Four inspirational charities that provide vital support to people and families have received a funding boost of almost £100,000 thanks to ScottishPower and its commitment to a green energy future.
The monies for the four charities – Cancer Research UK (CRUK), CHAS (Children’s Hospices Across Scotland) – Rachel House, Shiresmill Therapy Riding Centre, and Strathcarron Hospice – were raised from the sale of vehicles and equipment previously used at Longannet Power Station.
Beginning generation in 1970, Longannet was the largest coal fired power station in Europe when first built and remained Scotland's largest coal-fired power station until ScottishPower closed it in March 2016, leading the way towards a cleaner and greener future for us all.
The Longannet equipment sold at auction included:
- Trailers used to transfer coal
- Water bowsers used to dampen down roads
- Tractors used for the likes of grass cutting and transporting fuel
- Tow truck used to move items around.
In total, 15 individual items were sold, raising a total of £91,563.75.
CRUK, ScottishPower’s nominated charity partner, receives 50% of the money raised (£45,781.88), while the three other charities – selected by the team who have been working on the demolition, clearance and restoration of the Longannet and Valleyfield sites – each receive £15,260.62.
A John Deere Gator Utility Vehicle – which was recently used during the capping and restoration of the Valleyfield Ash Lagoons – has also been donated to Shiresmill Therapy Riding Centre, where it will be used in the day-to-day activities required in the care of the animals at the centre.
Lorne McCulloch from ScottishPower said: “It’s fantastic to see these pieces of kit getting a new lease of life in a way that lets us further extend the reach of Longannet’s legacy by supporting the vital work of these incredible charities – all of which make a huge difference for people and families. We’re proud and humbled that we’re able to support their efforts and provide a much-needed funding boost, especially at this time of the year.”
Eve Mitchell, Head of Partnerships, Cancer Research UK, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this donation. ScottishPower has been a close partner of ours for over a decade now, and it’s through generous donations such as these, along with the ongoing support from ScottishPower customers, employees and suppliers, that we can bring about a world where everybody can lead longer, better lives free from the fear of cancer. We are proud to have ScottishPower by our side.”
Rebecca Addison, Senior Corporate Partnerships Executive at CHAS said: “I’d like to thank the ScottishPower team on behalf of CHAS for this incredibly generous donation. As a charity, we want to ensure that we can be there to support children with life-shortening conditions and their families wherever and whenever they need us, whether that be at home or in our hospices such as Rachel House and the wonderful support from ScottishPower will go a long way towards helping us achieve this aim.”
Lynda Milne, Secretary of Shiresmill, said: “We can’t thank ScottishPower enough for its very generous donation and the John Deere Gator. One of our ponies is being retired due to mobility problems, so we’ll use some of the money to buy a new pony. The bulk of the donation will go towards a new cabin with good disabled toilet facilities and an office. Our maintenance team are excited about the Gator as this will be a great help when clearing our fields, carrying tools and materials around our site for fence repairs.”
Jackie Johnson, Fundraising Manager, Strathcarron Hospice, said: “We are incredibly grateful to ScottishPower for this generous donation to Strathcarron Hospice. This sum will help pay for a full day of specialist Hospice Care, which is wonderful. We also love that the organisation recycled their old equipment and vehicles previously used at Longannet Power Station via auction to raise this sum, as it's not just the more sustainable solution, by doing so they are keeping your local Hospice services running.”