Stalwart scoops top gong at town lunch
Peter Mason bags Matt Dunnachie prize for 2018
Peter Mason has been chosen as the 2018 winner of the Matt Dunnachie Award.
He was presented with the trophy and a certificate at the annual Christmas lunch held by Maybole Over Fifties ( MOF’s) group at Wildings.
Councillor Brian Connolly and Bill McCubbin, chair of the committee which selects the winner, surprised Peter at the lunch.
Cllr Connolly told the diners that Peter had been born and brought up in Kilmarnock, before settling in Maybole.
He continued: “He got fully immersed in the Maybole community including being a member of Maybole Community Council for over 20 years and a director of May- Tag Ltd.
“He has been Involved in many of the town’s major activities, including Town Twinning hosting, ‘ Robert Burns - where it began’ in 2007; ‘ The Year of Homecoming’ in 2009; Maybole 500 celebrations 2016- 17; and many more.
“He has also been involved with organisations such as Ayrshire Leader, Carrick Community Councils’ Forum, South Ayrshire Association of Community Councils One and one of his current successes has been his work with MOF’s with so many people now involved in a successful organisation.
“But probably his most significant piece of work we can all see coming to fruition around the town.
“When it was suggested that we needed a bypass committee there was only one man the then chair of the CC could turn to. As chair since its formation in 1988, he has been a tireless campaigner for a bypass for Maybole.
“He has met every Roads Minister, with his latest meeting less than two weeks ago at Holyrood and was reassured that contractors for the bypass will be named this month. Advanced vegetation clearance works have already started, involving the felling and removal of all trees, hedges and undergrowth from the land acquired for the bypass.”
He continued: “The family of the late Matt Dunnachie donated a silver trophy to Carrick Sports Club, now The Speakers, in 2007 to be awarded on an annual basis to an individual or organisation who has contributed to life in the town of Maybole over the years. It is the equivalent of the town’s Citizen of the Year Award.
“There is so much more to Peter Mason’s community work and we feel he is a more than worthy winner.”