NFU SCOTLAND'S Membership Flame award – recognising outstanding efforts in recruitment and retention of members – has been awarded jointly to the Keith & Turriff and Dingwall & Thurso teams of Richard Thompson and Rosslyn Reid and Graham Laing and Jonathan Hogg.

NFUS chief executive, Scott Walker, said: “This year a lot of our group secretaries performed incredibly well, however, there were two agencies who were ahead of the rest. Richard Thompson and Rosslyn Reid from Keith & Turriff and Graham Laing and Jonathan Hogg from Dingwall & Thurso together recruited 64 members and finished the year ahead of subscription target. A magnificent achievement in very difficult times.

“There are three criteria that are used to determine the Flame Award: member engagement, recruitment, and achievement of subscription income target. Both agencies work tirelessly for their members, recruited 32 new members, and finished the year at 101 percent of their target.

“There was therefore nothing to split the performance of these agencies and so this year it was decided the Flame Award, for the first time ever, would be shared. Richard, Rosslyn, Graham, and Jonathan have all done a marvellous job and are deserved winners. I congratulate them all for their performances.”

North east regional manager, Lorna Paterson, commented: “I am so pleased for Richard and Rosslyn, and indeed their staff. The Keith and Turriff offices are doing a fantastic job in engaging with NFU Scotland members in the North East and receiving this joint award in recognition of their efforts is well deserved. I would also like to extend my congratulations to Graham and Johnny.”

Read more: Three in a row for union's Perth office

Highlands regional manager, Ian Wilson, added: “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Graham and Johnny on their achievement in being joint winners of the NFUS Flame Award. This win has come on the back of some exceptional recruitment figures within the Ross-shire branch along with solid performances from Sutherland and Caithness branches too. This win is made even more stunning given the challenges of working through Covid-19 restrictions, and also the fact that Graham and Johnny’s business has been an agent down for the last year. I look forward to helping them build on this performance going forward.”

The union’s unique local secretary network – which works on behalf of both NFU Scotland and NFU Mutual – has seen some changes in the past year, saying goodbye to Kenny Slater from the Kirkwall office and Wilma Benson from the Stranraer office after 23 and 22 years in service. But there are also new recruits, with Sean Mochan (Forfar), John Laughton (Kirkwall), Marlene Bews (Westray), Sarah Law (Keith & Turriff), Rosslyn Reid (Keith & Turriff), and Leona Jackson (Newton St. Boswells) all joining the group secretary network.