After a couple of hectic days with royal visits in Edinburgh and in Galloway it was back to my programme of visits.
Arrived in Falkirk on my second last day of this, my final summer working programme, to torrential rain.
Thankfully the wet weather failed to dampen the spirits of the volunteers at the Forth Valley Sensory Centre.
I was delighted to meet some of the 100-plus users of the innovative facility during an hour-long tour.
I was mightily impressed by the huge range of services provided to people with sensory impairments by a number of agencies in one of the best examples of true partnership working I have ever seen.
I joined a number of blind and partially sighted people while they were training in the centre’s specially adapted IT centre – complete with four of the best behaved dogs (all guide dogs) I have ever come across.
Being shown the text type phones at the Sensory Centre
From there I went on to meet deaf youngsters who benefit from a range of equipment including vibrating and flashing alarm clocks, alarms and phones.
After a quick tour of a specially adapted kitchen, where there was not even enough time to sample the home bakes on offer, I was shown the centre’s ‘snozelene’ – a room designed to relax and calm users which is awash with bright but soothing lights and bubbling water. Relaxing video images of water, mountains and skies spin round the room which is strewn with huge comfy beanbags and chairs. The perfect spot after a tough session in the Chamber, I thought!
Then more than 50 people from volunteer groups attended my launch of the Scottish Parliament’s ‘Understanding and Influencing’ conference at the centre – the same event as in Perth on Monday.
Launching the Scottish Parliament’s ‘Understanding and Influencing’ conference at the centre
Then it was full steam ahead to my next stop….to meet some of the 300 or so volunteers who lovingly restore, maintain and form the Scottish Railway Preservation Society who run the Bo’ness to Kinneil Railway.
What a fascinating place it is. And one, I am sad to say, I had never visited before. My loss I say.
I felt as excited as a child when the volunteers gave me the honour of stepping up to the footplate to drive the D49 Class steam locomotive (the only one of its kind in existence).
It was dusty and exhausting work….and it was absolutely marvellous.
The sound of the whistle, smell of the burning coal and plumes of smoke took me back to my childhood when steam trains were the norm.
Riding on the footplate of the engine
The five-mile journey took us through some lovely green countryside from Bo’ness to Manuel. It was incredible watching the proud volunteers at work, their passion for their work was addictive.
I was treated to afternoon tea in one of the beautifully restored carriages which are more than 70 years old.
Volunteers then showed me around the workshops and exhibition galleries. It is home to locomotives, carriages and wagons from different periods of rail history. I was awestruck that the railway is run by volunteers – the work they all must put in to look after and run a rail service for tourists (up to 30 trips a week) is simply staggering.
The museum is the second biggest of its kind in the UK and it was great to hear visitor numbers are on the rise – with the railway now welcoming an average 70,000 people a year.
Exploring the Royal Mail carriage
I had great fun in a Royal Mail carriage where staff used to spend hours sorting through letters and parcels on trips between
Scotland and London. I was hugely impressed by all the volunteers efforts and am already planning on taking my grand children to the railway when they are next over from the USA to stay.
Only one day of the tour to go, another stop in Falkirk tomorrow.
