Forres volunteer George Alexander accepts Order of the British Empire from Anne, Princess Royal

A WELL-known volunteer from Forres accepted his Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award personally from a member of the royal family.

Last June, George Alexander of Waterford Farm was named in the King’s Honours List for the national order of chivalry in recognition of his ongoing contribution to the community in Moray.

And seven months later he attended the Palace of Holyrood House in Edinburgh to accept his title from Anne, Princess Royal.

He said: “I’m extremely honoured and humbled by the recognition. I look forward to seeing others being similarly recognised for the time they give and the work they do, to help make our community an attractive place to live.

“I have a deep sense of honour and humility that anyone should think I need to be rewarded for doing what a great many others are doing in communities all over the country.

“I very much hope that all those with whom I have worked in various projects over the past 28 years understand that I regard this award as a recognition of what we have achieved by working together as a team during that time.”

Following his time as a maths teacher at Forres Academy - during which he was involved in extracurricular activities including coaching football and helping out at breakfast club - George served the area as a Moray Councillor for 10 years, many of which were as leader.

He helped bring the European Pipe Band Championship to Forres from 2013-18, assisting the late David Urquhart to set up Forres Events Ltd and the late John Mackenzie to form Forres Heritage Trust to take over the running of the Tolbooth and Nelson's Tower.

He helps Forres Activities Association organise the tri-annual Forres Scottish Week and the annual Forres Youth Concert. The current Forres Mechanics FC vice chairman was also made a Burgess of the Royal Burgh in 2015.

It was for these contributions and more that George was invited to an audience with the Princess Royal on Wednesday, January 17 along with his wife Kathleen, son Graham and daughter Lynsey.

A total of 73 awardees and their guests initially waited in the Great Gallery hung with portraits of past dignitaries while a string quartet entertained. As well as chatting to Orkney Islands Councillor James Stockan and Mr Rizwan Mohammed, George spotted fellow invitees Jackie Baillie MSP and Sally Magnusson while waiting for his turn in the Throne Room to meet the princess.

He said: “I was impressed by how well briefed the Princess Royal is - she clearly takes her royal duties very seriously. Her ability to convey the impression that she has been an acquaintance for many years and that you are the only one she is meeting on the day is a great skill. She happily chatted about what had been going on in our community.

“I emphasised the efforts made by so many volunteers to make Forres an attractive destination for tourists. She mentioned that the roads were not the best in the north by which I believe she meant the lack of dual carriageways. I suggested that we had far less potholes than I experienced in Edinburgh!

“I also advised her to drive along Forres High Street between dusk and 11pm the next time she visits, to see the new illuminations on Nelson’s Tower, the Tolbooth and the Mercat Cross.

“The signal that my time was up was when she extended her hand to shake - I was surprised to see she had chosen not to wear gloves.”

George was then photographed in a former chapel before he returned to his hotel for a celebratory meal with his family.

He said: “Forres Community Activities Association will stage the Youth Concert in March and 2024 is also a Scottish Week year.

“Forres Heritage Trust will have Nelson’s Tower open again from April to September as well as organise talks, tours, photo exhibitions and other events in the Tolbooth. We are also launching a new book on John Scott, Lord Nelson’s secretary, who was a native of Moray.

“With my fellow volunteers at Mechanics, I hope to help lay the foundations for a more successful season in 2024-25.

“And on a more personal note, I hope that a second hip replacement will take place within the 13 month wait that I was given last November.”