Clyde Gift to Mark Tsunami Anniversary
The River Clyde has historically and economically connected the people of Glasgow to maritime communities around the world. To mark the first anniversary, on 26 December, of the devastating affect that the tsunami visited upon the fishing communities of Thailand and the rest of Southern Asia - GalGael, a group of Govan boat builders are sending one of their team members out to assist in the task of rebuilding the fishing fleet. Gary Donaldson, will take with him a toolkit of specialist boat building tools from Govan based community group the GalGael Trust as a gift from the people of Govan to the people of Southern Thailand.
This will be Mr.Donaldson's second visit to Cape Pakarang in southern Thailand, 10 miles north of Khao Lak, and the worst effected area of Thailand hit by the boxing day tsunami.
Mr. Donaldson learned boat building whilst working with GalGael's community boat building projects building traditional Shetland yawls. GalGael build and sail wooden boats in celebration of Scotland's heritage. These ventures provide a focal point around which a whole number of community benefits can unfurl including transformational learning opportunities that enrich people's lives and improve earning potential. Gary was surprised at just how transferable the skills he had learned were to the construction techniques of the traditional Thai boats. Gary enjoyed being of use in this most practical way and his Thai hosts loved how a Westerner had come to offer traditional skills in a very practical way, quite contrary to their perceptions that these skills had long died out in the West.
When he returns to the region in the New Year, he will take with him a toolkit of boat building tools as a gift from the people of Govan to the people of Cape Pakarang - offering exactly the kind of support that Thai fisherman are crying out for. They say they have been overwhelmed by the generosity of donations in response to the disaster but it is skilled boat builders and tools that are really needed.
One year on, it is still a huge task - to rebuild the fleet that was destroyed a year ago come Boxing Day. But this small contribution from the world renowned shipbuilding centre, the River Clyde comes from the heart at the season for giving.Cape Pakarang in southern thailand. its 10 miles north of Khao Lak, the worst effected area of Thailand hit by the boxing day tsunami.
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