Norman Hutchison, who began volunteering with Childline aged 85 and served until he was 100, has died aged 102.
He had spent a good deal of his life involved in youth work before several business ventures in the north of Scotland.
Two years ago, he was honoured for his service to ChildLine when founder Esther Rantzen travelled to Aberdeen to present him with an award.
Norman, of Dyce, volunteered as an office administrator at the charity’s Aberdeen base and completed 15 years’ service.
Honoured
He was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2020 for his services to voluntary work.
His son and two of his daughters received his medal in a presentation on Thursday December 2 2021, in Aberdeen Town House from Lord Provost Barney Crockett.
Norman Hutchison was born in Mount Florida, Glasgow, the son of GP Neil McColl Hutchison and his wife Isabella.
Early years
After education at Glasgow High School he then had a spell at Glasgow University.
In 1947, while working at a youth club at Bridgeton Cross, Glasgow, he met his future wife, Lilian Flett, and the couple married in August of that year. They went on to have four of a family.
Shortly after their marriage, Norman was appointed secretary of Edinburgh Union of Boys’ Clubs and the Scottish Schoolboys’ Club. The couple then moved to the capital.
Between 1947 and 1966 he helped organise Easter and summer camps for young people to Dalguise, near Dunkeld, and Bruar, north of Blair Atholl.
He told his family it was not the best paid job but one bonus was that it came with a Land Rover and trailer and they had great holidays under canvas all over Scotland.
In 1966, Norman was appointed youth and community officer with Aberdeenshire County Council and the family moved into a home in Carlton Place, Aberdeen.
Business life
After his career in youth work, Norman and Lilian realised an ambition to work for themselves and bought a guest house in Boat of Garten where they remained until the early 1970s when they took over the Spar shop in New Pitsligo. In 1981 they incorporated the Post Office franchise into their store.
During this time, Norman was also heavily involved in the federation of Aberdeenshire village halls and New Pitsligo in Bloom.
The couple retired in 1993 and moved to Dyce where Norman became involved in a composting scheme and Dyce In Bloom. He was predeceased by Lilian in 1998.
Service
At the age of 85 he attended an interview with ChildLine for a position as a volunteer administrator.
He volunteered for the next 15 years and became a well known and appreciated character in the Aberdeen Office.
At his BEM presentation, three ChildLine staff joined the family and referred to him as “our very own Captain Tom”.
Horticulture
Over many years, Norman was a volunteer at the annual Gardening Scotland show at Ingliston, Edinburgh, and was honoured by the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society in recognition of his highly regarded and significant contribution to horticulture and gardening in Scotland.
He was rewarded with a certificate of appreciation from Dyce in Bloom and Dyce Gardening Club.
Determination
Colin, his son, said: “He did love his garden but at the age of 99, he decided to replace his lawn with stone chips.
“He lifted the lawn himself and then proceeded to replace it with a tonne of chips he moved in buckets, by hand.”
He moved to Victoria Grange, Dyce, at the start of the pandemic where he spent his final days in the warm, dedicated and professional care of its staff.
Norman is survived by his four children, seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.