A community stalwart who was “at the heart of Ellon” has died.
Former school rector and councillor Alan Cameron has been praised for leaving a “legacy beyond compare” to the town of Ellon.
Tributes have poured for Mr Cameron, who was also heavily involved in many groups in the town, such as the Ellon Castle Gardens Trust.
Mr Cameron was rector of Ellon Academy for 35 years, and after retiring became an SNP councillor for the town.
He went on to become leader of the opposition group in the council, and remained a passionate advocate for a Scottish independence until he stepped down in 2007.
‘At the heart of the community’
However, Mr Cameron will be remembered by many for his “great contribution” to enhancing Ellon as an instrumental member of several community groups and projects.
These included Ellon Burns Club and Ellon Castle Gardens Trust, which he led as chairman of the board since the group first received the keys for the site.
He was also chairman of the Ellon Public Art Group, which was behind the £20,000 sculpture depicting the River Ythan that sits proud on Market Street.
Gordon MP Richard Thomson, who first met Mr Cameron in the chambers of Aberdeenshire Council, said: “Without a doubt his greatest public contribution was his decades of service to the town and people of Ellon, to whom he has left a legacy beyond compare.
“The community of Ellon is so much richer from the contribution that Alan has made over the years to the town and its people.
“He will be very fondly remembered and very sadly missed throughout the community. My thoughts are very much with his wife Elizabeth and their family at this time.”
As an enthusiastic singer and scholar of Gaelic, Mr Cameron also put on many musical evenings in Ellon – bringing together artistic talents from all across the north-east.
‘A massive figure in Ellon’
His greatest joy, however, was helping future generations find their calling and follow their dreams.
One of his former pupils, Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin, who said she will always remember him as the headmaster, who combined kindness and support with strong expectations of his pupils.
She added: “One of my most treasured memories of Alan will be accompanying him in to the opening of the new Ellon Academy in 2016 – former headmaster and former pupil marvelling at the new building, and sharing memories of the old one.
“Alan loved to see his former pupils achieve things and I was glad to be the latest addition to his list – not being the first MSP he’d taught.
“But he was much more than my former headmaster – he was a family friend and a fellow independence campaigner.
“I will miss Alan hugely. He was my friend, my mentor and a massive figure in Ellon, a town which he loved and gave so much to over the years.
“My heartfelt condolences go to his family and the legions of friends he had throughout our community.”
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