Thurso’s Jubilee bench brought back to life thanks to local heritage group
A special commemorative bench in Thurso has been brought back to good functional order thanks to dedicated volunteers from a local heritage group.
On Saturday, February 1, Laurence Campbell and Kevin Sabiston from Thurso Heritage Society Committee (THSC) met up with Woodbees joiner Michael Campbell on Ormlie Road near the Dunbar Hospital at an official unveiling of the refurbished Jubilee bench.
The bench dates from 2002 when it was erected as part of the celebrations for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II to mark her 50 years as monarch.
THSC member Kevin Sabiston said: “The committee of Thurso Heritage Society are delighted to have overseen the repair of the Jubilee bench at Dunbar Hospital.
“We saw that the bench was in a state of disrepair and after discussion with various parties, it was agreed that the Society would fund the repair.
“Many thanks to Michael Campbell of Woodbees [Ormlie Industrial Estate] for supplying materials and restoring the bench to its former glory, which we are sure will be appreciated by the many patients and visitors who have used the bench over the years.
“We have plans for similar projects around the town and we look forward to getting these underway in the near future."
Michael from Woodbeessaid that iroko timber was used for the bench seat as teak is too hard get now. “We used it in my father’s time and did a lot of work with it for the Lighthouse Board,” he said.
“We put three coats of oil-based stain on it and stainless steel screws so they won’t corrode. Iroko is a very durable hardwood and should last around 25 years but oak or pine might last just 5 to 10 years. If it worked for the lighthouses in the North Sea it should last a good few years here.”
