Huntly Express journalist Pat Scott retires after 44 years with the newspaper
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THE face of the Huntly Express, Pat Scott, is set to retire today after more than 40 years working with the newspaper.
Pat (64) started with Express after graduating from Aberdeen University with a Master of Arts Degree in English and Psychology at the age of 20 in 1978.
While some in the paper's office – at that time on Duke Street – thought she would be in and out of the door in a couple of years, Pat has outlasted everyone she started work with.
In 44 years, she has worked for four different owners in five different locations, but supporting and promoting Huntly has always been at the heart of her work.
Pat will still very much be involved with the community, not least in her role as chairperson of the Huntly Hairst, but has decided the time is right to take a step back from the paper.
"I'm going to miss the buzz of finishing the paper and the interaction with colleagues and the community," Pat said.
"Huntly is a busy and kind community, with lots of really good stuff going on in the town.
"The community is really supportive of the paper, and I'd very much say that the Huntly Express is there to support and promote the community.
"And it will continue to do so – but can only do that if people get in touch with news and stories."
Pat has interviewed many people over the course of the last four and half decades, but feel-good, human interest stories were always a personal favourite of hers.
She added: "I remember meeting Jeffrey Archer when he was a Tory candidate, and, as a very young and naive reporter, attending a plane crash in Lumsden.
"I liked that, on a Monday morning, you never knew what you would be writing about throughout the week.
"The thing I have liked best has been dealing with good human interest stories, helping people promote charities and fundraising events.
"As well as that, visiting families when they have been at a low point, perhaps those who have suffered a family tragedy, who have allowed me to speak to them.
"Sometimes I left jobs feeling really upset but I always felt that if it was helping them deal with what they had to deal with then it was worth it."
When Pat started at the Express in 1978, the paper was produced using hot metal typesetting – in a tiny, windowless, office behind a stationers on Duke Street.
She was recently married to her husband Sandy, who she has now been with for almost 44 years, and was looking for a job to put her degree to good use.
"I didn't want to just take a job that a school leaver could have done," Pat explained.
"My husband said I should apply for a job at the paper and that's how it started.
"I never thought I would get the job, but once I was into it I really enjoyed it and I always have done."
Pat thought her career with the Express was ended at seven years when she left to give birth to her daughter Yvonne, who was born in February 1986.
Her son Bruce followed in April 1988, but she was soon back with the paper after a change of owners, picking up a freelance role doing out-of-hours work in late 1988.
"I used to go to meetings late at night when the kids were asleep and then typed everything up in the morning while Bruce was napping," she said.
"That led me back in and I gradually began building up how many days I was working."
Pat also worked in offices on Steven Road Industrial Estate, Gordon Street and then hot-desked at Huntly Development Trust until the pandemic led to home working.
Retirement will allow her more time in the garden, and with her granddaughter Erin (3), although she will continue to help husband Sandy out on their farm.
