The Aitken White Memorial Trust, named after two former Secretaries of the SPOA, James Aitken and Campbell White, was established as a charity in 1990. It seeks to support and educate young people in the plant industry and the money raised will make a real difference to those wishing to pursue a career in plant.

Speaking about the event, Callum Mackintosh, president of the SPOA, said: “On a night where we recognised Deklyn Feather and Andrew Manson as Plant Operator and Plant Mechanic Apprentices of the Year, it is fitting that this phenomenal amount of money was raised for the Aitken White Memorial Trust as we continue to encourage and support young people to follow a career in our industry.

“The dinner was a real success. 400 guests from across the industry came together to enjoy good company, great food and excellent entertainment. I’d like to thank our platinum sponsors Merlo UK and HRN Tractors, whose latest products displayed at the Glasgow Hilton looked sensational. I am proud of how we have modernised this event over the last couple of years to make it a must-attend event that is a real highlight of the year for our members.”

There were many highlights at the annual dinner, including the welcome return of much-loved Scottish comedian Fred MacAulay as the headline act to entertain guests from the plant industry. A particular talking point was a Merlo Cingo, which became the ultimate ice bucket for the evening, filled with bottles of Peroni.

Speaking about the event, Shaun Groom, general manager at Merlo UK, said: “As proud platinum sponsors of the 2023 SPOA dinner, we were delighted to be able to offer our support to the Association. It was encouraging to see so many people gathered in Glasgow to celebrate this great industry, whilst raising funds to encourage and support the next generation in our industry.”

Stuart Barclay, owner of HRN Tractors, added: “We were delighted to be a platinum sponsor at the Scottish Plant Owner Association’s annual dinner earlier this month. It truly was a fantastic night, and we look forward to supporting and attending more SPOA events in the future.”