North-east substation workers answer call for help to refurbish Bothie in Kintore

SSEN Transmission team members helped The Bothie make improvements to their community space.

By Chris Cromar

September 4 2023, 2:35 pm

SSEN Transmission staff with local community volunteers outside The Bothie ahead of the clear-up. Image: SSE Transmission.

Employees of an electricity company working on a new substation in the north-east have answered a call for help from a youth community project.

SSEN Transmission team members, who are involved in the infrastructure project near Kintore, helped The Bothie – a community run organisation for young people in the town – after they issued an appeal for volunteers to help with a clear-up mission.

It comes after the organisation was recently awarded funding for new brickwork around the exterior of the building.

People picking up debris. — The volunteers removed debris from the front of The Bothie. Image: SSEN Transmission.

A team of five volunteers from SSEN Transmission soon sprung into action to spruce up the exterior of the community space.

The volunteers brought along rakes, litter pickers and shovels to help with the clear-up and once work was complete, they donated all tools to The Bothie.

It is part of SSEN Transmission’s “Be The Difference” days – which the firm encourages all staff to take part in – and allows employees a paid days leave to support a cause or charity which is important to them.

‘Positive impact’

SSEN Transmission project manager, Cris MacDonald said: “As guests in the area, it is really important to us that we try and have a positive impact on the local community, so we are always looking for ways we can support and get involved.

“We heard that the team at The Bothie could do with some much needed people power to progress with the clear-up and removal of old cladding from around the building, so we sprang into action.

“The team were really keen to provide their support and volunteer their time – most of the team have been working on the project since it kicked off in 2021 – and everyone in the team was keen to give back to the community.”

Outside of The Bothie. — The Bothie is located in Kintore.

Action Kintore chairman, Brian Johnstone added: “The support from the SSEN Transmission Kintore project team is so much appreciated, it helped our own volunteers to progress the project end quickly.

“It is so humbling to have local companies and their staff support our youth project this way, further confirming the regular commitment by SSEN Transmission in continuing to support our local community projects.”