SSEN Transmission engineers working on the Port Ann to Crossaig overhead line project have swapped tools for a number of community improvement initiatives in Mid-Argyll.

As the Port Ann to Crossaig Overhead line project heads towards completion, members of SSEN Transmission's project team joined volunteers from their delivery partners, Balfour Beatty and Scottish Woodlands, to install a new sandpit at a popular outdoor nursery in Lochgilphead, helped spruce up the main living space at a residential home in Ardrishaig, with some individuals also spending a day volunteering at local primary schools in their area to help with various initiatives.

In May, project volunteers spent a day installing a brand-new sandpit for nursery children at MAKI Pups Outdoor Nursery, run by the Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust. The popular nursery involves full time outdoor learning across various spaces in Kilmoray Gardens in Lochgilphead.

The team of 10 volunteers worked to measure and excavate a level area for the new sandpit, which spans around 12 square meters. SSEN Transmission and their deliver partners donated materials to form a wooden perimeter to house the sand pit, with 10 tonnes of play sand then placed to form the new sand pit before landscaping with four tonnes of soft wood bark to help create a safe border for the new facility.

The new sandpit has already proved popular with the nursery pupils, who are thrilled to have a new outdoor area to play and learn in.

Erin Kennedy, MAKI Pups Outdoor Nursery Manager, said: "The sandpit and barked areas have been a very welcome addition to our outdoor nursery. The staff have already began using the spaces with the children in a way that just wasn't possible before.

"The sandpit is hugely popular with the children who all spend at least some part of their day in it. In fact, there are some who would happily spend all day there looking for buried treasure and dinosaur bones!

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"On behalf of myself, the MAKI Pups Team and the children we would like to say a huge thank you to all involved."

Not only have the project team been helping the outdoor nursery, but a team of seven SSEN Transmission volunteers also reached out to Ardfenaig Residential Home in Ardrishaig to see if they could offer some people-power to help spruce up the facility, who were delighted with the offer of help. The team set to work with repainting the main public room in the facility, freshening up the popular space in the residential home to give it a warm and fresh feel for visitors and residents.

Nan Anderson, Care Home Manager at Ardfenaig Residential Home, said: "On behalf of the residents and staff of Ardfenaig we would like to thank SSEN Transmission for volunteering their time to help brighten up our living room. We have enlisted the help of local painters and decorators to carry on the work and are delighted to see all of our spaces coming together. Thank you for the additional paint and for the company of your friendly team."

SSEN Transmission Project Manager Peter Brum 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 MAKI Pups and Ardfenaig Residential Home could do with some much-needed people-power to progress a few initiatives, so we sprang into action.

"The project 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.

"We're delighted that the nursery pupils are enjoying their new playground, and the new look public room at Ardfenaig Residential Home has really helped to lift the place and create a welcoming feel for the residents and visitors alike."

SSEN Transmission encourages all staff to take part in 'Be The Difference' days, where they can take a paid days leave to support a cause or charity which is important to them. The Port Ann to Crossaig project's Site Supervisor, Paul Munn, did just that – he used his Be The Difference Day to help out the local primary school in his area at a local youth football tournament in Ardrossan, putting his SFA coaching badges and experience at coaching local grassroots football into action. He supervised and coached the pupil team from St Peter's Primary School in Ardrossan so that they could attend the local school tournament, after their usual coach was unable to help.

Project Manager Peter Brum continued: "I'm pleased the team have been able to use their Be The Difference day to help out in their communities and make a positive contribution in their area, as well as here in Argyll.

"As we enter the final stages of construction for this project, we'll continue to keep the local community and stakeholders informed of our progress and thank them for their patience while we complete the Port Ann to Crossaig overhead line."

The Port Ann to Crossaig project is the second phase in the wider Inveraray to Crossaig powerline upgrade, with the first phase – Inveraray to Port Ann – energised in July 2021.

The new powerline will replace the existing infrastructure in the area, which was originally built in the 1950s and is now reaching the end of its operating life. The new replacement powerline will provide a new robust and reliable transmission network across the region and is one of the most significant electricity network investment in the region in decades.

Once complete, the powerline will operate at 132kV with the capacity to be upgraded to 275kV in the future.

The Port Ann to Crossaig overhead line is on track to energise this summer.