A Deeside man who has devoted more than 50 years to ensuring local communities are represented on the political stage has been made an MBE.
John Duncan, from Drumoak, has been an active part of the election process in the north-east since he first set foot in the world of politics in 1970.
As a chairman of Aberdeenshire Conservative and Unionist Association, the 69-year-old has played an integral role in helping the “right people” rise in power.
Mr Duncan, who is an architect by trade, has supported a number of prominent politicians to give voice to their local communities – including MPs Andrew Bowie and David Duguid and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
And although he admitted there is a little bit of personal pride in every successful campaign, he said he never expected to be recognised in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.
He said: “I had to read the letter a few times to take it in. It was certainly nothing I had ever expected. I’m very humbled by the award.
“It’s always been something I believed in – doing my best to ensure that the government represents the people.
“They are there to serve – that’s something I learned a long time ago. There is no point of people being elected if they are not there to do the job and do their best however they can.
“It’s all about getting the right people elected to represent their community, look after their constituents and hopefully help their people.”
This story was amended on January 5, 2022, to make clear that Andrew Bowie and David Duguid are MPs not MSPs.