PEOPLE from around the world have helped to raise almost £70,000 to get the UK’s last built paddle ship sailing on Loch Lomond again. The campaign to fix the Maid of the Loch got under way on Friday October 27 with the aim of raising £125,000 in six weeks. The money will be used to buy and install a boiler.
Fundraisers were thrilled by a gift of £25,000 from Graeme Varley of Manchester. He was born in Greenock and spent his early childhood there. As a teenager in the early 1960s, Graeme used to sail on the Maid of the Loch and was inspired to support the campaign because of these happy memories.
The farthest and perhaps most historic donation came from Calgary, in Alberta, Canada. $5,500 CAD was given by members of the Humble family in memory of author, journalist and photographer Ben Humble MBE (1903-1977), who overcame deafness to become one of the pioneers of mountain rescue in Scotland. Ben’s books and countless articles covered every aspect of the Scottish outdoors and soon after the end of the Second World War he shared his life-long enthusiasm for the Clyde and Loch steamers with a popular series of guide books.