Jim Reid of Kintore was recently handed two awards in the space of a week for his community work.
He was named a High Street Hero in the Scotland Loves Local Awards which were presented in each of the eight Scottish Parliamentary regions.
Jim, 55, took the title for the north-east after leading a campaign to spruce up his community.
He has been leading the It’s Your Neighbourhood project which has seen a team of volunteers clean bus shelters, tidy green spaces and improve public areas, especially around the Town House.
Jim has also been instrumental in the BenchMark Kintore project, where QR codes are placed on public benches to share the rich history of interesting locations around the town.
Jim, who has run the family-owned Jim Reid Vehicle Sales in Kintore for 22 years, has also played a key role in keeping the community newsletter up and running.
He was unaware that he had been nominated and so it came as a surprise to win the award which was handed over at a ceremony in Perth.
He said: “It was great but it was quite an unusual experience, almost embarrassing to be honest.
“It came about because somebody nominated me and it’s not what I set out to do.
“What I set out to do was obviously to make a wee bit of difference for the town.
Kintore roundabouts were so overgrown
“I joined the Kintore Community Council and District Community Council two and a half years ago.
“There were two roundabouts in Kintore which just completely annoyed me! How untidy they were with weeds growing up through them and whatever.
“I thought, well, if I can make an impact at all, we can get those tidied up.
“The other thing was the local magazine, Kintore Konnect. It was a fantastic quality magazine but it was going to close.”
Jim took over the running of the magazine and, with two or three other people, organises advertising and distribution.
It features stories about the local community and interviews with people who Jim says are “local heroes”.
BenchMark Kintore came out of discussions about ways to celebrate the town’s history.
Bus shelters needed some TLC
Jim points out that Kintore has a Roman settlement and adds: “We’re also one of very few royal burghs left. There’s a lot of history and pride behind the town.
“Things like the clean-up of the bus shelters have made a huge difference. All this good stuff.”
Jim points out that his father, Ainslie, who is now 90, started up the town’s floral displays and was made an MBE for his voluntary work.
“He’s one of those guys who would never say no. He would just go and do it,” says Jim.
Town House needed attention
Jim says that the real reward for helping your community is just about “being able to give something back”.
“Kintore is a lovely place. Very few towns have a community feel anymore.
“There are a lot of really good businesses and individuals out there that will support things.
“It has such a nice feeling about it. It’s one of the last kind of old-school towns with a village-type feel.
“It’s a nice place to stay and to have a business.”
Jim Reid Vehicle Sales also recently received a community champions award from the Scottish Motor Trade Association.
Asked about his proudest moment in his community efforts, Jim says: “I think it was the deadline for getting the Town House and square ready for the summer fair.”
Jim painted the coat of arms and the Millennium Stone at the Town House.
He said: “I took so much care and attention knowing that I was just the custodian of that coat of arms. It’s hundreds of years old.
“It weighed a tonne and I can hardly lift it myself.
“Doing the research and painting it the exact colours that it should be and knowing it’s going to be there for years to come.
“Actually painting it along with the Millennium Stone, that, for me, is the pinnacle.”
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