David Maddox: And recognition for a true local hero...

Nice to see that an old friend of mine from Aberdeen is prominently featured in a Scottish Parliament exhibition Moving Stories which is touring the country, starting this Friday in the Granite City.

Walter Baxter (pictured right) is one of the two most impressive campaigners* I have been involved with in my journalistic life. Against the odds he fought and won a battle to stop Aberdeen Royal Infirmary's brain unit from being shut down. He was up against what is often termed the "Central Belt conspiracy", in this case to centralise all brain treatment in Edinburgh. Walter almost lost his life 11 years ago when he suffered a haemorrhage, so he knew all too well the dangers faced by a two hour ambulance journey from the North-east to the Central Belt.

I am pleased to say that as the former Holyrood correspondent of his local paper, I was able to provide him some help.

He also set up a highly successful charity called Brainhelp which has provided help and support for many who have suffered serious brain injuries or haemorrhages.

*There must be something in the water in Aberdeenshire which instills a bloody minded spirit, because the other most impressive campaigner I have met is another North-easterner Cdr Eddie Grenfell.

He spent many years trying and eventually succeeding to get formal recognition for the veterans of the Second World War's Arctic convoys, and while I worked with him on the campaign in Portsmouth where he now lives, he originally hails from Peterhead.