Aberdeenshire based offshore services business, OEG Offshore UK Ltd, has donated a container to the environmental charity, the Bailies of Bennachie, after their previous one was damaged during storm Arwen.
The Bailies work parties usually spend hundreds of hours on the hill maintaining footpaths, improving drainage, re'building dykes and cutting back vegetation. In the last couple of years this has been halted by the COVID pandemic and the storms last autumn.
Now the Bennachie Visitor's Centre and car park has re'opened, the work parties are set to resume. However, fallen trees on the Bailies container has caused irreparable damage making it impossible to use.
Operations Director at OEG Offshore UK Ltd., David Hunter said:
“We were sorry to hear of the damage to the container and wanted to help the Bailies continue their excellent work on the hill. I am delighted that we have been able to provide a new container and deliver it to the site so it can be put to good use right away.”
The chair of the Bailies, Peter Stock commented:
“The Bailies of Bennachie is grateful to OEG, a global provider of topside and subsea services to the offshore energy industry, for stepping forward and helping. It is great for a community charity to have this support which will enable us to get back out on the hill and help provide sustainable access for all the people who use the paths.”
“Contents from the old container will be transferred to the new one over coming weeks; in parallel with the ramp up of work party efforts on the hill to catch up on the significant backlog of work needing to be done.”
“We are looking for new volunteers to join our work parties and would like to hear from anyone who is willing to spend some time maintaining paths on Bennachie. If you would like to know more, please email: workparties@bailiesofbennachie.co.uk”
[Pictured L to R: David Hunter, OEG Offshore UK Ltd.'s Operations Director and Peter Stock, Chair of Bailies of Bennachie.]