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New Year Honours: Mearns development worker says MBE comes at end of ‘fulfilling career’

Sue Briggs from Arbuthnott is being made an MBE for her community learning and development work. Image: Kath Flannery / DC Thomson.
Sue Briggs from Arbuthnott is being made an MBE for her community learning and development work. Image: Kath Flannery / DC Thomson.

An Abrdeenshire woman is “immensely thankful” to be nominated for the New Year Honours list.

Sue Briggs has been made an MBE for services to community learning and development (CLD) in northern Scotland.

The 67-year-old from Arbuthnott was “totally taken aback” by the news and was even left wondering if she had been sent a spam e-mail.

Mrs Briggs – who also helps organise the Stonehaven Folk Festival – said: “I was totally taken aback really by the nomination, it was such a surprise.

“It was an e-mail actually and I did wonder at first if it was spam because it was so unexpected.

“I’m just immensely thankful to whoever it is for putting me forward for the award.”

In a career spanning more than 40 years, Mrs Briggs has worked in a variety of roles in local government.

For the past 12 years, she has worked as the strategic development officer for community learning and development for Aberdeenshire Council.

Mrs Briggs has described her career as “fulfilling” and has enjoyed working with people in the community. Image: Kath Flannery / DC Thomson

She plans to retire next year and reflected: “It’s actually really very nice that this award has come at this point in my career.

“It’s been a really fulfilling career, and I’ve met some absolutely fabulous people through work and amazing people in communities themselves.

“The power of work that’s done by people in their own communities is just almost incomprehensible – it’s amazing. But the kind of work we do in CLD gives those people and communities who need a little bit extra help that support.”

‘It’s about everybody else who contributes’

Although delighted to be honoured, Mrs Briggs believes there are many more people who deserve recognition for their work.

She said: “Community learning development work is really important and it has been really important to me in my career. But there are many people who deserve accolades for their effort and work.

“So receiving the honour, for me, has to be about more than myself – it’s about everybody else who contributes to this field of work.

“I’m sure everybody says this but it’s an award given to an individual, and very rarely is it for the individual, it’s for the field of work and everybody else behind the scenes.”

Community is important to Mrs Briggs, who makes sure she supports her local community of Arbuthnott and the wider Laurencekirk area. Image: Kath Flannery / DC Thomson

She is heavily involved in the Northern Alliance and has published books alongside colleagues for community work students.

Outside of her work, she is involved in the Stonehaven Folk Festival and the Laurencekirk District Rotary, believing it is important to be involved in, and support, her own community.

Mrs Briggs has family visiting from Norway for the festive period and plans to celebrate with them as well as her friends and colleagues.

They are going to the Stonehaven Hogmanay Ceilidh, which she helped organised, and she hopes they will be able to raise a glass during the event.

Former MEP and wildlife advocate recognised

Meanwhile, solicitor and former-MEP Sheila Ritchie, from Newmachar, has been made an MBE for her political service in Scotland.

The Liberal Democrat was elected as an MEP in 2019, but only remained in post until the UK left the EU.

She has also served as a councillor for the Gordon district and was the convener for the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Ms Ritchie has spent over 20 years supporting start-up businesses and has been an RSPB volunteer and advocate for over 30 years.

Conversation