A big-hearted gesture to help out Macaulay College

Staff at Breedon's volunteered their services to ensure Macaulay College for the road upgrade they desired.

Breedon Hebrides – who operate Bennadrove quarry near Stornoway – have proved good neighbours to nearby Macaulay College which caters for adults with special needs.

Their input and other recent acts of goodwill have reflected the high reputation which Macaulay College has developed for its vital role in the island community.

As Macaulay Farm, home to the college, expanded, road accesses to buildings have proved increasingly difficult to navigate, requiring investment which would provide safe access to all parts of the farm.

Progress was made through funding from Greenspace, a national initiative to enhance outdoor spaces, and also fees from Macaulay College’s role as local partner in the Remembering Together project to create memorials to the Covid epidemic.

Jo-Ann Smith of Macaulay College said: “We received a quote from Breedon for work that is vital for the safety of students to improve the whole access road at the farm. Greenspace were happy to pay for material to improve the area in front of the buildings but we did not have the finances to pay for the whole road.

“With the huge increase in all costs lately there was no way we could afford anything but the immediate access in front of the buildings. We explained this to Breedon and within days John Macleod, their general manager, got back to us with an amazing message”.

It said: ‘We have had a chat around the staff here at Breedon and are keen to support Macaulay College on these access upgrade works. Therefore through a combination of volunteering from our staff and donation of materials from Breedon we will provide the remainder of all the works that were quoted free of charge’.”

Jo-ann said: “We are absolutely astounded by the generosity of Breedon. They have gone above and beyond what we could have ever hoped for. We now have an amazing access road that is safe and smooth to walk on and a tarred access to the timber buildings which means that a wheelchair user could access the whole farm road and most of the activities that the different areas offer.

“This is more than we could ever have dreamed of and wish we could name all the people who made this happen. Not only have they completed these life-changing works for the College, they have supplied each student and staff member with our own high-viz jackets with our Macaulay College logo on them.

“We want to extend a huge thanks to the whole team at Breedon and to John Macleod for putting all this in place”.

In another piece of uplifting news for Macaulay College, Duncan MacKay & Sons Ltd have selected it for their new charitable initiative which will involve branding one of their items of heavy plant and benefiting from a portion of its hourly earnings for a year.

Jo-Ann said: “We are incredibly thankful to these extremely kind businesses and also for a very generous donation from Hebridean Housing Partnership. The students were delighted to say thank you in person and to gift all of them some of our jams and chutneys as a small token of our gratitude”.