The driving force behind farmers union NFU Scotland in the north-east is the winner of this year’s Royal Northern Agricultural Society (RNAS) David Argo unsung hero award.
Lorna Paterson has been working as the union’s regional manager for the north-east for the past 10 years.
Having grown up on a family mixed arable and livestock farm in Bankfoot, Perthshire, Ms Paterson spent the early part of her career working in the arable industry.
She held various positions both north and south of the border doing a range of activities from selling lime application packages to farmers in Essex and promoting flax and linseed to growers in Scotland.
Ms Paterson, who has a strong interest in cars, also worked in the motor industry for a number of years as well as spending a spell working in the media.
Despite having worked in various different roles, Ms Paterson says her job at NFU Scotland is the job for her.
“I enjoy it because I have autonomy and I enjoy it because the north-east farmers are very motivated and very driven – they are actionmen and that suits me very well,” said Ms Paterson.
Away from her job, which involves huge amounts of driving across the north-east and beyond, Ms Paterson enjoys spending time with her dog Fergie at her home in Forglen, near Turriff.
On winning the award, she said she was “incredibly grateful” and “shocked”.
“I genuinely don’t feel I deserve it, I’m just doing my job,” added Ms Paterson.
In all citations for the award, Ms Paterson is praised for the hard work she does for farmers in the region.
One citation reads: “Lorna works tirelessly, and often without thanks, on behalf of farming members and the wider agricultural community and is the face of the union in the north-east of Scotland.
“Lorna often works away in the background, behind the camera and away from the limelight but always on the ‘front line’, so to speak.”
Another citation reads: “Lorna is truly one of the good ones you would always want on your side.
“Lorna cares deeply about the people she represents and totally buys into their issues as if it was her own personal issue.”
Ms Paterson will be presented with her award at a special awards lunch on Friday, October 27, at the Jury’s Inn at Aberdeen Airport.
Tickets cost £25 and are available from RNAS secretary Alison Argo by calling 07714899628.
