A FORMER Elgin Academy Dux whose groundbreaking medical discoveries have gained global acclaim has advised Moray's young students to follow their scientific passion for enjoyment rather than money.

CHAMPION hill runner Robbie Cammack has reached a peak in exam success by recording six straight A's in his Highers.

A NEW dawn beckons for a Moray graduate in the Land of the Rising Sun.

AWARD-winning Buckie RNLI chairman Alex Fowler has swapped life jackets for a life of leisure by announcing his retirement after 15 years at the helm.

"A WONDERFUL man and a legend in Moray" – entrepreneur and philanthropist Gordon Baxter has had the highest civic honour bestowed on him.

JUST like everyone else living with diabetes, Amanda Stephen lives in hope that one day in the not too distant future a cure will finally be found.

AN Elgin man who reached the depths of despair has pieced his life back together with the help of a team of life coaches.

A LEGEND in Moray - Gordon Baxter was presented with the Freedom of Moray at a ceremony on Tuesday.

AN old soldier with a flair for writing has had his first book published – at the age of 89.

MORAY sisters Sophie and Jenny Martin discovered, when they sampled school life Australian-style, that if you want to get ahead, get a hat.

A CUP of champagne under the Eiffel Tower was the taste of success for a Moray charity cyclist.

IT was second time around for Moray student Leigh-Anne Hepburn when she graduated from The Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen last week with an MSc in European Policy, Law and Management.

ONE of the country's top businessmen, who has never forgotten his "ain folk", is to receive Moray's top civic honour.

AN airman who has devoted his working life to the recruitment and training of reservist personnel has had a royal date in recognition of his service.

A TRAINEE joiner has nailed down a top honour.

THE prospect of a life-saving bone marrow transplant has given Kyle Whyte the perfect present for his 16th birthday.

WINNING big on the Lottery will see pensioners at a Moray old folks' home welcome the community to join them in revisiting the past.

JOURNEYING to the past has been made easier for visitors to the Pictish settlement of Burghead, thanks to a Lottery boost.

A SHOW of strength at Moray's own Big Bone Walk will help support people in local communities suffering from osteoporosis.

A DISPLAY of old photographs in Lossiemouth next week will ask visitors: 'Fa's the face?'

GREATER support for young people will be the focus for the new president of Elgin Rotary Club during his year in office.

CHARITY cyclist Clare Willis gets into gear today (Friday) for a cross channel expedition.

A FORMER pupil of Keith Grammar School has been appointed Scottish Enterprise's new regional director for its Aberdeen City and Shire operations team.

ANYONE who learns what teenager Kirsten Matheson will be doing this summer could be forgiven for thinking that she has her head in the clouds.

ABERLOUR couple ­Albert and Barbara Farquhar are a pair of precious gems, raising more than £3,000 for causes which have come to the aid of their disabled grandson.

AN AWARD-WINNING author is hoping to land another top seller with the launch of his latest novel, which takes readers from the peaceful island of Arran to the mayhem of Mallorca.

THE historic past of a Moray coastal town will help steer it on its course to bring a series of exciting new projects to life.

THE Henderson sisters had a spring in their step as they helped repay the kindness shown to their mum during her battle with cancer.

A MORAY teenager is hoping to enrich the lives of Georgian orphans through singing, music and dance.

IT'S not every centenarian who can invite a 99-year-old friend along to their 100th birthday party.

A FAMILIAR face has returned to preside at Elgin Sheriff Court.

A COMMUNITY warden who goes above and beyond the call of duty to help good causes in her area has been recognised in a national awards scheme.

A RENOWNED Elgin bookshop will open a new chapter in its history following a major refurbishment programme with a series of top author visits.

A FAMILIAR face will be missing from Elgin High School when the new term begins after the summer holidays.

THERE were two very familiar faces joining in the celebrations for the 225th anniversary of St Andrews, Lhanbryde and Urquhart Parish Church last weekend.

THIS unusual winged visitor is certainly in the pink. The rose-coloured starling was spotted by retired plumber Jimmy George feeding in the garden of his home at Dunbar Court, Lossiemouth.

MORAY'S very own horse whisperer has helped one delighted owner achieve her biggest ever equestrian success.

A MORAY minister is on the move.

THERE will be no excuse for boredom in a Moray community when a new youth club for primary school children is launched later this summer.

A FORMER Elgin Academy pupil has come up with an ingenious way of keeping loved ones connected while they are apart.

TEENAGE chef David Gow has always dreamed of working alongside his hero Gordon Ramsay. And now that it has turned into a reality, he hopes it will not become a kitchen nightmare.

HE may be Emmerdale's Mr Bad Guy, but Eric Pollard could bring some much-needed good luck to one of Moray's largest outdoor events.

THE best work from Moray's young artists is on display at the new eco-gallery at Findhorn.

