Meet Dufftown's local hero 'The Speirin's Mannie'

Dufftown’s newly anointed local hero wears so many hats that it’s hard to imagine the town without him.

He’s even got his own special moniker, ‘The Speirin’s Mannie’.

Jim Nicol has recently been recognised for making a difference to his community with a Scotland Loves Local Award from Scotland’s Towns Partnership.

No wonder.

Jim Nicol in his beloved Dufftown. Image: Jason Hedges/DCThomson.

He’s at the heart of the town’s key social and cultural activities, was instrumental in bringing back the annual gala for a number of years, is involved with the annual Boys’ Walk, his local lodge St James 289 and events at the Mortlach Memorial Hall.

Jim is known as ‘The Speirin’s Mannie’ because of his long and close involvement with the Dufftown community magazine, The Dufftown Speirin’s.

These days he’s also stimulating the community’s eardrums with his rock show on Keith Community Radio.

Born in Dufftown

Distillery worker Jim Nicol was born in Dufftown, and abides by the philosophy, “just do what you really want to do and enjoy it.”

Fortunately for his Banffshire home town, Jim wants to do nothing but good for his community, and he loves it.

There’s nowhere like home for Dufftown Local heron, Jim Nicol. Image: Jason Hedges/DCT.

It doesn’t matter what is involved in helping out, from cleaning the hall to organising the monthly draw or putting together a yearly calendar with pictures from local photographers, Jim simply rolls his sleeves up and gets on with it, labelling it all “good fun.”

Although he was born in Dufftown, Jim spent many years in Craigellachie, but headed back to Dufftown as soon as he could.

“I was asked to join the community association by a neighbour. For a good while I sat at the back listening to see if it was something for me .”

Secretary of the community association

Fortunately for Dufftown, he decided it was, and went on to become secretary of the Association for a number of years.

“That’s when things really took off for me. With other willing volunteers we sweated blood in a sub-committee to bring the town gala back.

“It was quite popular for a time, but these things come to an end.”

Through the community association, Jim began to flex his communication skills.

Jim is without doubt ‘The Speirin’s Mannie’, and has been since 2010. Image: Jason Hedges/DCT

“They suggested bringing back a community magazine, which had proved popular until the original editor passed away and it was forgotten about.

“So I was in the formative team for The Dufftown Speirings but over a few issues the locals suggested shortening it to Dufftown Speirin’s.”

Definition of ‘speirin’

‘Speirin’ is a Scots word meaning questioning, inquiring, investigating, interrogating.

When Jim left the community association, he was asked by members of the committee to keep the magazine going himself.

It’s still going, 14 years later.

Old and new: The first edition of the Dufftown Speirin’s in 2010 and the latest one, 14 years later. Image: Jason Hedges.

“The great thing about the Speirin’s is that I get to talk to every group in Dufftown and they are quite keen to send me their news and other information, what they’ve done and what they hope to do.”

Jim rattles off a list of twenty local groups or more, all of whom regularly feature in The Speirin’s.

He said: “We’re so lucky to have a good sense of community here, there are so many things to do and I’ve got a contact for everybody to make sure they don’t miss out.”

Jim turbo-charged the town’s children’s parties and was DJ par excellence. Image: Jim Nicol.

For a short while, The Speirin’s team recorded the magazine on CD for people who wanted an audio version, and it made its way onto Keith Community radio, attracting the attention of presenter Sheila MacDonald.

Jim said: “She played it on the air, but we couldn’t keep up the recordings as it took so long to do and it was difficult to keep it going on top of work at The Speirin’s.

“Last year Sheila phoned me up again and said, I miss your radio show, but I want you to DJ your own show.”

Jim has his own rock show

Now Jim presents his own rock show with music from the 70s, 80s and 90s, like Iron Maiden, Motorhead and AC/DC.

“I’m on show number 10 now and developing a comedic element between tracks. We’re playing about with artificial intelligence and voices, having characters appear in the show.”

Jim with one of his rebuilt vintage tractors. Image: Jim Nicol.

Jim pays heartfelt tribute to his understanding wife, Joan, herself a busy community volunteer and chairwoman of the Mortlach Hall.

Jim said: “Joan certainly has a lot to put up with. Every chance I get I’m on the laptop rattling away on the keyboard writing bits and bobs in the magazine or talking with someone on the phone to help with a story, when I should be out cutting the green or hanging out the washing while she’s at work.”