned jointly by British Waterways and the Environment Agency. At least 12 other navigation and harbour authorities have also adopted it. The navigation authorities’ purposes for the Scheme are to help reduce the risks of fire, explosion and pollution on small craft. This is done by promoting fire safety and pollution avoidance advice to help boat owners keep themselves and their crews’ safe as well as regular examination of fuel systems, gas systems, electrical systems and appliances.

Outdoor activity centre uses canal water to keep people warm

An innovative heat pump has been installed at Falkirk’s newest outdoor activity centre, Action Outdoors. 

Located on the bank of the Union Canal, the activity centre is making the most of the surrounding environment in every sense with pipes laid in the canal providing hot water for the centre. The heat pump works on the same principal as a fridge – cooling one part of the environment and thereby generating heat.  In this case, using pipes submerged in the canal, a refrigerator plant cools the canal water and makes use of the heat recovered to provide hot water and central heating for the Action Outdoors building. Heat generated in this way has much reduced carbon emissions compared with conventional gas or oil boilers.

Funding for the energy saving heat pump came from The Waterways Trust’s Green Fund which has been established by Britain’s leading canal hire boat company, UK Boat Hire, who have a base in Falkirk, and The Waterways Trust to specifically invest in low carbon technologies and other environmental projects to help mitigate for the carbon emissions caused by holidays taken along our canals and rivers. For every holiday booking received, UK Boat Hire makes a donation to the Green Fund and invites holidaymakers to do the same for their travel to and from the start location.

Roger Hanbury, Chief Executive of The Waterways Trust, said: “From ecological developments to water treatment and renewable energy sources, the Green Fund has been set up to help develop a wide range of projects to benefit the environment of our canals and rivers. The installation of this energy-saving heat pump which utilises the canal as a heat source is just one example of the type of project that we are championing through the fund.”

Each year, over 6,000 families and groups of friends get closer to nature and experience a slower pace of life by holidaying aboard one of UK Boat Hire’s narrowboats from one of its twelve start locations including Falkirk. Through this partnership, UK Boat Hire offers a truly green alternative to holidays abroad and all holidaymakers hiring a craft through the company are able to enjoy their trip secure in the knowledge that a percentage of their hire fee is being used to benefit the environment through which they are sailing.

Edward Helps, Managing Director of UK Boat Hire, says: “Our reliable, quiet, smooth running diesel engines make modern narrow boating one of the most relaxing and rewarding holidays as well as one of the greenest. We care passionately about the wellbeing of our boaters, our waterway environment and the precious wildlife that help to make waterways holidays so special. That’s why a percentage of every holiday goes to ‘The Waterways Trust Green Fund and I am delighted to be able to see first-hand how this money is being spent.”

There are over 3000 miles of rivers and canals across the UK which are recognised to be one of the country’s most important environmental assets. British Waterways look after 2,200 miles of the network including 137 miles of canal in Scotland.

Steve Dunlop, Director of British Waterways Scotland, said: “It is important to find new ways by we can create a greener and more sustainable future, be it through renewable energy sources such as this heat pump, wildlife habitat improvements or reducing waste. British Waterways is determined to play its part in creating a better future for our children and the Green Fund is making a valuable contribution towards protecting the unique environment of the waterways.”

Green Action gives 16-24 year olds in from Falkirk and surrounding areas the opportunity to enrol on an environmental or tourism 12-week volunteer training programme, contributing to the local area and developing skills for life.

Niall Hannon, from Falkirk and a Green Action volunteer, said: “It is great that places like Action Outdoors are thinking about their impact on the environment. I couldn’t believe that water in the canal could be used to heat up a building, but it is really warm in here. I am really pleased that there is money to help with environmental projects like this, instead of just talking about being greener, we are able to do something about it.”