Green-fingered volunteers add colour to central Elgin
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SUMMER flowering baskets have been hung around central Elgin thanks to staff from a utility company.
Gordon Sutherland, Sam Barnes and Steven Duncan from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) volunteered their time and equipment to support Elgin Business Improvement District (BID) with this year’s Green Elgin project.
As part of the company's Be the Difference programme, SSEN employees are encouraged to take a day away from their usual job and volunteer to help local charities and community projects of their choice.
Gill Neill, chief executive of Elgin BID, said the contribution was greatly appreciated.
She said: "The Elgin Hanging Basket project is being organised and funded by Elgin BID, the SPICE Group and Elgin Community Council.
"We introduced the baskets in 2018 with the help of the staff at SSEN and were delighted when they offered to help us again in 2019.
"We cannot thank the team enough, getting the baskets in place would have been a bit of a challenge and their support has made a huge difference.
"The baskets are part of a larger Elgin BID project to enhance the city centre.
"We recently had the street planters re-planted and a team have been out removing the low-level kerb side weeds across the Elgin BID area.
"All these activities are helping us show off the natural beauty of the city centre, we want visitors both local and from further afield to wander round Elgin and enjoy what they see.
"We couldn’t have managed to complete the Green Elgin project without the support of partners like SSEN."
Shona Horn, customer relationship manager for SSEN’s North Caledonia Region, said the company was delighted to be involved.
She said: "Our Be the Difference programme gives us a fantastic opportunity to give back to our communities all year round by volunteering our time and equipment to support local community groups across our region in the north east."
The programme has helped over 3000 community projects since its initial launch in 2010 with employees undertaking beach cleans, gardening, school presentations, event marshalling, painting, tree cutting, dog walking, sports coaching and participation in fundraising events.
