Personal presentation for Thurso woman with over 40 years in public service
A CAITHNESS woman was surprised when her boss and line manager turned up at her house to present her with a long service award.
Valerie Duff from Thurso retired during the coronavirus pandemic after 40 years in public service and missed out on a presentation at the time due to the Covid restrictions.
But Steve Walsh, the chief executive of High Life Highland and line manager, William Durrant, decided to recognise her achievement, pass on her awards and give her a bouquet of flowers now that restrictions have eased.
Mr Walsh said: "I was delighted to be able to drop-in on Val and make the presentation to her personally.Val started working with The Highland Council, supporting the Thurso Youth Club. During this time she relocated to offices based within Miller Academy where she continued to support the youth club but also the community learning team. In 2011, Val transferred from The Highland Council to High Life Highland, when the charity was set up and continued as clerical support, assisting the charity’s youth, active schools, community learning and the facilities leisure team.
"Val was a ‘weel-kent’ face in the local area, but also with her HLH colleagues. In 2017, she made her final move to be located in the offices within the new East Caithness Community Facility, where she remained until the country was placed into lockdown."
He added:"We have many great staff like Val, who have committed many years of their working life to the various roles that HLH plays in communities across the Highlands. While it is disappointing that we have been unable to recognise these efforts in the usual way, I am assured by the team responsible for the annual event that they are working on a way to hold another event when we can, allowing us to play ‘catch-up’ with those who would otherwise have been recognised for long-service, had it not been for the social distancing restrictions in place.
"We are all very much looking forward to the time when our volunteers and staff can once again meet together and spend some time celebrating the great work that HLH carries out right across the Highlands – and thanks to virtual services developed during the pandemic – these services are now delivered far beyond these shores."
Providing restrictions allow, HLH will be holding an awards event that will look to specifically celebrate the work undertaken by volunteers and staff during the Covid-19 period. The ceremony will be a hybrid-event with some individuals attending in person, with others able to attend virtually.
Through the charity’s website and social media pages, members of the public will be invited to make nominations for HLH staff and volunteers who helped out in their communities during the pandemic.