Charity in Peterhead has received an “incredible” donation

A mental health charity in Peterhead has received an “incredible” donation from an offshore wind farm, after its life-changing work was highlighted by a local worker.

A mental health charity in Peterhead has received an “incredible” donation from an offshore wind farm, after its life-changing work was highlighted by a local worker.
Men United is the first beneficiary of an initiative run by Muir Mhòr Offshore Wind Farm designed to encourage the highest possible safety standards in offshore wind.

The charity was nominated to receive £1,000 by Allan Stephen of Peterhead Fieldweld Services, who praised the “great work” it is doing in the local area.

The worker was asked to choose a local charity to receive the sum after he won the first round of a safety initiative being run by Muir Mhòr called ‘See it, share it, support it’ for the duration of its marine growth campaign.

The initiative is designed to foster a culture of care in offshore wind, by encouraging people working on the pioneering floating offshore wind farm to fill out observation cards every time they spot a hazard or good practice.

After Allan’s card was selected at random, he gave his £1,000 to Men United, praising “the great work that they have been doing in Peterhead supporting local men”.
The charity was established to challenge the stigma that surrounds men’s mental health, and runs support groups, mentoring services and motivational workshops.  
 
Future rounds of the Muir Mhòr safety initiative will result in a total of £4,000 going to local charities as the marine growth campaign progresses.
The charities and community groups that nominees can select from were provided by Buchan Development Partnership, an independent, community-led charity working with communities across Buchan.
Muir Mhòr is one of the world’s first commercial-scale floating offshore wind projects, on track to be built off the Aberdeenshire coast, approximately 63km from Peterhead.

Once operational, the wind farm will be able to generate up to 1GW of clean power, enough to provide electricity for the equivalent of up to 1.2 million homes every year. 
The project is set to start generating clean and renewable power in the early 2030s, bringing huge economic benefits to Aberdeenshire in the process.

These include the creation of a significant number of jobs during its construction, operation and maintenance phases, and a supply chain contributing millions of pounds to the region’s economy.
A community benefit fund will also be established, developed in partnership with local communities and focusing on their priorities.
 
David Hinshelwood, project director for Muir Mhòr Offshore Wind Farm, said: 
“The work being done by Men United in Peterhead is extremely important, and we are delighted that Allan decided to nominate it as his local charity of choice.
“As we deliver our pioneering project, our aim is to achieve a world-class health and safety performance, and this safety initiative is designed to help us do that.

“Every safety observation submitted by a staff member will not only help protect the team working on the project, but could also end up supporting a local charitable cause.
“We all need to work together to prevent incidents before they happen, and by encouraging people to speak up, we can make the offshore wind industry as safe as possible.”
 
Sandy Garvock, chief executive officer at Men United, said:
“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Muir Mhòr for this incredible donation, which will make a meaningful difference to the support we provide to men across our community.
“The donation will help us continue our work promoting mental wellbeing, offering safe spaces for conversation, and delivering vital services that reduce isolation and support those facing challenges.
“We will now be able to reach more men, expand our programmes, and continue breaking the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. Thank you once again for believing in our mission and helping us make a real impact.”
 
Alex Geddes, development officer at Buchan Development Partnership, said:
“It has been a delight to work with the Muir Mhòr team, and I look forward to further developing this connection for the benefit of groups within Buchan.
“It has been clear at our recent meetings that Muir Mhòr are keen to support our communities, and I sense great opportunities are ahead for the area due to this commitment.
“This first award has gone to a great cause, and I am delighted for Sandy and the team around him at Men United.”
 
Matthew Halsey, project manager at engineering consultancy NIRAS, which is managing the marine growth campaign, said:
“We are delighted to support this safety initiative, which is aligned with our shared commitment to fostering safer working practices and promoting positive social impacts in the areas where we operate.”

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