Caithness journalist Iain Grant to receive lifetime achievement award
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CAITHNESS reporter Iain Grant is to receive an award for lifetime achievement in journalism in the Highlands and Islands.
He will be presented with the Barron Trophy at the annual Highlands and Islands Press Ball and Media Awards taking place at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness on Friday, February 7.
Iain is a former staff reporter on the John O’Groat Journal and Caithness Courier and also had a spell as editor of the two titles. However, he is known more widely for his many years of service as a freelance, notably for the Press and Journal, as well as for other daily newspapers and for broadcasters.
Iain, who lives in Thurso and still works as a freelance, is married to Jane and they have three grown-up children, Calum, Stuart and Kirsty.
He was born in Renfrewshire and moved at the age of 13 to Armadale in north Sutherland where his late father John was a GP. A former pupil of Thurso High School, Iain is also a social science graduate of Edinburgh University.
In his nomination, Alan Hendry, interim content editor of the Groat and Courier, described Iain as a complete all-rounder, covering a wide range of news, human interest and sporting stories “with total professionalism”.
Alan said: “Iain has an insatiable appetite for news and a well-honed ability to get to grips with complex issues – none more so than when he was covering events involving the Dounreay plant during the most turbulent and controversial period in its history. Iain adopted a scrupulously fair and balanced approach to every headline-grabbing development in each nuclear saga.
“Over the years Iain has built up an impressive list of contacts who know he can be trusted. It has frequently meant he has had a head start when an emergency has occurred, allowing him to drop everything and get to the scene of the unfolding drama well ahead of anyone else.
“His commitment to journalism is matched only by his love of sport – rugby and football in particular, both in a playing capacity and in coaching.”
He is a well respected news-gatherer, known for the accuracy and quality of his reports and broadcasts.
Gordon Fyfe, chairman of the Highlands and Islands Media Awards judging panel, said: “Iain is a most worthy winner of our prestigious trophy for a lifetime of service in journalism in the north of Scotland.
“He is a well respected news-gatherer, known for the accuracy and quality of his reports and broadcasts. He has also made his mark on the Caithness community with his volunteering endeavours.
“I know just how much time he has devoted to playing, coaching and organising football and rugby in Caithness.”
Iain is the long-serving secretary of Thurso Pentland FC, who celebrated their centenary recently.
The Barron Trophy was donated by the late Evan Barron, editor/owner of the Inverness Courier, in 1950. It bears the names of many of the leading journalists to serve the Highlands and Islands.
