Well-known NFU secretary, Michael Coutts, who died earlier this year, was inarguably very much an 'unsung hero' – indeed he had an award to that effect from his peers in NFU Scotland.

Born in February, 1961, the second son to Mary and John, Michael, Mick or Mickey as he was variously known, had a very happy childhood growing up with his siblings, John, Graham and Karen, at St Georges, in Castle Douglas, where he made many happy childhood memories.

He was to follow in his father's footsteps in later life to become the Stewartry branch secretary for NFU Scotland and the local NFU Mutual agent, where he soon gained a reputation as a 'Mr Fixit' for many farm businesses. It won him many friends.

Initially, he attended Castle Douglas Primary School, Castle Douglas High School and then went on to Kirkcudbright Academy, where he was to meet a certain lassie called Anne, who would later become his wife.

After leaving school, Michael joined The Royal Bank, in Castle Douglas, where he worked for five years. After leaving the bank, he worked for the Refuge Insurance Company, based in Kirkcudbright, before applying to work for the NFU alongside his father – he started work there on January 1, 1985.

Working at the Cuil Farm, with the Campbell family, in his school holidays introduced Michael to farming life. It was a farming and country life that he got so much from and gave so much towards. In the words of one friend: “He was an absolute country gentleman and brilliant character. The contribution he made to the rural community will be lasting legacy.”

He loved country life and country sports, so working for the NFU was a perfect career and one which was interesting and rewarding for him. Following his father’s retirement in 1990, Michael took on the role as branch secretary and was joined by business partner, Scott Lang, shortly after.

The dynamic duo of Michael and Scott worked together for over 30 years, with both retiring two years ago. Although delayed by a year because of Covid, Michael was truly humbled that more than 100 people attended a successful retirement party to wish them well – he stole the show, though, with his hour-long 'assessment' of all the branch chairman that he had worked with!

In his NFU days, Michael accrued some significant achievements and in 2007 was the inaugural winner of the Miskelly Award, presented at the NFUS agm, recognising his outstanding commitment to Scottish farming communities and the union.

He made many lifelong friends in his line of work, including his 'partner in crime', Jim Milby, who worked in the Dumfries area for NFUS and they have been close friends for more than 40 years, with many stories to tell.

Away from work – though dealing with farmers, he was never truly away from it – Michael had many hobbies and interests.

This started with the Scouts, attending with many of his friends. In 1977, he travelled to Gilwell Park, in London, where he was presented with his Chief Scout’s Award with many of the skills he learned in that organisation serving him well throughout his life.

He played rugby at school and went on to play for the Stewartry for many years, breaking a leg and broken collar bone along the way. He had immense fun within the game and did so again many years later when he became a 'rugby dad' transporting and passionately supporting (sometimes too vigorously from the touchline) his son, David and the Stewartry team home and away.

He enjoyed trips to Murrayfield and on his last visit, he returned triumphantly having outlasted David and all his friends on the post-game night out in Edinburgh, showing the young 'uns he still had it!

Michael's father was a keen fisherman and introduced him to what would become a passion. They had many happy hours fishing together, not always catching much but enjoying their time together.

Locally, he was a member of Kindar Angling Club and enjoyed many days fishing at Kendoon. He would later join the fabled 'Pisscadors' – an exclusive group of fishermen who take themselves off to, amongst other outings, the remote Knoydart peninsula for a week every September.

This trip became legend, not just for the fishing, but the many escapades they encountered along the way and endearing friendships were formed.

Shooting was another of his great interests and he found a passion for training gundogs and had as many as five at one time. This was something Michael really enjoyed spending time doing with his daughter, Emma and they would often spend weekends out in the field together with the dogs. He was also chairman of the local Gundog Club for several years.

Another passion was playing in his local pipe band. When David was five, he was desperate to join Kirkcudbright and District Pipe Band and so Michael took him along to drumming lessons and decided that, rather than hanging around, he might as well use his time wisely. He decided to learn to play the pipes and at the age of 32 started chanter lessons alongside two nine-year-olds.

He progressed to and took pride in playing with Kirkcudbright and District Pipe Band under the direction of Pipe Major Ian Wemyss. But Michael’s true calling in the band came when they were looking for a bass drummer.

He made the switch from pipes to drums. While David and Emma both played snare drums in the band, Michael was particularly proud when the three of them played alongside each other at the World Pipe Band Championships in 2011 with him on the bass.

Not to be done with just playing, Michael was also secretary and then chairman during which time he oversaw not only the smooth running of the band but also fundraising and ensuring they played an active part in the community.

His bagpipes also led to great opportunities to travel and he was asked to play in Shanghai and Monaco – where he famously piped in Scotch Beef on its return to European markets following the lifting of BSE restrictions. He and Anne also made many trips to the Farmers Club in Whitehall, London, where he was asked to pipe for Burns Suppers and St Andrew's Day events.

He became a Special Constable in 1988 and pounded the beat at weekends during his 22 years of local service, for which he was awarded a long service medal before retiring.

Another of Michael’s notable achievements was being instrumental in the Winifred Ann Kennedy Trust, a charity supporting agencies and organisations to improve the conditions of those experiencing mental health issue or physical difficulties in Dumfries and Galloway. After hearing about a lack of activity by the trust, in typical Michael style, he went on one of his many passionate crusades to get the trust to deliver what it had been set up to do.

Serving as chairman, he invigorated it and with the committee has done so much good work in helping and providing opportunity for disabled people in the area, and ensuring the trust’s finances were well invested for the future.

Prior to his untimely death, he was also secretary of the esteemed ‘Waterloo Club’, which hold an annual night of inappropriate stories, song and fellowship, which he always looked forward to.

At home, Michael enjoyed cooking for family and friends and spent many hours in the kitchen trying out new recipes from the numerous cookery programmes he watched and experimenting with new ideas. No one could match his bread sauce at Christmas!

His family was paramount throughout all of it, though. Michael married Anne in 1985 and welcomed David to family in 1988 and Emma in 1991. It was Michael’s proudest moment walking Emma down the aisle at her wedding to Gordon, in 2017.

When son David married Carolyn last year, although he was feeling far from his best, it was a true testament to Michael’s courageous fighting spirit that he not only made the ceremony, but he saw the whole day through to the last dance and was even able to play the bass drum one last time.

Family was everything to him and the joy Emma and Gordon brought Michael with two adored grandchildren, Heidi and Cohen, was immeasurable.

Michael's diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer was devastating news, but as he did with everything else in his life, he addressed this battle head on. Following chemotherapy and radiotherapy his condition was kept at bay before rearing its ugly head again a few months prior to his death.

He passed away peacefully in February with Anne, David and Emma by his side.

Michael's funeral was held on March 1 and more than £4000 was raised for his local GP surgery, Dr Olivers and Partner, Prostate Scotland and Ward D9 at DGRI. Since then, one of his dearest friends, Keith Dingwall, completed a charity cycle raising over £2600 for Prostate Scotland in Michael's memory.

FC