Scotsman Obituaries: Norman Hutchison BEM, community worker

Norman Hutchison BEM, community worker. Born: 6 February 1919 in Glasgow. Died: 6 November 2021 in Dyce, Aberdeen, aged 102
Norman Hutchison receiving an award from Esther Rantzen for his work with Childline (Picture: Childline)Norman Hutchison receiving an award from Esther Rantzen for his work with Childline (Picture: Childline)
Norman Hutchison receiving an award from Esther Rantzen for his work with Childline (Picture: Childline)

In the course of his long life Norman Hutchison was driven by a strong social conscience married to a sense of community spirit and civic responsibility which found fulfilment an d satisfaction in different posts and extensive voluntary work, especially among the young.

He made a huge contribution in a variety of fields, with his efforts being recognised by the award of the British Empire Medal in 2020, for “Meritorious civil service worthy of recognition by the Crown”. His involvement ranged from being a club leader in 1942 with the Church House youth centre in Bridgeton to volunteering with Childline in Aberdeen until 2019, when founder Esther Rantzen gave him an award in the city on his retiral.

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An extremely capable organiser who believed in teamwork and discipline, he set high standards in all he did, doubtless rooted in influences absorbed while a youngster with the Scottish Schoolboys’ Club at their camps, talks and discussion groups, as he moved from boyhood into adulthood.

Norman Neil McCall Hutchison was born in Glasgow, the youngest of four children of Neil and Isabella. His father was a GP in Mount Florida where Norman grew up while attending Glasgow High School. His love of the outdoors stemmed from attending Scottish Schoolboy Club camps, his first in 1934 at Cowden, Dollar, while as a member of the school’s League of Nations Union he also attended camps at Balquhidder and Peebles. He entered Glasgow University to study medicine but did not graduate as it became clear his strengths lay in practical work and the outdoors.

In 1942 he became a club leader at the Church House centre in Bridgeton, an area of multiple deprivation. This had been established by the Church of Scotland to offer support and recreation for local youth as Norman, under the guidance of minister Arthur Gray, immersed himself in their many activities, including handicrafts, country dancing, sports and weekend camps at Braidwood, Lanarkshire. Some support came from the Iona Community including provision of voluntary secretarial help from Lilian Flett, and she and Norman began courting. On 6 August 1947 the couple married in St Francis-in the-East Church, Glasgow, before going on to enjoy a happy marriage of 51 years, during which they had four children, Colin, Helen, Maureen and Alison.

On being appointed Secretary of the Edinburgh Union of Boys’ Clubs that year they moved to the capital as Norman oversaw the administration and organisation of various clubs including North Merchiston, Fet Lor, United Crossroads and Tynecastle Boys’ Club. The job did not pay well but it came with a Land Rover and trailer, enabling the family to have camping holidays throughout Scotland. Again, his duties encompassed a wide range of activities, gymnastics, drama competitions, pantomime preparations, football and camps at Dalguise and Bruar in Perthshire where he was very hands on. He drove boys to Germany in buses for camps as well as on skiing outings to Perthshire. Later, in Edinburgh, he combined that function with being part-time organiser of the Scottish Schoolboys’ Club and afterwards as Assistant Secretary of the Club’s Council, making a very influential contribution.

In 1966 the family moved to Aberdeen when Norman became Youth and Community Officer for Aberdeenshire Council with a wide remit covering community centre facilities and associated youth work. On a voluntary basis he began acting as secretary of the Federation of Village Halls for the county, earning warm plaudits on his retiral after many years.

In 1970 he undertook a significant change of tack when he and his wife set up their own bed and breakfast business in Boat of Garten before moving to New Pitsligo to take over a Spar shop, later incorporating the Post Office and remaining there until 1993. As convener of the village hall he was involved in various community activities, recycling projects, the local Day Care centre, improving the village environment with plants, New Pitsligo in Bloom and the community council.

On Norman’s retiral in 1993 the couple moved to Dyce where he enjoyed spending time in his large garden and assisting with the Dyce in Bloom project. For many years he volunteered with the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society at Ingliston at the Gardening Scotland Show.

Apart from gardening Norman had a wide range of interests. He was a DIY fan who could turn his hand to anything practical, and a keen theatregoer, a member of Pitlochry Festival Theatre and regular attender at His Majesty’s Theatre and Music Hall in Aberdeen. He also enjoyed football on TV, driving tours in Scotland and making himself computer literate.

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In 2004 when attending a carol concert in Aberdeen an appeal was made for volunteers for Childline. Norman, then 85, applied and after interview was accepted. Over the next 15 years he made a sterling contribution doing administrative work, in his self-e ffacing words, “d onkey jobs in the office”. Appreciative colleagues referred to him affectionately as “our very own Captain Tom”. Deteriorating eyesight caused him to step down in 2019. Living independently became difficult and in early 2020 he moved into local sheltered housing.

Last month family members attended a ceremony in Aberdeen’s Town House where they received Norman’s British Empire Medal. His was a long life well lived in which he made a large contribution to the community and lives of many youngsters. The donation of his body for medical research reflected his life ethos, in furtherance of the common good. He is survived by his children, seven grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

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