Lifelong Waterside resident and Chair of Community Group, Luggiewatch, Karen Bathie, has received this year’s Provost’s Sustainability Champion Award for her tireless efforts to improve her community for the benefit of everyone.
Nearly thirteen years ago, Karen and some local Waterside residents founded Luggiewatch, an environmental group intent on making Waterside a better place to live and visit. Over the following five years Karen and the team concentrated their efforts on clearing the River Luggie and during their first litter pick they collected 80 bags of litter! To this day the volunteers carry out a monthly litter pick, ridding the area of countless items of waste – from discarded plastic bottles to toilets and even a piano!
However, there is more to Luggiewatch than just rubbish – the group organises community nature walks and maintains communal garden areas; weeding and planting bulbs and flowers to brighten up the area for everyone to enjoy. To raise funds to make these improvements to the village Karen and the volunteers create and sell a calendar featuring photographs of the local area.
Provost Gillian Renwick, said, “Karen is extremely passionate about Waterside, not only the local environment but also her neighbours and other residents. Over the years she has put in many, many hours cleaning up the area, planting and maintaining shared spaces and encouraging the community to come together to enjoy the natural beauty all around them; she’s truly inspirational. Both the Depute Provost and I were delighted to present Karen with this year’s Sustainability Award and to thank her personally for all she has done to improve Waterside for residents and visitors alike.”
Karen said, “I’ve lived in Waterside all my life, I love the village and want to see it looking its best and I thoroughly enjoy getting together with the other Luggiewatch volunteers - I’ve made so many great friends over the years."
There is a wonderful community spirit in the village, local people really appreciate us going out litter picking and making improvements to the area; on hot days we are constantly offered cold drinks from those who see us at work!
"It was a lovely surprise to find out I’d been nominated and had won a Provost’s Champion Award, I feel incredibly honoured.”
