Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Cleansing DSO Employees Sweep Awards

Photographs show Donald MacSween and Peter MacDonald, employees of the Comhairle Cleansing DSO in the Uists, who came away with three trophies at the Drystone Walling competition at the local Agricultural Show.

Over the last few years they been involved in several walling projects undertaken at Comhairle cemeteries in Uist. While undertaking this work they have also been participating in a Drystone Walling Association of Great Britain training programme which involves continuous assessment of their walling skills by an independent examiner. Both Donald and Peter have now come through their Initial, Intermediate and Advanced Certificate stages to take them within one step of the top grade of Master Craftsman which they would like to achieve in due course.

Their good work is often entered in the Drystone Walling competition section of the local Agricultural Show and this year they came away with three trophies - the MacAulay Askernish Cup for the best stone feature (two sections of wall built on a 35 degree slope), the MacIain Quaich for the best Community/Township project and the NR Stonecraft Cup for the Best Overall Craftsmanship.

This year's awards are for work incorporated in the recently completed Kilmuir Cemetery project in North Uist where some 260metres of walling has been erected over the last couple of years. Previous projects included 258 metres of walling around the new cemetery at Nunton, Benbecula and 100metres of walling around the extension to the older cemetery at Nunton.

ENDS

Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 01851 706412 (Home)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk