Citizens Of Inverness - the story of Donald MacCuish and Dougie McGilvray

From humble beginnings in the village of Arrochar two young boys were born, spent their childhood, teenage years, and the start of their working life, then followed very different paths ending up in the capital of the highland, Inverness, where they both settled and achieved the award of Citizen of the year.

Neighbours.

Personalities – one as wild as the heather, the other very reserved.

Fathers working in the same establishment.

Going to the same Primary school – Arrochar Primary.

The same secondary school - Hermitage Senior Secondary.

Eating the same fish out the loch.

The potatoes at their dinner tables would have been from the same soil.

Concerts in the back gardens (only Dougie).

Donald MacCuish

 is well known throughout the Highlands for his dedication and long service to the transport industry, which culminated in the spectacular Transport Seminars & Exhibition held in the Drumossie Hotel last November.

As a former Council member of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, Donald came to enjoy the Chamber’s Christmas festivities with his wife Marion, and ended up the centre of attention when he was awarded the Citizen of the Year Trophy.

The Citizen of the Year Trophy is awarded by Inverness Chamber of Commerce to members of the local community who have made an outstanding contribution to Inverness and its community, out with their normal employment.

Donald’s involvement in transport has spanned half a century. As well as being the President of the Institute of Transport Administration for the past seven years and serving on the North of Scotland Branch of the Institution of Highways and transportation, he also served for many years on the Scottish committee of the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association. He played a major part in bringing changes to proposed EC legislation, which, if implemented, would have been detrimental to the road transport industry in the Highlands and Islands.

Donald worked for many years as the Highlands and Islands Development Board, first as Freight Transport Officer and later as Head of Transport Services. He stayed on for a year after the HIDB closed its doors in 1991, before setting up his own consultancy, Transport Advisory Services. Despite all this, he still found time to devote to his other consuming interest, Blythswood Care. Donald was one of the founder members of the charitable organisation in 1966.

Dougie McGilvray. Before the kick off at Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s match against Rangers on Tuesday, club chairman Dougie McGilvary was presented with a prestigious trophy by Thomas Prag, president of Inverness and District Chamber of Commerce.

The Citizen of the year Trophy is awarded by the Chamber to members of the local community who have made an outstanding contribution to Inverness and its community out with their normal employment.

The award made in 1997 to Dougie McGilvary in recognition of his achievements in establishing Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club; in bring Scottish League football to Inverness, and the developing a magnificent stadium and pitch.