Our Mission

To sustainably regenerate Helensburgh’s Pier for the benefit of the community.

The Company’s Objects are

(a) To advance and promote the heritage and culture of the town of Helensburgh and the surrounding area by the restoration, preservation and enhancement of the C-Listed Helensburgh Pier (hereafter ‘the Pier’) as a site of special historic and architectural importance: and

(b) To advance and promote the provision of recreational facilities at the Pier for the benefit of the public generally and especially to improve the conditions of life of the people of Helensburgh and the surrounding area.

Who Are We?

William (Bill) Purdon, Director and Chair of Helensburgh Pier Company Ltd.
Business owner, consultant marine engineer and marine project manager. Bill studied in Aberdeen and Glasgow before spending 26 years at sea in the Merchant Navy, reaching the rank of Chief Engineer Officer at the age of 27. Taking up shore-based employment in Cyprus in 2003 and becoming a 49% owner of a ship management company in 2008. The company was sold in 2015 and Bill returned to Scotland, taking up residency in Helensburgh, where he started his own business and became a freelance consultant and project manager working on multimillion dollar global contracts. Bill has been Chairman of both the Cyprus and Scottish branches of the Institute of Marine Engineers Science and Technology (IMarEST).

John M Beveridge BSc, FREHIS, MBE, Director of The Helensburgh Pier Company Limited
Former Director, Environmental Protection and Leisure Services, Dumbarton District Council; Former Director, Scottish Environment Protection Agency. John was awarded Fellowship by the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland 1999, and awarded MBE 2024. He is Founder and former Chairman of the Loch Lomond Steamship Company, a charity set up to save the Loch Lomond paddle steamer Maid of the Loch, and also a Director and Trustee of Waverley Steam Navigation Company Limited.

Anne Foy, PhD, Director of The Helensburgh Pier Company Limited
Company Director. Anne gained her PhD in Scottish history in 2002 for research into international perceptions of Scottish identity, and has worked in publishing for over 25 years. She is a Director of Helensburgh & Lomond Cultural Centre Ltd, a nonprofit company dedicated to promoting Helensburgh and Lomond through the Destination Marketing Organisation ‘Destination Helensburgh’, where her role includes liaising with leisure and tourism stakeholders.

Graeme Phanco, Director of The Helensburgh Pier Company Limited
Retired Clinical Technologist. Graeme spent 35 years in the NHS working in Radiation Protection, latterly as a Healthcare Scientist Team Manager. He has been on the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society Scottish Branch Committee since 2017, serving as Chairman for the past three years.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following for permitting us to use material on this website: Waverley Excursions Ltd, Helensburgh Heritage Trust, Destination Helensburgh, The Estate of the late Patricia Drayton, Robin Smith, Tim Henderson.