Interviewing former Prime Minister Tony Blair or film star Ewan McGregor and jumping in a Moray harbour on Boxing Day or running the Elgin Rotary Marafun – editor reflects on 30 years
Where do I possibly start?
After 30 years with the Moray and Nairn Newspaper Company, Scottish Provincial Press and now Highland News and Media, today is my final day.
As I write, I am sitting in our office in South Street, Elgin, reflecting on the last four decades.
‘Good times go by too fast’ – a line from a song by country star Dylan Scott.
‘At times I feel like I blink and it’s over’.
‘Before you know it your baby’s having babies, you’re 21, close your eyes and your 80’.
I love music, and it is a constant in my life when the stresses and strains of work, or life for that matter, can wear you down.
Yup my eldest ‘baby’ has indeed had a baby and although I am not yet an Octogenarian, I am not that far away from qualifying for a free bus pass and my ticket to ride.
Being a local news journalist has been akin to a rollercoaster ride since I took that first step with The Northumberland Gazette in 1988, under editor Bob Bingham.
The journey started at Napier College in Edinburgh from 1986-88 and I loved my time as a student, enjoying the wonderful nightlife of the capital city, and fitting in my studies in between socialising.
I had a great couple of years in Alnwick, covering all manner of things, from dolphins who came out of the water to be hand fed by fishermen to interviewing the aspiring MP Tony Blair – I think he went on to have a decent political career, if memory serves me right - and leek shows; they did like their leeks shows in Northumberland!
Four years with The Galloway News (some strange people called it ‘The Galloping Snooze’), covering the Stewartry district in my homeland of Dumfries and Galloway were interesting and enjoyable, from agriculture to crime, sport, and community news.
It was during this period that I was programme editor for Queen of the South for a season, one of my proudest moments outside of my journalistic day job.
In April 1994, I got a job with The Northern Scot under then editor Stephen Young and chief reporter Pauline Taylor, who went on to become the first female editor in the history of The Northern Scot (we now have our second in Megan Carr).
I have also worked under editors Ken Smith and Mike Collins, and with many wonderful colleagues over the years, too many to mention them all by name but the Pun Princess Esther Green, Fiona McPherson and Leanne Carter were part of a golden and fun-filled time with Moray’s No.1 newsbrand, which also included friend and colleague Craig Christie, who is now our sports editor across six local print and online titles.
Today’s news team, including chief reporter Jonny Clark and my fellow content editor Joe Millican continue to do an excellent job in challenging circumstances for the local news publishing industry.
There have been many highlights in my 30 years which has seen me go from senior reporter to chief reporter and then deputy editor of The Scot, before three and a half enjoyable years as group editor in charge of the Banffshire Advertiser, Banffshire Journal, Banffshire Herald and Huntly Express – leading a small but dedicated team across the four district offices covering those titles.
One of the best things was getting to travel the area – in my one and only company car - meeting lots of fantastic people.
And the Buckie office must have been the only newspaper office in the world to have its own embedded, hand-made (not by me) Santa’s Grotto at that time when we cemented a relationship with the local Buckie Christmas Kracker committee.
It was a sad day for Santa and me when the Buckie office closed in 2017, along with the others in Banff, Huntly and Keith.
The original Scotty the Newshound children’s mascot was modelled around my body shape and hand-made by then editor Pauline Taylor. I have spent many a happy time dressed as a 6ft Scotty dog. I even abseiled off the roof of Elgin Academy once, aye, dressed as a dog.
As joint content editor for the last six and a half years for six newspapers, three websites, an HNM app and, more recently, nine digital newsletters a week, it has been a very rewarding and challenging job, but one I have loved.
There have been too many highlights at The Northern Scot to go into great detail, so I will just summarise a few of the many here in a top 10 of sorts.
1.Reporting on and taking part in the 26.2 mile Kiltwalk in September 2013 at a time when I was chairman of the Moray Friends of Archie, raising £900 towards the children’s hospital charity.
2.Leading a wonderful group of volunteers who received fantastic support from the Moray community in raising more than £130,000 to refurbish the children’s ward at Dr Gray’s Hospital.
3.Being secretary and chief story writer for a period of years for the Elgin Bypass Campaign, which was a joint venture between The Northern Scot and the Moray Trades Union Council – suffice to say that campaign continues in a looser fashion with others at the forefront and we still dinna have a bloody bypass.
4.Covering the devastating flooding that impacted hundreds of residents and businesses in Elgin for years until a flood alleviation scheme was built for the town.
5.The Hands off the Highlanders campaign in 2003 which saw a Northern Scot petition delivered to parliament. The Gordon Highlanders and Queens Own Highlanders had been amalgamated in 1994 to form The Highlanders, so the community was not going to let this proud regiment disappear altogether.
6.Taking part and reporting on many wonderful Elgin Rotary Marafuns with colleagues around the centre of Elgin for charity.
7.Part of a community team (and chief story writer) that delivered a 31,120-signature petition to the door of No.10 Downing Street in support of RAF Lossiemouth, which was saved from closure in the summer of 2011. It has now got more aircraft than you could ever have imagined and personnel.
8.Jumping into Burghead Harbour (one-time only) to raise money for the Archie Foundation and other local charities.
9.Winning the Highlands and Islands Journalist of the Year and Best Story of the Year at the 2011 Press Ball, with The Scot also winning newspaper of the year, and getting drunk with my friend and Photographer of the Year Eric Cormack, and thanking Elgin butcher Michael Dawson for his wonderful pies and sausage rolls in my acceptance speech. (I also 'lost' a UK Newspaper of the Year trophy in London after a few too many celebratory alcoholic beverages but we were reunited with that eventually).
10.Reporting on the many wonderful children’s charities in Moray which, sadly, were born out of personal tragedy, but have gone on to brighten the lives of so many children given a raw deal by life.
11.Writing a sports column for many years and covering the Highland League – the friendliest football league (at least off the pitch) for decades. I know I said a top 10, but wanted to sneak one more in.
As for the future, well I have a job with Enable Scotland as a support worker, I continue to promote my debut book ‘You Think it’s all over? F**k that! Stay in the Game’, which is about football and my own mental health journey, present two podcasts and I am now a media officer with Elgin City Football Club, so I have plenty to keep me busy
The Northern Scot and its sister newspapers and digital brands have championed the cause of local communities for generations and still today, and I fervently hope this will continue for many years to come.
Thank you to everyone for your friendship and fun over the years, and cracking journalism. People’s stories are at the heart of every newspaper or online article.
Keeeeep Reading – however you consume your local news and sport!
