The widow of an Inverurie stalwart has donated a piece of lifesaving equipment to the town in his memory.
Former journalist Ranald Allan died last year, after a short illness. He was 66.
His wife, Jane, has now used the money from his funeral to buy a suction machine to help people living with a respiratory condition across Garioch.
She said: “There are a lot of people out there who have chronic chest conditions and respiratory disease, so the idea is the suction machine will ease the distress of a patient.
“I knew that it was very possible that pneumonia would take my husband in the end, so I had asked about a suction machine if he needed it. Thankfully he didn’t – Ranald died quicker and more peacefully than we thought, but there are a lot of people in the community suffering unnecessarily.
“It’s a valuable piece of equipment and is not just for Inverurie, but the whole of Garioch.”
Mr Allan started his career as a features writer at the Evening Express before working his way up and moving to senior editorial positions at various papers including the Press and Journal and the Scotsman.
He eventually became editor of the Evening Post in Reading and the Evening Gazette in Middlesbrough.
When he retired, Mr Allan moved back to his native Inverurie with his wife and set up his own media company.
He loved the town, and was involved in various local groups to promote its well-being, including the Inverurie Business Association and the Inverurie Environmental Improvement Group.
Mrs Allan felt it was important to honour her husband’s connection with the town, and has now handed the suction machine to Inverurie Health Centre.
The district nurses will keep the tool, and give it out to anyone registered who begins to struggle with their condition.
Mrs Allan said: “It was important to me that the money was put to use locally. The donations from the funeral came to £1,300 and we gave some of it to Marie Curie Cancer Care and the rest went on the suction machine.
“He was a big name in the community and he was very, very passionate about everything he did.
“I was delighted to know that I was giving something back to the community that would help other people. Ranald would have been delighted as well.”