We would like Glencairn to take part in the NITHRAID on 15 August 2026. This annual festival is a celebration of the River Nith – its history, geography and wildlife; past, present and future. Boats race upriver from Glencaple to Mill Green in Dumfries, where they are met by the ‘Salty Coo’.

We are looking for volunteers to help us design and make a banner to represent Glencairn, so that we can take part in the procession of the Salty Coo from Dumfries Town Centre to Mill Green.

We want to use mostly-upcycled fabrics (some sourced from the Hive) to create a ‘trade union style’ banner to highlight our place in the Nith catchment.

We will be holding two guided walks with Moniaive’s Antoine Lemaire. On 11th July we will be learning about bioluminescence and on 18th July we will learn how to ‘Read the River’. These aim to teach us a little bit more about our rivers, to give us ideas of some of the local features we could include on the banner.

Then we will start creating a textile banner during four hands-on sessions, supported by textile artist Elizabeth Stephenson. These sessions will take place on 

Tuesday 14th July, 7-9pm

Thursday 16th July, 2-4pm

Tuesday 21st July, 7-9pm

Thursday 23rd July, 2-4pm

We will provide everything needed to enable the group to create a banner to represent Moniaive.

You don’t need to commit to all of the sessions – we are happy to include volunteers who can only make one or two sessions. So if you have a bit of time free in July, enjoy nature and drawing or sewing / textiles, then this could be the project for you!

If you are interested in joining us, please drop us a line at

moniaiveinitiative@gmail.com

We will put you on our emailing list so you get all the details once our sessions are finalised.