Family affair at Shotton surface mine
Six sets of fathers and sons currently working together at Northumberland surface mine
WORK at Banks Mining’s Shotton surface mine in Northumberland has become a family affair, with no fewer than six sets of fathers and sons now working together on site.
The company has employed many members of several different local families since it first started working in the area more than 30 years ago, but it is thought that this is the first time that so many fathers and sons have worked together at a Banks site.
Among the co-working dads and lads are Andy and Scott Moore from Widdrington village. Having previously worked at Banks Mining’s Delhi site, on the Blagdon Estate, Andy came back to Banks five years ago to work as a plant operative at Shotton.
Twenty-three-year-old Scott followed his father to Shotton in 2013, working as a dumptruck driver, and Andy is hoping that he will not be the last member of the Moore family to work in the industry.
He said: ‘I’ve worked in surface mining for the last 30 years, and when Scott was looking for a new job, I actively encouraged him to apply to work here. My younger son will be leaving school in the near future and I’m hoping that he’ll be able to join Scott and me in the industry by applying for an apprenticeship at the new Highthorn site.’
Banks Mining are looking to extend their operational presence in Northumberland through the proposed Highthorn surface mine scheme to the south east of the village of Widdrington, at which at least 100 jobs would be created – 50 new posts and a further 50 existing jobs transferring from the company’s other existing sites.
Operations at the Shotton surface mine commenced in 2008 and will run until 2019, when full restoration of the site is scheduled to be completed.
Jeannie Kielty, development relations co-ordinator at The Banks Group, said: ‘We’ve had many examples over the years of sons following their fathers into work at our surface mines, and the fact that so many young people choose to do this is testament to the employment, training and skills development opportunities we provide, as well as to what their fathers think of Banks as an employer.’
