Cumnock citizen of the year 2022: Marge Paterson named winner

Marge Paterson has deservedly picked up the award thanks to her tireless years of volunteering and helping throughout the community over almost three decades.

Following an excellent number of nominations which all contained a very high level of content, the Keir McTurk Committee decided that Marge from Cumnock should be recognised for her amazing attitude.

Marge has inspired and encouraged people of all ages in many areas of different interests.

She has given a lifetime of voluntary service locally, nationally and internationally and over the past 30 years has done so within the community of Cumnock.

As modest as ever, Marge said she wondered why she had won the award, when she was sure there would be many worthy recipients out there.

Marge Paterson is Cumnock's Citizen of the Year (Image: NQ Archive)

She said: "Your immediate reaction when you win is 'why me?', because there are loads of good people who do so much around the area.

"It has taken me aback a wee bit, because you just go about your business not looking for accolades.

"If you see something that needs to be done then you just do it, and it can have a great effect on people.

"I'm very grateful that his been recognised and people do recognise it, and it is a proud moment."

Working as a supply teacher to enable her to have the flexibility to do voluntary work, Marge taught Gaelic and hand bell ringing to school pupils, who played for a Royal audience at Dumfries House.

She has also been the relief organist at Lugar and Cumnock Old churches for a number of years.

However, most people might recognise Marge's face as the top dog at the town's Words of Wisdom café and book shop in the Square, having been there since 1995.

It's a place that Marge is proud of, and somewhere she sees as being a real hub for the community once again, after a tough couple of years.

She added: "Words of Wisdom is somewhere that a lot of people think it's just for people who go to church and that's far from the truth.

"It's been for everyone for years. We have people who meet with others regularly and people who are quite happy to come and sit and have a cup of coffee on their own.

"It took us a wee while after Covid for people to feel comfortable about coming out again, but I think we're getting back to that again, which is great".