‘What they’ve done has been absolutely fantastic’
Close-knit Strath communities have been praised for their resilience and togetherness during Storm Arwen.
High winds wrought havoc from Friday afternoon into Saturday last week and fallen trees, power cuts, road closures and other issues are still causing a headache for many.
However, the willingness of locals to help others shone through.
St Fillans Community Council chair Stewart Gavigan said: “We were out [of power] here for an hour short of three days. I’ve got a generator and we realised it was going to be a long outage so I was running that up for an hour or two in the morning and in the evening. I know the power companies have been working flat-out so hats off to them.
“Neighbours were looking after neighbours. “We’re pretty good at that in the village – we’ve definitely got community spirit here in spades. It’s marvellous.
“It was a case of the community coming together. They’re great.”
Posting on the village’s community Facebook page, Comrie Community Council member Gill Brock said: “I personally, as well as the rest of Comrie Community Council, would like to thank everyone who has done their utmost to support the vulnerable in the village during the power cut.
“It has been horrendous, however so many individuals, families and businesses who could help, have.
“So thank you to each and everyone of you.” Independen t Strathearn ward councillor Rhona Brock said: “Places like St Fillans and Comrie, like everywhere in Strathearn, never fail – they help each other out so much. I don’t know how much you can praise them.
“I just think what they’ve done has been absolutely fantastic. There’s just no words to describe how they’ve all pulled together.”
Perthshire South and Kinross-shire MSP Jim Fairlie said: “Storm Arwen has had a horrendous impact on a lot of people and I am very conscious that many of my constituents were without power for heating and cooking for a considerable length of time.
“On a recent visit to SSE’s training school in Perth, I got a glimpse of some of the challenges faced by those who have been working so hard over the last few days to restore supplies and repair the damage that has been caused.
“As someone who has faced the very worst of nature in my previous life as a hill sheep farmer, the linesmen and engineers who go out in the most horrendous conditions in order to try and keep us all connected have my utmost respect.
“But last weekend nature won, the sheer force and ferocity of the storm has left catastrophic consequences across the country.
“However, I am also aware that there are real concerns about the level of communication with those affected and I will be engaging with SSEN to see what can be done to improve that for the future.”
Mid Scotland and Fife Conservative MSP, Liz Smith, said: “As ever, local communities responded extremely well to what were very difficult circumstances.
“Storm Arwen was both dangerous and prolonged, wreaking havoc everywhere it went and l want to join others in thanking all the utility services and emergency services.
“There is still work to be done to re-connect homes to power and to clean up the extensive debris – hopefully that work can be undertaken as quickly as possible.”