Community spirit thriving during Westray whiteout

Orkney’s communities are well known for rallying when there’s challenging spells – and this has never been more apparent than in Westray during the recent and ongoing whiteout.

While some other areas are returning to the more usual green, Westray remains largely under a blanket of snow and ice and it has been causing some issues.

For some time now all winter maintenance and emergency out of hours storm call outs on Westray have been covered by one man – Robert Rendall. This means that during the winter, Robert is on duty every week covering all necessary calls.

Robert also runs his own farm on the island, but his dedication to the roads team means that he really does go above and beyond to try and keep the priority routes clear and passable for residents. And this past week has seen the community effort bolstered by fellow farmers!

The Council’s Corporate Director of Neighbourhood Services and Infrastructure, Hayley Green, said: “It’s people like Robert that keep the service going, those that go the extra mile to ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently.

“Robert and many others cannot work from home and they cannot down tools at stopping time or during the night when emergency situations arise. Robert is a shining beacon of the ‘Operations’ side, typifying all that is good about the work the teams do.

“He’s been working tirelessly to keep the roads safe for everyone covering winter standby and gritting for a number of years, but we would really like to be able to share the winter load.

“We have not managed to recruit to a relief post to allow additional cover on the island and to give Robert a well-deserved break. It would be relief work and there’s a shift allowance on top of the hourly wage for any unsocial hours worked. You should hold a current driver’s licence which allows the operation of vehicles from a minimum of 8.25 tonnes gross weight.

“If you want to know more get in touch with Darren Bisby, Roads and Environmental Services Operations Manager by e-mail Darren.bisby@orkney.gov.uk or telephone (01856) 872311 ext. 224.

“Our sincere thanks must also go to those within the farming community who have helped out clearing the side roads or towing folk who have become stuck on the minor routes. This is another shining example of a community working together for the benefit of all.”

Westray’s Alison Drever summed up her recent wintry work experience as “the joys o’ care in the community and the benefits o’ a caring community”!

Alison is a social care worker with some 30 years’ experience, currently working for Crossroads Care and previously the Council - and she wasn’t going to let the snow and ice stop her from ensuring her clients were looked after.

But the conditions were very tricky on the smaller side roads throughout Westside and despite Alison’s best efforts, her vehicle ended up stuck in the compacted snow and ice.

“We’ve had a lot of snow in Westray and while the main roads are not too bad, the more outlying bits like some of the side roads in Westside are long, narrow, steep in parts and are notoriously difficult if there’s a lot of snow.

“I set off early one morning to visit one of my clients on Westside and ended up stuck not far from the house. I walked there, made sure all was ok and did what was needed. When it was time to go, I used two bags of ash from the coal fire to put under my wheels and managed to get turned and back out. There’s a steep hill to get up and I nearly made it but got stuck again.”

Alison, herself a pensioner, walked to the nearest farm of Gorn and waited as the farmers, Phillip and Kieran Bews, were due home shortly on the ferry. They arrived and were able to attach a rope between the tractor and car and tow her to safety.

“They said to me to let them know if I needed to be out again in Westside over the weekend and they would give me a lift. Then another Westside farmer Allan Pottinger of Tuquoy cleared that road on Saturday night in the middle of kye calfing which means l should now get up that road on Monday - what a week!

“The last time it was Colin Kirkness at Fribo that came to my rescue and towed my car out.”

Alison, who also works for the Scottish Ambulance Service and runs the Auk Club for senior citizens, says there was never any doubt in her mind that she was reach her clients – by whatever means necessary.

“I am indebted to the farmers though – so a big thank you to them for helping out.”