Merkinch community figure nominated as Local Hero for Scottish Parliament ceremony in Edinburgh attended by King Charles
A stalwart Merkinch community figure is a true local hero - and that’s official.
Dell McClurg, who has chaired Merkinch Community Council for many years and been at the forefront of many community initiatives and campaigns in that Inverness neighbourhood has been nominated as a local hero as part of a special Scottish Parliament initiative.
The scheme has seen each of Scotland’s 129 MSPs asked to choose one of their constituents who makes a positive difference to the lives of others.
And Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant opted to choose Dell as her “local hero”.
Those nominated will all attend a special ceremonial event to mark the 25th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament, which will take place on Saturday, September 28.
It was announced earlier this month that King and Queen will be special guests at the event and will meet with local heroes.
The event will mark 25 years since the Scottish Parliament was reconvened and will include special performances from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Sistema Scotland, Còisir Alba and Calum McIlroy, showcasing Scottish music and culture.
Rhoda Grant MSP said: “As the Scottish Parliament marks its 25th anniversary, it’s right that the people of Scotland are placed at the heart of our events.
“Together with my fellow MSPs, we want to celebrate the achievements of our Local Heroes from across every constituency and region in Scotland.
“Dell’s work is truly inspirational. She first joined the Merkinch Community Council in 1985 and is currently the dedicated Chair of said Council. She has also volunteered for the Old Ferry Ticket Office in Merkinch since its beginning in 1994.
“She is also an active campaigner for Merkinch. She actively campaigned against the closure of [the old] Merkinch Primary School in 1981 and succeeded. She also campaigned with teenagers in the 1990’s to preserve the Merkinch Local Nature Reserve. The reserve still exists and thrives today.
“More recently, in 2016, she was involved in saving Merkinch Community Centre from being bulldozed and replaced with a “multi-use centre”. Furthermore, she has campaigned for Highland Council to fill in the potholes in and around Merkinch and has voiced her concerns on rising funeral costs, the coronavirus pandemic affecting those in poverty and the lower life expectancy in Merkinch compared to the rest of Inverness.
“It is an honour to nominate her and I look forward to joining her and others for this celebration.”
Local Heroes have taken part in the opening ceremonies of the Scottish Parliament in 2007, 2011, 2016 and 2021. The event will be broadcast live and further details will be announced shortly on the Scottish Parliament’s website at www.parliament.scot.
