The Bridge 19-40 Canal Society is a Scottish

waterway society A waterway society is a society, association, charitable trust, club, trust or "Friends" group involved in the restoration, preservation, use and enjoyment of waterways, e.g. a canal, river, navigation or other waterway, and their associated bu ...

and

registered charity A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ch ...

operating community boats on the

Union Canal Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

, with bases at

Winchburgh Winchburgh is a village in the council area of West Lothian, Scotland. It is located approximately west of the city-centre of Edinburgh, east of Linlithgow and northeast of Broxburn. Prehistory and archaeology Archaeological excavations in ...

and Drumshoreland,

West Lothian West Lothian ( sco, Wast Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Iar) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its shires of Scotland, historic counties. The county was called Linlithgowshire until 1925. The historic county was bounded geogra ...

History

The former B.U.C.H.A.N. Society, a canal society from

Broxburn Broxburn ( gd, Srath Bhroc, IPA: �s̪ɾaˈvɾɔʰk is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, on the A89 road, from the West End of Edinburgh, from Edinburgh Airport and to the north of Livingston. Etymology The name Broxburn is a corruption of ...

, decided at their 1999 AGM to extend the area covered by the society, and to change its name. The new "Bridge 19-40 Canal Society" was to operate between Bridge 19 (the first bridge in West Lothian) and Bridge 40 (at

Philpstoun Philpstoun is a small village in West Lothian, Scotland, situated roughly east of the historic county town of Linlithgow. The village originated in the oil shale mining boom of the 19th century. Surrounded by rich arable farm land, the village ...

). The new name was also meant to convey its role as a bridge between several local communities along the Union Canal.

Activities

The society's aims include: *promotion of co-operation between all canal users *support for the sympathetic and

sustainable Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livin ...

development of the

waterway A waterway is any navigable body of water. Broad distinctions are useful to avoid ambiguity, and disambiguation will be of varying importance depending on the nuance of the equivalent word in other languages. A first distinction is necessary b ...

and its environment *provision of volunteering opportunities for all ages *protection of natural habitats of the canal *encouragement of leisure use by the community including people with

disabilities Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, se ...

. Along with the

Seagull Trust Seagull Trust Cruises (formerly Seagull Trust) is a waterway society and Scottish charity. The Trust was formed in 1978 and offers free canal cruising for disabled and disadvantaged persons and groups. The Seagull Trust was awarded the Queen's ...

, the

Linlithgow Union Canal Society The Linlithgow Union Canal Society is a waterway society and a Scottish registered charity based at Linlithgow Canal Centre on the Union Canal at Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland. Also known as "LUCS", it was founded in 1975 by Melville Gray to ...

, the

Edinburgh Canal Society The Edinburgh Union Canal Society is a charitable canal society on the Union Canal in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Society's main base is Ashley Terrace Boathouse at Lockhart Bridge, near Harrison Park in the Polwarth area of Edinburgh. The society ...

, Forth Canoe Club and other canal-based community groups and charities, Bridge 19-40 Canal Society has campaigned for the retention, renovation and re-use of the Scottish Lowland canals. Bridge 19-40 regularly organises Water Safety trips for primary schools in West Lothian; their aim is to raise awareness among children about the potential dangers of water, and to discourage litter on the waterway.

Photo gallery

Image:BluebellDrumshoreland.jpg, Bluebell's moorings at BW Drumshoreland Image:Bluebell SIWA rally 01.jpg, Bluebell at SIWA Rally 2008 Image:Narrowboat Bluebell.jpg, Detail on Bluebell's cabin Image:BluebellCanalfest2008.jpg, Bluebell at wester Hailes Canal Festival, Edinburgh

External links

Canal Society

The Society's own website
*
Forerunner of 19-40 Canal SocietyWest Lothian Council advertising Bridge 19-40's Santa boat trips

Walks around Winchburgh

Walk description: Kirknewton to Winchburgh, West LothianWalk Description: Winchburgh to Linlithgow
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