Royal invitation for loo campaigner
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A Kinlochbervie community councillor, who spearheaded a campaign to prevent Highland Council from closing public toilets in the area, has been invited to a Royal Garden Party.
Margaret Meek received her invitation this week to the event at Holyrood on July 3, although she was aware that her name had been put on the guest list.
She was nominated by Sutherland deputy lord lieutenant David Grant of Highland Stoneware, Lochinver. He is understood to have been impressed by the way she fought for her community.
Ms Meek will be accompanied to the garden party by her husband Murdo Macpherson, who also serves on the community council.
She said: “I was truly shocked to be nominated. The Save our Toilets campaign was out of character for me – I am very much a background kind of person.
“But I did feel very strongly about it. I was so incensed that someone would sit at a desk in Inverness and arbitrarily pick toilets to close without any justification. The argument was so flawed.”
Ms Meek launched petitions, spoke at meetings, distributed flyers and travelled to Inverness to lobby councillors.
“I was the public face of the campaign because I contacted the Press but I would stress that there were lots and lots of people helping in the behind the scenes, doing lots of legwork and collecting signatures.” she said.
The campaign was ultimately successful with public toilets in the area remaining open, although counters have been placed on some.
But she remains “deeply disappointed” that the council chose to “avoid a formal discussion” of the petition.
“I sincerely hope that the council knows how important these facilities are to local people, workers and tourists,” she said.
Ms Meek said she was looking forward to the garden party, although it is not known whether the Queen will be present.
