An Inverness community activist recognised in the New Year Honours list has made a passionate and robust defence of her area on whose behalf she accepted the award.
Dell McClurg (74), of Merkinch, is still absorbing the news that she is to receive the British Empire Medal for services to wildlife and the community.
As she recounted the moment she opened the letter informing her of the nomination, Dell said she decide to accept it on behalf of her community and other local volunteers – and acknowledged the Merkinch and South Kessock area was often regarded in a negative light by those who did not live there.
Speaking of her disappointment and anger in the way it was sometimes perceived, she insisted it was a great place to live and still had a sense of community.
“I would not go anywhere else,” she said.
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Dell, who lives with her partner, Sam Lyall, and has two sons, three daughters and nine grandchildren, has been a member of Merkinch Community Council for about 45 years including 13 years as chairperson.
She has also encouraged support for the Friends of Merkinch Local Nature Reserve while one of her many roles has been as project worker for local vulnerable children.
Previously, she helped create a play group, save the primary school and the community hall.
In conferring the honour, a Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “She became the voice of the voiceless and has ensured they have been heard for over 40 years.”
Dell recalled receiving news of her nomination: “I got this letter through the post saying I had been nominated for this and I had to fill in a form to accept it.
“I kept reading it over and over again to make sure it was the right address and the right name.
“I was kind of blown away with it.”
After taking some time to mull it over, she decided to accept, saying Merkinch and South Kessock did not always get a good press.
“I just feel people get some ideas of our community and I felt I would accept it for our community and for all the volunteers who help and do things and raise money for us,” she said.
Fiercely protective of her community, Dell said she felt angry and disappointed by the low regard in which some people held the area.
“I brought up five kids in this area,” she said.
“They have all done really well. They are all in good jobs. They have never been out of work.
“But people sometimes have this idea that none of us work and our kids are feral. It isn’t true.”
She acknowledged that there were some problem families in the neighbourhood but maintained that was true of any area.
“We live in the most beautiful area,” she said.
“We have Carnac Point. We have the nature reserve. We have numerous types of birds and wildlife.”
Dell also cited community leader Anne McCreadie, who was awarded the BEM for services to the community in Merkinch in the Kings King’s Birthday Honours List in 2023.
“She has done an amazing amount of work,” she said. “Anne is one of those who quietly gets on with it.”
Dell’s own community activism goes back to when she was a young single mum and got involved in campaigning and knocking on doors more than 40 years ago to get houses in Merkinch renovated.
By her own admission, she regards herself as a “do-er”.
“I am a black bin liner person,” she said.
“I will pick up rubbish and do the dishes. I have always been like that.”
Last year she was nominated as a local hero by Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant as part of a special initiative to mark the 25th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament.
The scheme saw each of Scotland’s 129 MSPs asked to choose one of their constituents who makes a positive difference to the lives of others.