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Boyndie Trust and Banffshire Partnership CEO Duncan Leece "honoured" to receive BEM


By Jonathan Clark

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BOYNDIE man Duncan Leece has received a British Empire Medal for services to the local community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Leece (59), CEO of the Boyndie Trust and Banffshire Partnership, and his team have been working extra hard to help the community since March – making sure people have shopping, medication and are not feeling lonely.

While "honoured" to receive the BEM, Mr Leece said it was for the teams at both the Boyndie Trust and the Banffshire Partnership – which are based at The Old School in Boyndie and work closely together.

Duncan Leece who has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the community during the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Eric Cormack.
Duncan Leece who has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the community during the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Eric Cormack.

He said: "I was very honoured to be nominated.

"But to be very clear – this is very much a reward for the whole organisation. It's a single person that gets the award but it's everybody's efforts that are being rewarded.

"The team is extremely pleased and proud.

"Personally, I'd like to thank my wife Andrea who has been working and supporting me so much."

Mr Leece was one of the founders of the Boyndie Trust back in 1999. He became CEO of the Banffshire Partnership, also formed in 1999, in 2006.

He said he "believes in and enjoys" charity.

Explaining some of the work the two organisations have done during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Mr Leece added: "We have adapted our services and taken on different roles to really help the community through these unique circumstances.

"We have been making sure people have got shopping, making sure medication has been delivered, making friendship calls and helping people understand restrictions.

"We have been dealing almost exclusively with vulnerable people – whether through age, medical condition or learning condition.

"My job has been enabling and encouraging staff to adapt."

The Boyndie Trust generally works to improve the employment prospects and wellbeing of people with learning difficulties, while the Banffshire Partnership is focused on those who are isolated – with dial-a-bus shopping services and community bus hire.

You can find out more about the two online at www.banffshirepartnership.co.uk and senscot.net/resources/social-enterprise-profiles/boyndie-trust-the .

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