A HARDY team of Rabbies' coach drivers and colleagues have completed two days of hard graft in Staffin.
Resilient Rabbies’ drivers and office staff made a big impact working on the new Staffin Harbour sea defences, painting the community hall and completing a clear up of the local war memorial.
The 13 staff, most of whom live in Edinburgh and Glasgow, all volunteered for the community works in Staffin where the company are a regular sight on the roads with their distinctive white coaches, as their passengers visit locations like the Quiraing, Kilt Rock, An Corran and Lealt Gorge.
It is the seventh year of a successful partnership between Staffin Community Trust (SCT) and Rabbie’s, which started with footpath construction work back in March 2017.
This year was a change of tack from paths, and the impact of the staff’s efforts was felt right across the community. The volunteer-led SCT purchased Staffin Harbour earlier this year, and the Rabbies’ team spent a day ‘plugging’ the new rock armour defences with smaller boulders and hauling gravel material to the water supply site.
Despite being exhausted after a hard day at the harbour, the team dusted themselves down the following morning. Half of the volunteers painted the interior of the popular Talla Stafainn venue and the rest were busy pruning back trees and shrubs, weeding and ditching at the Staffin War Memorial garden. many thanks to the Columba 1400 Centre for feeding the team with soup and sandwiches on both days.
Staffin Harbour manager Lachie Gillies hailed the efforts of the determined volunteers. “We’re very thankful to the Rabbies’ team who braved the elements to undertake plugging the rock armour surrounding our harbour’s new hardstanding extension,” he said. “This is an important procedure which involves filling the gaps between the larger rocks with suitable stone and helps protect the hardstanding from the power of the sea which could eventually cause erosion.
“All the shovelling and barrowing of gravel to our spring water supply was a big help to us as well.”
Fiona Cruickshank, Staffin Community Hall committee member, said: “On behalf of the committee we’d like to extend our thanks to the Rabbies’ crew who gave the Talla a fresh coat of paint, a job that has been on the to do list for quite some time, so it’s great to get it done.
“As a volunteer committee we’re delighted to have been given the opportunity, through Staffin Trust, of some additional assistance from Rabbie’s. The hall is ready for its pre-Christmas events that we hope to see lots of locals attending over the next couple of weeks.”
Kevin McKell, Rabbies’ driver guide, said: “The whole Rabbie's team thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and felt proud knowing that we were putting something back in to an area where we have a significant presence and footprint. We learned a lot from Staffin Community Trust about their work, the local history, and about the joys and challenges of living in such a beautiful place.”
Before & After pictures of the Staffin War Memorial garden
- Rabbie’s have been delivering coach group tours in Scotland for more than 30 years. www.rabbies.com/en