The Society was saddened with the news that our President, Donald Mackinnon had died on 28 September 2009 while attending to family business in Germany.

Donald was a founder member of the Society when it was formed in 1980 and was a stalwart in the campaign to bring the canal back to life. He was involved in the conversion of the Ferry Queen from an old Clyde passenger ferry into a canal trip boat and worked tirelessly on other activities, wielding a hammer or a shovel , a welding torch or a paint brush. Never happier than at the helm of one of the Society's boats, he organised or participated in numerous events and was comfortable in overalls on a work party or in a suit attending meetings or giving talks, spreading the message to politicians or the wider public.

A keen sportsman in his younger days, Donald played rugby, put the shot, boxed and wrestled and this aspect of his life found an outlet on the canals when he took part in inflatable boat races known as the Drambuie Marathons. As part of a two-man team he won the event twice on the Lowland Canals and once on the Caledonian Canal.

He was in the Army, the Gordon Highlanders, during the Berlin Airlift. After that he worked in shipyards as a welder and took his metalworking skills into education where he became head of the Fabrication Department at Springburn College. But the campaign to reopen the canals became his abiding passion, and he lived to see the dream come true.

Donald maintained his commitment to the cause after the canal was reopened and played a big part in fund-raising for the Society's newest vessel, Voyager, but a life lived to the full had started to catch up with him. He had been ill and was recovering from surgery when he travelled to Germany. He would have been 80years old in November 2009.

Guthrie Hutton, V/President