Origins
The Seagull trust was formed on 21 November 1978 by The Reverend P. Hugh Mackay, MBE, PhD. Rev. Mackay was Minister of the Parish of Ratho on the Union Canal. He was a canal enthusiast who had learned about two other canal projects, one in England, run by Claire Hanmer, who converted a narrow boat for the service of disabled people on the Midland canals, and a project in Wales, the Sunshine Boat, run under the auspices of the Prince of Wales Trust.
From the project in Wales, Charles Quant drew attention to the Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council (IWAAC) of the realisation that his operation had a previously unforeseen secondary advantage of demonstrating that sections of the canal system regarded as "remainder" canals, were being used to good effect and as such his organisation now could fulfil a dual role of providing a service to disabled people and demonstrate the advantages of canal travel to the wider public.
As British Waterways at the time had no obligation to maintain remainder canals in navigable condition, this renewed use of the 'remainder' canal system became the early part of a movement which supported the continued existence of the canals.
Mr R.J. Hume OBE, was a friend of Rev. Mackay and a member of IWAAC. He brought the facts of these two projects to the attention of Rev. Mackay, and soon between them they formulated an idea of bringing a similar service to the Scottish Canal system.
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