A DUMBARTON-BASED charity is launching a new rowing club in conjunction with a three-day festival in town.

Alternatives, which offers a range of services to individuals and families affected by drugs, will be launching a boat club in June 2020 alongside the Dumbarton 2020 River Town Festival.

The boat club is aiming to restore a piece of history that has been missing from the area since the Second World War, when many of the local Coastal Rowing team members did not return from the conflict.

The idea of the new boat club came from the charity’s work with the Skylark IX Recovery Trust, a local charity which is restoring a Dunkirk Little Ship which ended up sinking in the mouth of the River Leven at Loch Lomond.

Andy Cochrane, client manager with Alternatives, said: “I am really looking forward to the launch of our new boat club, having agreed to be its first club captain. We are all getting quite excited about the prospect of getting our first skiff or two and getting onto the water.”

However, the prospective club is missing a waterside base to store their boats, oars, lifejackets, and other pieces of kit, so they are appealing to the community for help.

Currently, 20 young locals have expressed interest in being in a team which consists of four rowers and a coxswain for the club.

The new club will be open to all from West Dunbartonshire and based in Dumbarton.

The charity aims to field a team for the Castle to Crane race this September and are hoping to have two teams for the St Ayles Skiffs by the June festival.

The Dumbarton 2020 River Town Festival is suitable for all ages and will take place from June 4-7 to celebrate how water shaped the historic town of Dumbarton, from distilling to shipbuilding.

The festival is part of the Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters. A parade will take place in the town on Sunday, June 7, and will be themed around boats, our waters and Dumbarton’s maritime history.

Participants will be encouraged to dress-up as sailors, pirates, fish, sea creatures and any other characters associated with boats and water. A full programme for the festival will be announced in April.

Anyone who can help the team captain can contact steve.callaghan@eglingtounconsulting.com.

Alternatives is a charity supporting people back from chaos to wholeness, where their lives have been affected by substance dependency. It is very active in the community with a safe house project in Clydebank and also provides a range of safe and therapeutic work placements and other experiences to normalise life without the dependency of substances.

A DUMBARTON-BASED charity is seeking a waterside store as a boatshed for a new rowing club.

Charity Alternatives, which offers a range of services to individuals and families affected by drugs, will be launching a boat club in June 2020 as part of the Council’s Dumbarton 2020 River Town Festival.

However, the prospective club is missing a waterside base to store their boats, oars, lifejackets and other pieces of kits and from which its teams can get onto the water to practice.

The boat club initiative is aiming to put a piece of history back into West Dunbartonshire Council that has been missing since the Second World War when many of the local Coastal Rowing team members did not return from the conflict.

Andy Cochrane, client manager with Alternatives, said: “I am really looking forward to the launch of our new boat club, having agreed to be its first club captain. We are all getting quite excited about the prospect of getting our first skiff or two and getting onto the water.”

The new club will be open to all from West Dunbartonshire and based in Dumbarton.

The charity aims to field a team for the Castle to Crane race this September and are hoping to have two teams for the St Ayles Skiffs by the June festival.

The Dumbarton 2020 River Town Festival is suitable for all ages and will take place from June 4-7 to celebrate how water shaped the historic town of Dumbarton, from distilling to shipbuilding. A full programme for the festival will be announced in April.

However, the prospective club is missing a waterside base to store their boats, oars, lifejackets and other pieces of kits.

Currently, 20 young locals have expressed interest in being in a team which consists of four rowers and a coxswain for the club.

If you or anyone you know can help please contact steve.callaghan@eglingtounconsulting.com.

The idea of the new boat club came from the charity’s work with the Skylark IX Recovery Trust, a local charity which is restoring a Dunkirk Little Ship which ended up sinking in the mouth of the River Leven at Loch Lomond.

Alternatives is a charity supporting people back from chaos to wholeness, where their lives have been affected by substance dependency. It is very active in the community with a safe house project in Clydebank and also provides a range of safe and therapeutic work placements and other experiences to normalise life without the dependency of substances.