East End thistle are a newly formed team in Baillieston with the aim of encouraging young people to participate in sport...

Bent Primary school is a quiet school in Blackwood near Dunduff Quarry. It has a roll of 91 pupils who live in the nearby village and it is situated on a 60 mph limit country road.

Bent Primary school is a quiet school in Blackwood near Dunduff Quarry.  It has a roll of 91 pupils who live in the nearby village and it is situated on a 60 mph limit country road. Until recently this road was a cause of much distress both to the school board and PTA as well as the local police and council road safety department. Both in the morning and in the afternoon at 3pm, the road was full of cars as parents dropped off or collected their children. There was no car park and the front of the school was the only area available to the children as a playground as the back of the school was a large muddy field that was unsuitable as a playground. However thanks to a lot of haggling with the local council Patersons has stepped in and given the children a new playground and the parents and teachers a safe car park at the front of the school.

The muddy field at the back was dug out and concreted as was the front with plenty of parking. A large wall was taken down at the front of the school and 2 new entrances created to allow the flow of cars in and out.    The children have also been busy with the help of the All Round Environment Project, planting a wide variety of plants and fruit trees to enhance their school grounds. With the addition of some new sports equipment and some suitable benches and tables donated by Patersons, the children are looking forward to a happier, and more importantly much safer school life. 

As of the beginning of December, Patersons has a new face doing the rounds of all the sites...

As of the beginning of December, Patersons has a new face doing the rounds of all the sites.  Edwin Bauer CMIOSH, joins us as Health and Safety Manager for the Patersons Group.  He comes to us with 37 years experience in the construction industry and is sure to make a big impression.  His latest campaign poster is shown here and yes, he does mean wheel nuts. 

The Quarry Products Association (QPA), the principal trade association for the sector, has celebrated its tenth anniversary with the annual Showcase Event at London's Royal Lancaster Hotel...

The Quarry Products Association (QPA), the principal trade association for the sector, has celebrated its tenth anniversary with the annual Showcase Event at London's Royal Lancaster Hotel.  The Showcase acted once again as the platform to announce the winner of this year's QPA Restoration Awards which had an unprecedented thirteen high quality entries.

Willie Paterson and Kemp Lindsey were delighted to be presented with an award for restoration excellence at Dykefarm Quarry. This adds to the restoration award that the company was presented with in 2005 for the reinstatement of the landfill site at the former Colzium Quarry; by the creation of the seven replacement golf holes built in accordance with the planning permission for the extension of Beltmoss Quarry.

Speaking at the event, QPA Chairman Lynda Thompson said: "It stands out for me that all the companies involved in our Restoration Awards have very clearly gone that extra mile beyond what was agreed in their planning permissions. I congratulate all of our entries for the outstanding restoration work that has taken place across the country.”

In 2005 we were awarded a Restoration Award for the reinstatement of the landfill site at the former Colzium Quarry; by the creation of the seven replacement golf holes we were required to build in accordance with the planning ...

In 2005 we were awarded a Restoration Award for the reinstatement of the landfill site at the former Colzium Quarry; by the creation of the seven replacement golf holes we were required to build in accordance with the planning permission for the extension of Beltmoss Quarry.

The latest submission for the QPA Restoration Awards 2007, made jointly by Patersons of Greenoakhill Limited and the Moffat & District Community Initiative, is for the Dykefarm Quarry Nature Reserve which has been created at the Company’s former sand and gravel quarry near Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway.

On 11^th February 1999, Patersons of Greenoakhill Ltd submitted amended proposals for the extension of sand and gravel extraction operations at Dykefarm Quarry and a revised restoration strategy for the creation of agricultural grassland and a community nature reserve. As a result of the phased extraction of the sand and gravel reserves from the site a variety of sympathetic habitats have been created.

The progressive reinstatement of Dykefarm Quarry not only reduced the landscape impact of the mineral workings but has also provided an opportunity for the landscape and ecological enhancement of the site and its immediate environs.

Boghead Biker Robbie Allan completed an incredible 2500miles of the highly dangerous Dakar rally before being forced to pull out. Robbie, who at 65 was the oldest man and the only Scot, to be competing in the event, suffers ...

Boghead Biker Robbie Allan completed an incredible 2500miles of the highly dangerous Dakar rally before being forced to pull out. Robbie, who at 65 was the oldest man and the only Scot, to be competing in the event, suffers from asthma and this combined with a ferocious sandstorm brought an end to his Dakar dream.  This was after spending 16 hours alone in the desert until he was finally rescued in the wee hours of the morning by the organisers.

Patersons were very proud to be one of the sponsors helping Robbie on his way to Dakar Glory.  He achieved the best performance ever by a Scot in this event and his exploits have made headlines all over Europe.