SCRI Director and Chief Executive, Professor Peter Gregory, has named Farm Manager Euan Caldwell as the winner of the 2008 Director’s Award for an outstanding contribution to the life and reputation of the institute.

Professor Gregory said the award was recognition of the huge amount of work that had to be done to cope with the very wet weather during the summer, particularly the efforts Euan made - together with his team - to enable Potatoes in Practice to be held despite atrocious conditions.

Potatoes in Practice is the UK’s premier field potato event attracting hundreds of attendees from across the country. The event, held at SCRI’s Gourdie Farm on 7 August 2008 looked under threat following torrential downpours the day before that badly affected ground conditions.

However Euan and his farm staff pulled out all the stops to ensure both exhibitors and visitors could safely and comfortably attend the event and in fact a record attendance of more than 700 people was recorded despite the weather.

Accepting the award - a certificate and small cash prize - Euan told a small audience in the staff restaurant that he was honoured. He said it was "glaringly obvious" he was part of a team that had shown great service, dedication and hard work. It was their flexibility and improvisation that had made Potatoes in Practice happen in August, he added.

More information from:

Lorraine Wakefield, Information and Online Service Officer, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA. Tel: 01382 562731 (switchboard).