South Uist gamekeeper wins at Lantra’s ALBAS
Stewart MacDonald from South Uist has won the Tam Tod Trophy at Lantra Scotland’s ALBAS (Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills), which took place at a glittering ceremony at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dunblane Hydro last Thursday (March 9).
Stewart has completed a National Certificate in gamekeeping through UHI North Highland College.
The Tam Tod Trophy was created in memory of the late Tam Tod, described as a well-loved gamekeeper, ghillie and lifelong friend of the countryside.
Stewart said: “Some great trainees have won the Tam Tod Trophy over the years, so I know what an honour it is to win this. I’m really enjoying my training and can’t wait to start my career in the game and wildlife sector. This award is the icing on the cake.”
Charles Arrindell from Kinloch on the Isle of Lewis was Game and Wildlife Learner of the Year runner-up.
Charles has also been doing a Modern Apprenticeship in game and wildlife management through UHI North Highland, while working as a trainee gamekeeper at Soval Estate on the Isle of Lewis. Over 230 finalists, event supporters, employers, training providers and industry leaders attended the awards evening, including cabinet secretary for rural affairs and islands, Mairi Gougeon. After an opening address by the cabinet secretary, social media star and sheep farmer Cammy Wilson presented winners and runners-up with industry awards for agriculture, aquaculture, equine, game and wildlife, horticulture, landbased engineering and trees and timber.
As well as an Overall Winner, Runner-up and Modern Apprentice of the Year, there were also categories for Higher Education, School Pupil and Secondary Schools, CARAS (Council for Awards of Agricultural Societies), a Mentor award for inspirational tutor, the Tam Tod Trophy and the Anna Murray Award for Partnership Working.
The winners and runners-up for ALBAS 2023 were chosen by an independent judging panel made up of influential figures from across the landbased and aquaculture sector, chaired by Keith Paterson of Forestry and Land Scotland.
The ALBAS are organised by Lantra, the sector skills council for the land-based, aquaculture and environmental conservation industries.
According to Liz BarronMajerik, Scotland director, Lantra, the awards recognise the success of trainees in Scotland’s land-based and aquaculture sector, while also encouraging employers to think about the future workforce.
She continued: “We have again had some fantastic entries for the ALBAS, and everyone who was nominated should be very proud of their achievements.
“Our learners are literally the best of the best from our sector, a sector which is crucial to the economy, our communities and for the environment.
“There was an impressive range of representatives from industry and skills organisations at our ceremony too.
“We were delighted to have the cabinet secretary
for rural affairs and islands, Mairi Gougeon, joining us, and for Cammy Wilson from the Sheep Game to host the awards.
“The ALBAS can only take place because of the huge amount of unpaid time that Keith Paterson and his team of independent judges put in, reviewing the nominations and interviewing short-listed candidates.
“I’d also like to thank all our generous supporters who have helped support the ALBAS. Our main supporter is the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre. We’re also very grateful to Andy Murray, BAGMA, Bakkafrost Scotland, Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, HTA, NatureScot, Equido Horsemanship, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Land and Estates, SQA and SRUC.”
To find out more about the ALBAS, visit www.scotland.lantra.co.uk/learner-year.