Thanks for beating Beast from the East
Civic reception for hard-working council staff
Council workers who helped residents in rural Stirling during the Beast from the East snowstorm have been recognised.
Stirling area was battered by heavy snow showers and driving winds that caused deep snowdrifts in late February and early March.
Entire communities were cut off with search and rescue teams being drafted in to reach them.
The Arctic conditions saw the first ever red warning for snow issued in Scotland and a demand for an immediate emergency response placed on Stirling Council staff and partners, requiring them to spring into action to keep essential services running.
On Thursday at Balfron High, the authority paid tribute to staff who braved the freezing conditions with a special civic reception attended by Provost Christine Simpson.
The council roads team was drafted in to clear blocked roads and 4x4 vehicles were used to help staff get to their essential service shifts in care homes and home care services.
The Tayforth Machinery Ring – a group of farmers with heavy plant machinery – was called into action to help clear the snow using farm machinery equipped with ploughs.
Diggers were drafted in to clear the C10 Carron Valley road as Trossachs Search and Rescue volunteers trekked through snowdrifts five feet deep to deliver emergency supplies to stranded locals there.
Council gritter drivers also faced challenging conditions/
Trossachs and Teith councillor, Evelyn Tweed, who attended the Balfron event, said: “Few areas of Scotland bore the brunt of the recent bad weather like Stirling’s rural communities so it was such a relief that we had so many members of staff and loyal partners who were there to help.
“This was a worrying time for many people in my ward as being rural many can feel isolated but I saw a remarkable effort from all manner of departments, working together to keep people safe, warm and fed in what was some of the worst weather in recent memory.
“Their endurance and perseverance should rightly be recognised and we thank them all for putting on a smile in the face of adversity to get the job done.”
Council leader, Scott Farmer said: “The so-called Beast from the East will last long in the memory for everyone in Stirling given the impact it had on the area.
“The ripple effect of such severe weather spread far and wide across both our rural and urban communities but thankfully we had a band of dedicated, selfless and caring staff and partners who did all they could to make sure people stayed safe.”