Making a difference to communities at Mallaig Harbour with RJ McLeod

But the new, completed berth was not the only benefit to the community of Mallaig from the project. As part of RJ McLeod, SCAPE Scotland and Mallaig Harbour Authority's social impact initiatives, different activities helped make a wider difference. In this blog, learn about two events delivered for the community on-site and around Mallaig.

While conversations about men's health and wellbeing are becoming more common across the construction industry, there remains a need to spread awareness and create spaces where people feel comfortable seeking support and talking openly. Opportunities for people to connect, share experiences and access help and advice can play an important role in improving wellbeing, both in the workplace and beyond.

To help facilitate this at the harbour, on Thursday 25 June, the RJ McLeod team paused work on site and headed to the Mallaig and Morar Community Centre for a dedicated wellbeing event. There, the project team had invited Claire Wortley from Change Mental Health to deliver an informative and thought-provoking session on mental health and wellbeing, and attendees were also offered blood pressure monitoring, cholesterol testing and body fat analysis, provided by Claire Gunner, NHS Highland Health Improvement Worker, and local pharmacist Tina Johnson.

The invite was open to people from the site, harbour and wider community, including local businesses and the local Men’s Shed. Attendees were encouraged to mix, chat, share lunch and take some time to focus on their mental health. Any walk-ins who did not receive health checks on the day were invited to book an appointment with the pharmacy at a later date, with the associated costs covered by RJ McLeod.

The event was a huge success, and it was great to hear meaningful discussions flowing around the room by the end of the session, helping raise awareness of issues that can too often go undiscussed.

Later in the day, colleagues from RJ McLeod and the wider Mallaig team headed to Mallaig High School as part of the new S1 pupils' transition programme. They delivered a careers talk and practical, STEM-themed challenges designed to introduce students to key skills involved in planning and delivering projects.

Working in teams, pupils took part in building exercises using blocks and drinking straws. They had to ensure their projects were delivered on time, within budget and to certain specifications, with some very entrepreneurial and resourceful outcomes as they worked together to solve problems and develop innovative solutions.

Visits like these are designed to help open doors for young people in rural areas like Mallaig to learn more about the industry and encourage them to consider future careers in construction and engineering.

Through initiatives that support wellbeing, learning and community engagement, these activities demonstrate how construction projects can leave a positive legacy beyond the works themselves. With works now complete, the Mallaig Overnight Ferry Berth project has helped deliver lasting value for the people who use and work at the harbour, as well as the wider community it serves.

As a delivery partner for the SCAPE Scotland Utilities Framework, RJ McLeod has signed the SCAPE Scotland Community Legacy Charter, a joint commitment to support the SCAPE Scotland Community Legacy Programme by delivering meaningful and considered social impact throughout the duration of the framework.