Heart of the Community: Cullen Sea School on the crest of a wave
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FROM a spark of an idea to maximise leisure use of Cullen Harbour to occupying a central place in the local community, Cullen Sea School (CSS) has come a long way in its few years of existence.
As the charity look to emerge from the pandemic and something approaching a normal summer season, Heart of the Community chats to CSS chairman Prof Ashley Mowat about the organisation's successes and the challenges which lie ahead.
Q. Describe Cullen Sea School in a sentence.
A. Cullen Sea School is a voluntary registered charity (SCIO42834) aiming to develop community awareness and enjoyment of our stunning coastline, to protect our local environment and to take best opportunity of what nature has gifted us.
Q. How long has the sea school been in existence?
A. The sea school was officially opened by HRH the Duke of Kent in October 2015. It was actually the very first project the Three Harbours Association – comprising Cullen, Findochty and Portknockie – put together to try and make the most of our local leisure harbours. First of all we had to identify a place where we could set up the sea school and the buildings which we're in now near Cullen Harbour looked like the best site. They were former boat stores owned by Moray Council and were lying derelict at the time. Thanks to a lot of money we have been able to transform them into the sea school with workshop facilities on the ground floor, a lift to the first floor with office, toilet and shower facilities, including disabled, and a kitchen/meeting room. When we started paddle sports were just becoming the rage and coastal rowing was taking off in popularity and we've been able to take advantage of and build upon these opportunities over the last few years.
Q. How big a team does the CSS have?
A. We have a full-time development officer (David McCubbin), a part-time co-ordinator (Melanie Newton), a sailing instructor (Angela Hunter), seasonal beach assistants, volunteer retired shipwrights and a personal membership giving additional volunteer help when called upon. The sea school has a board of trustees functioning under OSCR regulation and meets once a month.
Q. What is the main way you benefit people in your community?
A. Our aim is to encourage our communities and visitors of all ages to make full use of CSS facilities and the spectacular Cullen Bay by taking the opportunity to: Become involved in healthy watersports, paddleboarding, kayaking, dinghy sailing and coastal rowing; Join very successful instruction in traditional boat building which includes local school pupils; Log in to recurring educational programmes highlighting the attractions of our coastline; And to join safety courses specifically related to our involvement in sea water activities.
All of these activities are fully explained on our updated Cullen Sea School website which also allows online booking.
Q. What has been the sea school's biggest project to date?
A. The boatbuilding has been a major success for the sea school. We were lucky to have a series of retired local boatbuilders to get the project under way. Initially we had three – Bert Reid, Willie Henderson and Bill Dunbar. Sadly, Bill passed away and we're currently building a skiff in his memory. Bill served his time at the old Cullen boatyard which was blown away in the hurricane of 1953 and he donated his tools to the sea school.
We're now building skiff number seven and have another one on order. We've been asked by the Banffshire Lieutenancy to build a skiff in memory of the late Duke of Edinburgh.
Prior to Covid we had pupils from Buckie High spend time working on the boatbuilding; due to Covid regulations we've only got one at the moment but hopefully that'll soon change.
Q. How big an impact has Covid had on the sea school?
A. During the earlier stages of Covid we couldn't raise money in the way we normally would so we had to be pretty inventive. The boatbuilding became a lifeline for us. We had our first, Covid permitting, fundraiser recently in the form of a very successful coffee morning arranged and supported by the Banffshire Lieutenancy in the prestigious Seafield Arms Hotel; and we are planning to welcome back the Cullen Harbour Gala this August. This is a major fund-raising event for the sea school.
We're desperate to get the schools back involved. Prior to the pandemic we had Buckie High in doing paddle sports and boatbuilding and Keith Grammar School who came to do some rowing.
We've been very fortunate to receive funding which has allowed us to employ Dave McCubbin as our development officer which will drive us forward to the next phase. Basically, we're looking after to up steam again after the last two years of Covid.
Q. What does community mean to Cullen Sea School? Tell us a bit more about the community you serve?
A. Community means caring for all, seeking the best opportunity for all to thrive, be happy and safe and especially for the less fortunate in our society.
The demography of our society has changed significantly over the past 60 years with the demise of the previously thriving fishing industry and resultant failing local economy with fewer employment opportunities and an ageing population, fewer shops shops and hotels and increasing number of holiday homes.
We desperately need to attract and retain families, to provide employment for school leavers and do all we can to promote vital tourism. Sadly, these difficulties are not unique to us, but we believe Cullen Sea School can make a significant contribution to these aspirations by continued collaboration with other local groups, regional and national organisations as well as local authorities.
Q. What's the biggest challenge Cullen Sea School faces right now and in the future?
A. Our biggest immediate and medium term challenges are recovering from the ravages of the Covid pandemic and, perhaps even longer term, the the effects of Brexit. The EU was an important source of funding for charities such as ours, so it's a classical double whammy.
These, and the negative impact of climate change on our local economy and the shrinking of north-east offshore oil and gas industry, are imponderable out of our control.
So far we are coping well but, as with all other charities, the on-going aim has to be adaptability and community collaboration to ensure long-term, mostly self-funding, sustainability.
Professor Mowat noted that bringing younger folk on board was key to the future of the sea school.
He added: "There's no doubt about it, getting youngster on board is a huge priority, it's the lifeblood of our future.
"Getting them involved with the likes of the boatbuilding gives them ownership of it.
"Whatever the future holds, we've certainly come a long way since 2015."
