OREANDA-NEWS. April 15, 2015. The village of Ardgay in the Highlands of Scotland is blooming beautiful this spring thanks to some painting and planting carried out by a team from Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHE Transmission).

Owen Conlon, Barry MacKenzie and Steven Laurenson are more used to working on Major Transmission Projects in the north of Scotland than planters, but with the help of SSE colleagues Fiona and Crystal Morrison and the members of the Ardgay Community Council, the team were turned from willing hands to green-fingered gardeners.

Ardgay and District Community Council Chair, David Hannah had approached SSE when he and other Community Council representatives had heard about the company’s ‘Be the Difference’ scheme that enables employees to take a day away from their usual roles to help with community projects, charity work and other good causes.

“The existing planters were falling apart due to age, and wear and tear,” said Fiona, who organised the team. “Although the Community Council had managed to source some new planters, they needed help in painting, and transferring the soil, bulbs and plants across from the old planters to the new and that’s where we came in.”

David explains how the team’s ‘Be the Difference’ day has given the area a spruce up for spring: “Ardgay Community are really grateful for the help given by the team who made us all smile when they came to 'tart' us up and ‘Be a Difference’ after the long winter.  

“I have had many positive comments about how nice and bright the main street, toilets and War Memorial look with the new planters. It was a hard day for those not used to it and much appreciated.”

As well as pride in their new planters, the team were rewarded for a job well done with tea and cakes provided by the Ardgay Highland Stores and Caf?.