Restoration work begins on Piper Alpha Memorial Garden

• Piper Alpha disaster saw 167 men killed in the world’s worst offshore tragedy

• Aberdeen City Council is aiming to have the Memorial Garden restored in time for the 25th anniversary next July

Aberdeen City Council is working with Oil and Gas UK and the Pound for Piper campaign group to transform the gardens in time for next July’s 25th anniversary of the disaster.

A council spokesman explained: “Council staff are now in the process of preparing the ground for fresh planting in the garden. The industry has pledged to fund this initial phase of work and is supporting Pound for Piper in its fundraising efforts to build a trust fund that will allow the site to continue to bloom, ensuring the memory of those who died lives on.”

Steven Shaw, Aberdeen City Council’s environmental manager,said: “The Memorial Garden and statue is a very special place for Aberdeen citizens and the oil and gas industry, particularly for those whose lives have been affected by the tragedy. It is a place for quiet contemplation and reflection so it is essential that it is attractive, well looked after and maintained to as high a standard as possible.

“Council staff already work hard on its upkeep but this additional support from the oil and gas community, both on and offshore, will bring a huge boost..”

Geoff Holmes the senior Vice President of Talisman Energy, who is leading Oil and Gas UK’s involvement with the restoration and maintenance project, said: “In the lead-up to the 25th anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster - the one incident that has shaped today’s oil and gas industry more than any other - it is entirely appropriate that we play a part in ensuring the memory of those who died remains with us.”

Meanwhile Lucy Norval, chair of the Pound for Piper Trust, also revealed that the group had now been awarded official charity status.

She said “We are delighted that we are now formally recognised as an official charity. Since we launched the Pound for Piper campaign earlier this year, we have been overwhelmed by the support we have had from so many people who work both on and offshore, as well as companies both large and small. Everyone involved to date has one common goal and that is to see the memorial gardens restored to their original beauty to ensure a fitting and respectful setting for all who visit.”

Ms Norval added: “The oil and gas industry we know and work in today was changed forever on that tragic night nearly 25 years ago. While the whole industry strives every day to ensure that such a tragedy can never happen again, the garden must continue to provide a place of solace, contemplation and reflection, where those who have been affected can be assured that the victims are being remembered in a respectful way.

“We now want to make sure that the garden continues to be maintained to the highest possible standard and will continue to raise funds for the Pound for Piper Trust so that we can give the council the extra support it might need in the future.”

The memorial was officially opened by the Queen Mother in the Queen Mother’s Rose Garden in Hazlehead Park in 1991.