Ella honoured at Rocktalk dinner
Rocktalk – Stirling’s talking newspaper for the blind – recently celebrated its 35th birthday at its annual dinner.
At the dinner, chair Ella Kennedy MBE was honoured after commemorating her own milestone, having volunteered for Rocktalk for 30 years.
Ella has served as reader, secretary, treasurer, vice-chair and chair and is the first volunteer to achieve that distinction, receiving a Long Service Certificate and bouquet from secretary Paul Reed.
Her contribution to the visually impaired community in Stirling was recognised in 2010 at the Provost’s Award when she became the first recipient of the Citizen Jaffray Award which honours a local person who has done much at their own expense for no reward other than that of serving the community. In 2012 she was made an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List and presented with the honour by the Queen personally at Holyrood Palace later that year.
Also at the dinner Long Service Certificates were awarded to Hilary Gunkel and Mike Milne for 10 years’ service and Margaret Kennedy, Audrey Simpson and Ida Wilson for 20 years’service.
Rocktalk has produced more than 1750 recorded highlights of the Stirling Observer since October 1982 for the benefit of the visually impaired members of our community and it boasts of not missing a single edition during that time thanks to the dedication of its volunteers.