What would have been a costly addition to the farm has come to fruition with the generosity of the local community and many supporters of the Trust. Murton helps their local community through the delivery of their educational work, providing volunteering placements to young people and adults, delivering educational group visits to schools and support organisations, providing free and engaging holiday events and offering their farm and nature reserve for the enjoyment of their local community. However, over the last 12 months they have been overwhelmed by the support and help given to them by their existing volunteers and a significant number of local businesses and individuals, offering their personal time, expertise, products and donations. This project has all come together with the unwavering dedication of one particular volunteer, Kevin Dear and his wife, Brenda. Kevin’s gift of the gab, local contacts and determination ensured this project kept progressing and Murton now has a number of businesses and individuals they wish to thank for their contribution to the project.
Today marked the official opening of the zip wire with all the individuals and businesses that have shown their support invited to enjoy a cuppy, cake and of course a slide down the completed zip wire!
To get the project started in 2023, Well-Safe Solutions kindly introduced Kevin to Aberdeen Fabrication (A-Fab), Aberdeen who very generously produced detailed fabrication drawings and fabricated both zip wire frames. Bodrum Turkish Barbers, Forfar gave a donation towards the purchase of a zip wire kit. This was purchased from the Zip Wire Company that also provided a donation to the Trust. Transport company A and A Fowlie, Laurencekirk transported the frame from Aberdeen to Forfar ready for the next steps. Ritchie Agricultural Implements Ltd, Forfar arranged for the frame to be shotblasted at their Forfar factory and for it to be galvanised at Forfar Galvanisers Ltd. Following this step, local Forfar business High Voltage Maintenance Solutions (HVMS) stepped in to transport the steel to Murton ready for it to be erected. Terrible weather and flooding then plagued Angus from October until May this year, meaning the project had to be put on hold.
As our summer hit at the end of May, Murton was determined the zipe wire be in place for the summer holidays. The farm ground had begun to dry out and Kevin’s planning was able to bring everything together once again during June. Macari Hill Civil Engineering Ltd, Glenrothes enabled this final push to get started, providing heras fencing feet and clamps to ensure safety on the farm as building work began. Scanstone Potato Systems provided high-vis vests and hard hats for the work period. Young volunteers from Angus Young Carers broke ground cutting the turf for the eight frame holes. This was then followed by the staff and machinery of BGH Contracts Ltd, Forfar digging the 8 large holes required for the frame on site. Merchandisers from CCEP provided manpower during a company volunteering day, to piece together and erect the large metal frame. Waiting for yet another break in weather, Laird, Forfar then provided the concrete using their mobile concrete mixer, mixing the volumes Murton required as their volunteers filled each of the 8 holes. The final step fell to the young volunteers of Angus Young Carers to replace the turf and the all-important testing of the Zip Wire!
A number of individuals also need a special thank you – Kevin and Brenda Dear, Phil Milton, Glenn Tappenden, Lee Williams, Brian Hill, Craig Hill, Les Davidson, Heather Kilcoyne, Laura Bell, Les Davidson, Dave Tasker, Doug Robertson and Kevin the Concrete King.
Murton Trust is flying high thanks to their wonderful local community!
