Lochardil Primary pupil (10), from Inverness, restores Loganair entrepreneur's headstone to former glory at Fodderty Cemetery, near Strathpeffer
An Inverness primary school pupil teamed up with Loganair to restore the headstone of the airline’s founder.
Struan Eason (10) discovered the headstone while researching the Scottish airline as part of a school project at Lochardil Primary.
Keen to find out everything there was to know about the business, Struan traced the airline as far back as its founding entrepreneur Willie Logan and was saddened to find his headstone at Fodderty Cemetery, near Strathpeffer, had become run down over the years.
Struan embarked on a mission to restore the headstone, reaching out to Loganair.
Loganair worked with Willie Logan’s family to ensure they were involved in the project and after six weeks’ work, the headstone has been fully restored.
“When I was younger, one of my favourite things to do was to visit Inverness Airport to watch the Loganair planes coming and going,” Struan said. “So, when we got to choose any topic to do our project on, I knew mine would be Loganair.
“When I was researching, I found the headstone and wrote to Loganair to help me clean it up, I was delighted when I heard back. The headstone looks so much better now, much cleaner and you can read it clearly. I’m glad I've been able to do this for Willie Logan and his family.”
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Mr Logan’s cousin Hugh Logan said: “We are so grateful to Struan for his initiative in bringing attention to the condition of the stone through his school project.
“We would also like to extend our thanks to Loganair for supporting Struan in the restoration of Willie's gravestone. It means so much to the Logan family that his legacy as the founder of Loganair has been respected in this way.”
Loganair was founded by Mr Logan in 1962. Prior to founding the airline, he was the owner of civil engineering and construction company Logan Construction Company. It was during this time he bought an ‘air taxi’ firm called Capital Services with a view to using the airline to travel between building sites before turning it into a successful regional airline.
Maurice Boyle, chief operating officer at Loganair, said the firm was honoured to support Struan, adding: “Willie was a trailblazer in Scottish business and has paved the way for many other entrepreneurs and aviation businesses to operate in Scotland and we are glad we were able to play a part in the restoration of his resting place.”
