Polly’s People
Polly Pullar talks to broadcaster and naturalist Dennis Dick, who is meeting his latest challenge with energy and cheer
Polly Pullar meets broadcaster and naturalist Dennis Dick, who is facing a personal crisis
WHEN 83-year-old Dennis Dick was recently diagnosed with the progressive degenerative condition Motor Neurone Disease that leads to immobility and loss of speech, and told he would probably die sooner rather than later of breathing problems, his reaction was extraordinary.
“My first thought was, well, what has changed? At my age one knows life isn’t eternal anyway, and many of my friends of a similar age have gone, or are suffering from illness or weakness. However if you are younger, a diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease is devastating.”
I am visiting Dennis in his Edinburgh home, but have not seen him since he was chairing a reception at the Scottish Parliament for members of biodiversity groups in October, 2016.
That night, having spent all his professional life speaking in public, as he was introducing Roseanna Cunningham, the Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, his voice gave way. This was perhaps an ill omen of things to come.
Now aware that he has MND, I am preparing myself for the worst, but I find him and his wife Mary, also 83, content and cheery in their beautiful home. The walls are lined with wildlife paintings, bookshelves neat with hillwalking and natural history books, sun shining through sparkling windows. Together they are tackling this latest challenge with an astonishing zest. Dennis views himself as fortunate, but is quick to add that without Mary he would be sunk in despair. I joke that behind every great man is always a great woman, and Mary shrugs and shakes her head as she carries in tea and shortbread.
Dennis has indeed had a long, fulfilling life. Born the son of a minister on the side of the Law at Dundee, the family moved first to Dumfriesshire, and then to Stirling.
His earliest encounters with the natural world were during walks in the Ochils, and the first hill he climbed was Dumyat, though he admits he had to be dragged up.
“I didn’t want to go so I feigned a headache, but that attitude soon went, and I have been passionate about hills and mountains ever since.” He laughs. “My father wrote an article about the Ochils for The Scots Magazine, and soon I began to love the hills and the natural world as much as he did. We had red squirrels in our garden, and there were hares in the surrounding fields.”
Later he was sent away to school at Gordonstoun on the Moray Firth and claims that nothing in his life has been tougher since, but it was there that he learned the importance of self-discipline, something that proved excellent grounding for what lay ahead.
Dennis is the epitome of the outward-bound school’s motto, Plus est en vous – there is more in you. And now since his MND diagnosis, it seems all the more apt.
An excellent biology teacher at Gordonstoun further fuelled his interest in nature with transepts of local woods to study beetles, and dissections of frogs’ brains. He proudly shows me some of the dog-eared treasured volumes that formed part of his studies.
Seamanship and expeditions were further levelling foundations for his career. He finished his formal schooling at Stirling High School where he was the only person in his year studying zoology and botany.
Dennis completed his compulsory National Service in the Royal Army Medical Corps and spent two years in a big army hospital. “Though it was fascinating work and I had previously been offered a place at medical school, my path veered off in another direction.”
Instead he became a journalist and publicist, with his first role at D. C. Thomson & Co Ltd where he worked on The Wizard. The managing editor of the children’s
It is vital to protect wild places, says Dennis
papers, R. D. Low, told Dennis he had sat beside his mother at primary school in Dundee.
Next Dennis worked on The Weekly Scotsman, and moved on via a job with the BBC in Edinburgh to help set up Grampian TV as one of its first two employees. He laughs as he tells me that he has now outlived the station as it has long since been taken over by STV.
Eventually he became a writer and TV editor for Radio Times, before moving to the BBC in Bristol where he was also responsible for the Natural History Unit’s publicity.
It was while promoting the TV programme The Life of an Oak Tree produced by Chris Parsons, that he was overwhelmed by the extraordinary biodiversity associated with the oak, convincing him further of the importance of raising awareness to protect and nurture all our biodiversity.
Later he became a TV producer with BBC West, making many local TV programmes including documentaries about Salisbury Plain, the Forest of Dean and Exmoor, as well as world travel. Dennis was fortunate to be flown by RAF units low over central Greenland, and the great forests of Borneo prior to their devastating destruction to harvest palm oil. He has also worked alongside the world’s most famous wildlife broadcasters including Sir David Attenborough.
Returning to Scotland Dennis ran the BBC in Aberdeen in the 1980s, a unique post at the time, with responsibility for all the Aberdeen staff as well as Radio Aberdeen. He also made TV and radio programmes. His Jimmie Mcgregor’s wilderness walks across Scotland for television were watched by millions, and included travels to the islands of St Kilda, Fair Isle, Foula and Rum.
“Wild places have always been a vital part of my life, and I much enjoyed walking with two great mountain characters, Tom Weir and Adam Watson through the Lairig Ghru for a Radio Scotland programme. I did not know the pair hadn’t been speaking to one another for years but they soon sorted their differences during this wonderful expedition.”
Early retirement was a misnomer and instead saw Dennis first running his own TV production company, Wildview Productions, and living in the country where he dug ponds to encourage water voles, and also planted a wood.
He was soon closely involved with the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) eventually becoming its chairman. He sat on
the Scottish Biodiversity Committee alongside chairmen from Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), and the director of The Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) to advise the Scottish Government Minister for the Environment. He was also on the board of the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (RBGE), as well as many other noteworthy organisations.
“As SWT chairman, I personally made the decision – approved by my council – that we should go for the beaver trial in Knapdale despite numerous objections, and I remain convinced that this was right.”
So what are Dennis’ thoughts on the future for conservation in Scotland? “We need to recreate and protect more natural wild places to give animals and plants room to thrive. It might even be that we should have large parts of Scotland dedicated to wildlife where people are not allowed to go.
“There is a danger that so many more are now excited by wildlife that we are creating a new generation of trophy hunters – albeit it not with guns – at the expense of fauna and flora existing and thriving peacefully. I would like to see other lost species returned as it is vital that we now work to restore our ecosystems.
“We should bring back lynx, and even wolves to help naturally control deer numbers.”
Dennis is tiring and his voice is beginning to break down, becoming more difficult to understand. We finish our chat with him using his eyes to make a computer miraculously speak with his special synthesised voice, recorded months earlier. He was advised to bank his voice for future use – something he in turn thinks we should all do as a vital precaution.
It seemed just as if he were speaking to me. He then demonstrated that not only could he speak with only eye movement, but he could also run various programmes
on his computer, turn on the TV, lights, and even ask Google Home to do things for him including making phone calls and acting as both speaker and microphone to communicate with the person at the other end.
Typically he has striven to get to grips quickly with these wonderful lifelines for someone suffering with MND or similar conditions. While loss of use of fingers and hands is associated with the disease, eye muscles are not normally affected. I watch overwhelmed by the fabulous James Bond aspect of the technology available.
“MND seems more likely to attack sportspeople and outdoor types rather than people who lead sedentary lives which is why those of us who love hill walking and the great outdoors must continue to help find a cure.”
It has always struck me that during our time on this earth, it is important to make a difference. Dennis has certainly done that. In 2014 he was awarded an MBE for services to biodiversity, conservation and environmental sustainability.
Even now it is clear that Dennis has found yet another vital role as a superb advocate for MND. “Although this is a disease that is unpredictable, there can be much hope of a future and a purpose. It is simply another of the many challenges which life can throw at you.”
And with that, gentleman that he will always be, he rises slowly from his chair and smiles as he accompanies me to the door.
“He has found another vital role as an advocate for MND”