'It's a town, not a village' — Newburgh wind farm supporters' video gives birth to a catchphrase
YouTube is a feature of everyday life for younger generations but a pair of silver surfers from Fife have used the video-sharing site to highlight a community project.
Irene and Bob.
Plans to build a wind farm in Newburgh have been cause for debate — but 73-year-old Irene Cumming and old school friend Bob Batchelor (74) hope their video will help unite the community behind the scheme.
Supporters have even launched a tongue-in-cheek bid to make T-shirts incorporating pictures of the couple and Bob's new catchphrase, "It's a town, not a village."
Irene and Bob are members of the Newburgh Community Trust, which has applied for permission to construct a wind farm on a local hill. It is envisaged that cash generated from the scheme will be poured back into the town.
Irene believes the benefits could be huge and urged members of the public to back the ambitious proposals.
"There has been a bit of flak flying at the project and we just wanted to try to highlight some of the good points," Irene told The Courier. "The community trust were hoping some people would go on YouTube and it ended up being myself and Bob who did it."
Irene and Bob have lived in the area all their lives. They are sure the town would enjoy considerable rewards if the trust application is approved.
Irene says she "fell in love" with turbines on a trip to visit one of her sons who had set up home in Denmark. In the video she describes being so impressed she ended up hugging a turbine.
"You see hundreds of these turbines abroad but hardly any in Britain and I just wanted to jump on the bandwagon," she said.
Irene believes the benefits of the proposed wind farm could be highly lucrative for Newburgh, suggesting a new leisure centre for the town would be one potential outcome.
Bob is similarly persuaded.
"Pylons are an eyesore...wind turbines certainly look much better," he said. "Also the noise they produce is virtually non-existent."
A spokesman for the Newburgh community trust said, "If approved, these turbines will generate electricity with no environmental impact, around the clock and around the year for as long as the wind blows."
03.22pm - 14.07.2011 Jock Ferguson - Newburgh, Scotland Report This
I think this a magnificent own goal by the NCT. Long may it remain online.
06.22pm - 14.07.2011 T. Butchers - Dundee, uk Report This
This pair will be long gone, and the taxpayer will still be subsidising another "Salmond Folly"
09.18pm - 14.07.2011 Malmaison - Newburgh, UK Report This
She could easily move to Denmark...I'd pay for her flight personally! A ludicrous propoganda exercise. No environmental impact my foot...Scottish Natural Heritage have put the boot well into their plans because of the huge damage to landscape this will cause. Absolutely shameful drivel.
10.09pm - 14.07.2011 Clytemnestra - Nr. Newburgh, UK Report This
An act of unprecedented vandalism to the upper Tay with a background of worrisome governance issues. NCT states it has strong community support-who cares. Even if every Newburgher and his dog voted for this...they have no right to wreck the landscape to make money for NCT. Thank goodness SNH hate it
10.53pm - 14.07.2011 Lesley Young - Newburgh, United Kingdom Report This
I see the NCT spokesman is still touting the "no environmental impact" lie when Scottish Natural Heritage has quite clearly said otherwise. Also, if the noise they produce is "virtually non-existent" why is a noise assessment including drawings with noise contours required by planning?
11.00pm - 14.07.2011 T Finlayson - Perth, UK Report This
Mrs Cumming appears unaware of the landscape importance of what she and her fellow trustees seek to destroy. A completely mad overblown scheme for commercial gain. Not a green issue is mentioned in the video which I think says it all. Utterly vile proposal!
12.04am - 15.07.2011 Charles K - Dundee, UK Report This
Dottery. Full stop. The idea, I mean.
08.26am - 15.07.2011 B Brewster - Newburgh, UK Report This
Hundreds of thousands of pounds on consultancy work wasted when they knew full well it was a damaging. The firms responsible (Ecodyn and Atmos) and NCT are all liable for wasting vast amounts of taxpayers money and ought to be made personally liable to pay it back. This is a scandal in the making.
08.56am - 15.07.2011 D Paterson - Dundee, UK Report This
Jumping on a bandwagon...yip she said it! What's so great about seeing hundreds of turbines? Might be OK in barren countryside but this would spoil a large part of central scotland. Lunatic idea I'd say but then folk will do anything for thruppence!
09.47am - 15.07.2011 Concernedresident - Newburgh, UK Report This
Someone from NCT came to the door & tried to get me to sign one of their support letters. I was unhappy about that as I know the issues involved with landscape etc. I refused. But many have blindly signed it thinking they will get free power or as this man in the video says £200 a year. Dirty tricks
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