A Paisley Scout leader has been awarded a special community award for devoting decades of his life to the movement.
Jim Duffy, who has given 45 years of service to the Scouts, is the recipient of The Pat McCarthy Memorial Award
Pat - known as Granny Pat to friends and family - was a founding member of the Glenburn Ethiopia Group that was set up in the 1980s to raise money for the Third World.
Over the years, Pat helped raise massive amounts of money that was given to SCIAF (Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund).
Pat, who was well known in her community, dedicated her life to raising funds for the Third World, especially for children.
Her quiet hard work and devotion to others were never recognised, but the memorial trophy was introduced in 2005 after her death to make sure local activists would be honoured.
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Jim, 66, is currently continuing his volunteering as a Scouting member of Paisley and District Scout Executive to secure funding for Scouting and he is overjoyed and honoured to be given the award.
Jim, now deputy group scout leader with 7th Paisley JNI, said: “It was quite poignant as my mother used to be a member of the club and Pat McCarthy was a good friend of my mother.
"It is quite a privilege considering there was a family connection.”
The award ceremony took place at Saint Peter’s Men Club in Glenburn where The Thursday Club - a club for over-50s - took over managing the award. The event was also proudly sponsored by William Tulloch Butchers.
Former Renfrewshire Councillor Bill Martin, 79, said: “We decided to call it the Pat McCarthy Memorial Award.
"Pat, or Granny Pat as she was known, was one such individual setting up in 1983 - the year before Band Aid - the Glenburn Ethiopian Group. Over the years this raised many hundreds of thousands of pounds for starving children throughout the world.
"Her work was never recognised and we thought it only fitting that the award was named after her.
“This year we have a very worthy winner in Jim Duffy who has given a lifetime service to the Scout movement, over 45 years here in Glenburn with the Saint Peter's Scout Group and also helping with many other Renfrewshire groups obtaining funds when needed either just to survive or to develop first-class accommodation.
“He helped turn Lapwing Lodge into one of the best outdoor centres in the country and his list of achievements goes on and on. It is quite a coincidence that his mother was one of the original members of the Glenburn Ethiopian Group.”
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