WATCH: British Empire Medal presented to Turriff’s Morag Lightning
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One of Turriff’s best known residents who was recognised in the King's New Year Honours list for her service to the community has been presented with the award of the British Empire Medal.
Morag Lightning BEM was nominated for her services to the community in Turriff particularly during Covid-19.
Having served with distinction in the RAF for more than 20 years, including tours of duty both in Iraq and Afghanistan, she now devotes herself to voluntary service in the community in which she grew up.
Joining the Royal Air Force in 1989, she trained as an RAF policewoman and initially served at RAF Lossiemouth before undertaking tours of duty in Yugoslavia and in Canada.
In 1999, she qualified as Special Investigator and completed further overseas tours in Turkey, Iraq and also in Afghanistan.
She became Treasurer of a group aimed at installing a memorial for the Women’s Royal Air Force at the National Memorial Arboretum and in 2019 became Area Representative for ‘Op Spartan’ - a charity providing support for the Military and Blue light community in the UK.
She qualified and now volunteers, as an RAF Association Welfare Officer and Befriender, working with RAF veterans suffering from loneliness or PTSD.
At the onset of Covid-19, she was among the first to volunteer to support others in the community, finding time to maintain communication with elderly neighbours and collect shopping and prescriptions.
She supports the wider community during the pandemic as Vice Chair of Turriff & District Community Council.
As well as volunteering and leading at her local Girls’ Brigade She helped establish Friends of Turriff Cemetery, as Treasurer and has transformed the group from an informal gathering to having Scottish Charitable status, enabling new funding opportunities. She also established and became chair of Friends of the Den’ whose aim is to improve the local play park.
It is estimated that she has raised in excess of £100,000 for charity and is a past winner of the Inspiring Aberdeenshire ‘Inspirational Volunteer award’.
Commenting Morag said: "It was a complete surprise to be presented with the award and continue to thank everyone for their support in local community."
Her presentation was held in Turriff, where along with family members she welcomed Lord Lieutenant Sandy Manson, MP David Duguid and Mike Rawlins whose late wife Samantha had been the instigator of Morag’s medal application.
Last week saw the BEM presented to 93-year-old Alexander (Sandy) Ritchie of Hatton, trustee of the New Deer Community Association and founder member of the Buchan Heritage Society for voluntary services to Cultural Heritage and to the community in North East of Scotland
A self-employed joiner and painter decorator, he also ran a flourishing local business and was a respected undertaker throughout Aberdeenshire for many years, and along with his employees provided vital services locally.
As a Trustee of New Deer Community Association (NDCA), he still provides guidance on constitutional matters.
His knowledge of the area and its people is encyclopaedic in its scope, and the vastness of his archive demonstrates his effort and enthusiasm including the recent publication of his latest memoires.
To promote local heritage and language, he regularly visited primary schools and addressed community groups.
Born and brought up in the area, he made it his mission to preserve the minute detail of village life, its history, the people, the properties, the events, and the local dialect.
Nearly 40 years ago, he was a founder member of the Buchan Heritage Society (BHS), and he played a key role in establishing the Book of Deer Project, which successfully brought this priceless book to public display in Aberdeen Art Gallery in 2022.
In his younger days, he was instrumental in starting New Deer Wheelers Club - designed to encourage youngsters to explore the countryside, also one of the original instigators of Galas in New Deer.
In 2003, he was granted lottery funding for BHS to organise workshops for local schools - giving them experience of Doric storytelling, dancing and culture. For over 50 years, he has given freely of his time to benefit New Deer and its wider community, promoting the rich cultural heritage of the north-east.
A third BEM is being presented to Elaine Barnwell from Crathie, fundraiser, Royal Marines Association - The Royal Marines Charity for Charitable Services.
