The Rotary Club of Edinburgh

This Week's Bulletin

Bulletin 1985 - 20th November 2003

DIDN'T HE DO WELL

VP Bill Cantley didn't put a foot wrong last week. Grace was architecturally structured, and the meeting went without a hitch. He stated that he and Marion would visit Lyon Rotary with Douglas Sutherland and Linda Gilmore. Secy John Havard announced that Assistant Governor Alasdair Seale from Braids would be with us today, that the fundraising committee would meet on Mon 17th and that the Zone meeting would be held after the Portobello meeting on Wed 19th Nov.

NO CHEQUE, NO FESTIVE LUNCH

Last chance to get the glue off your cheques. £24 to John Hull for Christmas Lunch Dec 4th.

MANY A MONIKER MAKS A MUCKLE

Dick "Woodsman" Allan, ex Moderator High Constables, ex President, extraordinarily wonders why Oliver Doran has been missed. They'll none of them be missed; anyway I can't spell technology. Judith Independent Sischy: Thanks for congrats on Edbull, a lady of impeccable charm, don't you know.

THE MAKING OF A PRESIDENT Part 3

Contd. page 94 Private Eye; ask David Brown.

ATTENDANCE (Melinda Wallace) 73

Members 72, Guests 1 (the speaker). Visits to Berwick (Eve C), Larkhall (Dick A), Leith (Alan H, the golf secy.)

BRIDGE THE GAP SUCCESS

3rd Tuesday every month. Mohindra & Aruna Dhall welcome any level, as long as you are warm and breathing. Probables include Neville & Elizabeth, Fergus & Patsy, David & Marjory B, David T, Judith & Mark Seeeessssy, Alec & Judy, Peter & Bunny, Andrew & Jill, Douglas & Wendy, George & Sheila, Fred & Sue, Tom & Oonagh, the lovely Jackie & D.W. No bools in the mou' the noo', just canny bidding.

HELEN SADDLER, WATER OF LEITH

VP Bill Cantley introduced Helen, a geography graduate in 1994. She was a ranger at the falls of Clyde, New Lanark and then joined the Scottish Wildlife Trust. She is now director of the Water of Leith Conservation Trust. To help, ring Volunteer line 455 7367.

(At this point Andrew Aikman left, having arrived in time to have coffee and mashed potatoes and to leave a form with John Hull for the Festive lunch but no cheque; in the post no doubt. Sorry Andrew Timeous Aikman).

Helen informed us that the catchment area of the Water of Leith was relatively small, as, although it emanated from the Pentlands, it became the outflow of the Harperrig Reservoir. So the river is spatey, rising and falling fast after rain and turning reddy brown. It extends for 24 miles. Half way it mingles with the Bavelaw Burn at Balerno and continues through the dingly dells of Colinton and Craiglockhart. The visitor centre, where Helen has her desk, is in Slateford, whence it passes by the Saughton winter garden (great roses, honest) and digs deep into Roseburn and the Dean Village. As it approaches the back flow of the Forth it meanders slowly past St Marks pool, Bonnington and out to sea.

A combination of moneys has enabled the Millennium Walkways project and the entire 24 miles is now easily traversed on foot and is well signposted. An education officer is seconded from the City and she instructs 4,000 children a year and also many community groups. There is an action group taking a holistic approach on pollution, flooding, bridges, flow rates etc. consisting of SEPA, SNH, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and other mnemonical memory unaidable bodies.

Sewage is not allowed and thankfully only happens now with accidental spills. The river water is rated B (A potable, to F foul) and plants and wildlife flourish, as do fridges, sofas, supermarket trolleys, and road cones. Fly tipping and windblown litter is a major problem. However, the tonnages hauled out by volunteers is falling, not because they are slacking - far from it; but, because they are being effective. 100 volunteers in 20 community groups work tirelessly every month. The Evening News featured the most bizarre finds. False teeth, a blow up doll, pink elephants and an Urn full of ashes. The latter was traced to Australia where the rellies asked they be scattered in the river.

Helen outlined the work done in habitat creation, bat boxes, wildflower planting and the surveying of aquatic plants and a sponge that lives in the Dean Village. Also electro fishing, where the fish are stunned, tagged and put back. She also mentioned their book on the Water Mills, for sale at £6.

Eddie Soutar thanked Helen, stating that it was She who must be obeyed, his wife Shirley Ann, as President of the Craiglockhart Ladies Guild who had suggested Helen as a speaker. He reminisced about playing Pooh Sticks at Kate's Mill, Colinton. Fred Ainslie, yes the Ghuru, was with John Galloway who owned Balerno Bank Paper Mills. There were strict controls over the effluent levels, which had to go into special sewers and not into the river.