Press & Media
Press Release 16th August 2011
£100,000 RIVERMAN APPEAL LAUNCHED IN GLASGOW
AS LIFE-SAVING CHARITY CELEBRATES ITS 221st BIRTHDAY
The world’s first practical life-saving charity and one of Scotland’s
oldest charities – the Glasgow Humane Society – celebrated its 221st
birthday today (16th August) with the launch of a fundraising appeal
in George Square, Glasgow.
The “Riverman Appeal” aims to raise £100,000 from the public
and local businesses to purchase a new patrol lifeboat and support
vehicle and new life-saving equipment to continue its vital work on
the River Clyde and the city’s waterways.
Launching the appeal, Glasgow’s Lord Provost Bob Winter said:
“The Glasgow Humane Society is an important and well-loved society
to which thousands owe their lives.
“We owe a big debt of gratitude to the the Society’s officers and
the volunteer lifeguards who patrol the River Clyde and our city’s
waterways seven days a week to make them safer for all of us
“Over the last ten years the Society has saved the lives of 201 people
and prevented a further 611 from drowning
“So it is with a great sense of pride and purpose that we launch
the Riverman Appeal today on the Society’s 221st birthday. I hope
the people of Glasgow and the business community will respond
generously to raise the £100,000 to replace and upgrade the Society’s
life-saving equipment”
Supporting the Lord Provost at the launch was actress Blythe Duff,
Detective Inspector Jackie Reid in STV’s Taggart and actor Tom
Urie, “Big Bob” in the BBC River City drama - both programmes
feature the city and the Clyde.
Donations to the Riverman Appeal can be made by text to
70070 quoting RIVE16 and the amount you wish to donate (for
example RIVE16£5) or by paypal through the charity’s website
www.glasgowhumnanesociety.com or by cheque or postal order to
the Glasgow Humane Society, Glasgow Green, Glasgow G40 1BA
Society Chairman John Park said: “This is our first-ever appeal
to raise money. We need the £100,000 for much-needed new
equipment so we can continue in the years ahead our life-saving
work, search and recovery on the River Clyde.
‘Now in its third century, the Glasgow Humane Society has still a
big role to play in making the city’s river and waterways safer and
prevent water accidents.
“We are an ever-present voluntary resource to the statutory
emergency services and always on hand for the hundreds of sports
and boat users on the Clyde each week and the many thousands who
use the waterway walkways”
The Glasgow Humane Society was set up in 1790 with a £200 legacy
from local merchant James Coulter for the “prevention, rescue and
recovery” of people on the Clyde and the city’s waterways. Then
drownings in the Clyde were much more commonplace than today.
Over the years the Society’s officers – affectionately known as “the
Riverman” - and lifeguard volunteers have saved thousands of lives.
In the last hundred or so years, the Society has had only three senior
officers – George Geddes 2nd (serving from 1889 – 1932) Benjamin
Parsonage (1928 – 1979) and his son George
Parsonage (1979 – till present day). They have passed down the
generations their life-saving and rescue knowledge of the river and
the city’s waterways.
Benjamin Parsonage and the Society are recognized in a special
display on the ground floor of the newly opened Riverside Museum
on the Clyde. It features “the Bennie”, a river rescue rowing boat
designed by Benjamin that would not capsize when rescuing or
recovering someone from the water.
George Parsonage, the current Society officer, started at 14 years of
age saving lives on the Clyde with father Benjamin. He has saved
over 1500 people and recovered over 500 bodies. His rescue
work on the Clyde and other waterways has been nationally and
internationally recognized.
He is assisted in the work by assistant officer Antony Coia, appointed
in 2006 and a team of over 30 volunteer lifeguards.
Today the Society continues to patrol the city’s waterways daily and
is active in preventing water accidents, through fencing, lifebelts,
maintenance of lifebuoys, and its school and educational work.
The Society’s officers undertake the gruesome task of recovering
bodies – bringing some comfort to bereaved relatives
The Society is also called on to assist at times of flooding. It was
called into action during the Bearsden flooding some years ago and
the Glasgow East End floods of 2002
The Society works closely and in partnership with the statutory
agencies, Glasgow City Council, and other councils around Glasgow,
Strathclyde Police, the Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service and the
Ambulance Service.
The Glasgow Humane Society is a registered Scottish Charity, number
SCOO1178.
Further media enquiries to:
rivermanappeal (at) yahoo.co.uk
issued by the City Council on behalf of Glasgow Humane Society
Catriona Watt City Council Media Officer 0141 287 3922