McCormick picks up Ambassador Award

The NFU Scotland and NFU Mutual Ambassador Award was presented to Marion McCormick on Thursday night. The award was set up to recognise those individuals who have played an influential role in communicating the work, challenges and the value of Scottish food and farming to a wider audience. From 1998 until recently, Marion was a buyer for Aldi, developing the strategy for marketing the Aldi brand in Scotland. Aldi now stocks more than 350 Scottish products in its Scottish stores and has a 100% commitment to Scotch products.

Dumfries wins Flame Award

The Membership Flame – an NFU Scotland award that recognises outstanding efforts in recruitment and retention of members – went to the Dumfries team of Sally Heggie and Louise Graham.

This year they recruited 19 new members, retained 98% of existing members and brought in almost £90,000 in subscriptions.

This year Mary Fisher retired after 32 years in the Bearsden office and Robin Gawn, of Perth, retired after 26.

New secretaries recruited this year include: Chris Husthwaite (Campbeltown); Garry MacLean (Isle of Islay); Angela Smith (Bearsden); Margaret Hebbourn (Perth); Duncan Macintyre (Stornoway); Richard Murphy (Kilmarnock) and Katy Neill (Perth).

Dinner raises £3,600

Donations from the 400 guests that attended the dinner at the AGM on Thursday night yielded £3,600 for charity.

The money was split between rural charities RSABI and Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET), with £1,819 to be presented to each.

Murray receives Miskelly Award

Sandy Murray was presented with the John Miskelly Award for services to the Union and Scottish crofting. The Award was established in memory of John Miskelly, a former Regional Manager with the Union and was presented by John’s family following his death in 2006.

Sandy has been an active NFU Scotland member since the mid-70s, and since 2012, has been chair of the Union’s Crofting Highlands and Islands Committee (CHIC). He comes from Halladale, in Sutherland, where he is the tenant of four crofts, with six apportionments, and shares in two Common Grazings. He is an Area Assessor for the Crofting Commission for the parish of Farr, a grazing clerk for the Halladale grazing and chairman for the Havaig grazing.