A survivor of Piper Alpha and the daughter of one of the 167 victims of the 1988 disaster have backed a new Monopoly game, which will be unveiled later this month to raise money for the Pound for Piper charity.
And they and the manufacturers of the initiative have insisted there was never any intention to trivialise the world’s worst offshore disaster in July, 1988.
Aberdeen-based firm C Growth has confirmed that up to 2,000 board games will be delivered to customers later this month, with all the profits from the venture going to the PfP charity.
The first images of what the board game will look like have also been revealed to the Press and Journal.
The company behind the fundraising initiative suffered some negative publicity when the idea was first mooted earlier this year, but director, Kenny Dooley, delivered a positive message yesterday.
He said: “We have spent a lot of time on this project and we want to make sure it achieves as much money as possible for charity.
“We were looking for a way to increase the funds raised for PfP and came up with the idea of an oil and gas Monopoly board with all the proceeds going directly to the charity via the JustGiving page.
“With the support and generosity of the companies on the board, we hope the sale of the limited edition boards will raise over £60,000, a contribution which will make a significant difference.”
Mr Dooley added: “For clarity, the oil and gas board is just like any other Monopoly board, but all the proceeds will go to the gardens.
“This is not a game based around what happened around Piper Alpha. It never was. Instead, it is a game which will raise funds for the charity which does such good work.
“It takes 18 weeks to produce the boards and, as things stand, we are aiming to have the items ready for the second half of July.
“We set up a JustGiving page at the outset and the whole objective is to do as good a job as we can for Pound for Piper.
“We will also be unveiling a large scale, 23ft x 23ft, version of the game at Aberdeen’s Union Square on the weekend of July 7 and 8 and I am expecting that to attract crowds and attention.”
Steve Rae was one of the few people to survive the tragedy and has subsequently become a trustee of Pound for Piper, which has overseen the creation of a memorial garden in Hazlehead Park.
He said yesterday it was important to remember those who perished 30 years ago.
But he added that, in his opinion, this would be best achieved by ensuring the lessons of Piper Alpha were never forgotten.
Mr Rae added: “We are very appreciative of the efforts of C Growth and I know that Kenny and his staff are working hard to make sure the board game is a success.
“This is a good way for the oil and gas industry to help get involved in the fundraising for the memorial and it is good to see so many companies have supported the Monopoly game and have put their name to it.”
Teresa Connor, who lost her father, Stanley Sangster, in the Piper Alpha catastrophe, said she was whole-heartedly in favour of the boards being sold.
She added: “I think it is fabulous what Kenny has done to help raise funds to maintain the gardens, with all the proceeds going to Pound for Piper.
“I know it is not going to please everyone, but I think that is because some people are only focusing on the fact it is a game.
“Personally, whether it is a Monopoly game, a music function such as the soul event at the Beach Ballroom on July 7 or a charity sports initiative, this is about raising money to help keep the monument and the gardens in tiptop shape.
“I am proud that I have helped in a small way by purchasing one of the boards. To me, owning the board is no different to playing a round of golf to win a cup in memory of the men who died on Piper Alpha.”
Further information about the boards is available from kenny@cgrowth.co.uk.