AS thousands of pupils across Moray look forward to their long summer holidays, a group of teenagers from Milne's High School will be helping rebuild an orphanage in Vietnam.

FORBES Simon's family has tilled the soil at Carsewell Farm in Alves for three generations – so it's no surprise that he and his wife Margaret decided to stay in the area after they retired.

THE world's greatest living explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, visited Moray last Friday to deliver a motivational address to Forres Rotary Club and earlier in the day paid a visit to Benromach Distillery in the town.

LEADING a team of husky dogs over the frozen wastelands of Lapland will be the ultimate adventure for a Grange grandmother.

THE leader of the RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team was among those Moray air force personnel to be commended in the Queen's Birthday honours.

A GROUP of groovy grannies from Moray are bidding for television glory and a £2,000 cash prize.

CANADIAN visitor David Culbard may be a little early for the Homecoming 2009, but he discovered that the welcome mat had already been rolled out when he arrived in Moray last week.

MISCHIEVOUS terriers Teddy and Tessy got themselves into a whole lot of bother when they got trapped inside a rabbit warren for four days.

CHILDREN at the Jack and Jill Pre-school Centre in Elgin pulled on their walking shoes to raise money for Kyle Whyte, who needs a bone marrow transplant.

FOOD industry tycoon Gordon Baxter has been presented with a special award by Fusion, the organisation which links executives and encourages entrepreneurship in the Highlands and Islands.

LEGENDARY round-the-world yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has become an ambassador for a Moray whisky.

A MORAY farm became an open air classroom when it opened its gates to welcome school pupils from across the North-east this week.

'WASTE not, want not' is the motto set to be adopted by households across Moray to save cash and reduce the amount of food they bin.

A NEW viewing tower with spectacular views over the Moray Firth is the 'jewel in the crown' of the Forestry Commission's attractions.

A WILDLIFE enthusiast will introduce the public to the residents of the Moray Firth at a four-day event taking place to mark National Whale and Dolphin Watch.

MORAY College has continued a remarkable run of success by producing the country's top apprentice plumber for the fourth year in a row.

A HARD-working volunteer research group has launched its latest booklet.

LOSSIEMOUTH'S very own town crier put the wheels into motion when he heard the news that an English counterpart was on his way north on a gruelling charity mission.

A MORAY woman who has become a leading campaigner and advocate for a breast cancer charity had a royal appointment at the opening of a new research centre in Edinburgh last week.

BRICK by brick, a Moray bank worker has helped lay the foundations of a new life for a South African family.

PREFECTS at Buckie High School will be starting their next term in a blaze of glory by reintroducing a uniform which has not been seen in the corridors for almost 30 years.

IRONS will replace copper as the metal of choice of a Rothes man celebrating his retirement after 42 years working for his own family firm.

BUS driver James Stewart has reached the end of the road after 39 years on the buses.

ANGIE Neal became a careers adviser, but she never gave up on her dream of becoming a train driver.

YOUNG Olympians have flown the flag in a colourful show of united sporting spirit.

ORGANISERS are revved up and ready to roll for the Rotary Motorfun in Elgin on Sunday.

THREE kilted warriors are building up to what they hope won't be their final fling.

HEAD-turning styles which would not have looked out of place on the catwalks of Paris or Milan, have been created by Moray art teachers who went back to school to learn a skill which is in danger of disappearing.

AN RAF hero who was honoured for saving the life of a gunman while on deployment in Iraq is now facing the prospect of never serving on the front line again.

THE talent of an award-winning Moray amateur photographer will be celebrated with a new sponsorship deal.

A GRAVESTONE in a Speyside cemetery, which has been shrouded in mystery for almost two centuries, is thought by locals to be the final resting place of murderer William Hare.

NOT tea for two but rather tea for more than 200 was served up to the ladies – and gentlemen – of the WRVS as Moray joined in the organisation's 70th birthday party.

EDDIE Pratt will show some front by joining thousands of bra-clad women on a moonlight walk around the streets of London tomorrow night (Saturday).

SWAPPING the beauty and fresh air of the Moray Firth for the dust and darkness of a Fife coal mine was something of a culture shock for Alec Ralph.

THE traditional image of a foster parent is of an apron-wearing granny with a baking spoon in her hand.

A NATIONAL awards scheme which enables young people to learn new skills and experience adventure has a new development officer in Moray.

AN emotional moment for Findhorn man Richard Fresson after landing at the site of Kirkwall's original airstrip in his late father's 80-year-old two-seat de Havilland DH.60 Gypsy Moth.

THE new Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland proved an inspirational figure during his ministry in Moray.

A MORAY schoolboy's skill at handling a boomerang really struck home when the weapon spun back and walloped him on the face.

ELGIN Rotary Club is getting into gear for its charity fund-raiser, Rotary Motorfun, on Sunday, June 1, and this week members wheeled out some of the vintage cars and classic motor bikes which will take part in the event.

THE personal experiences of the men who kept Buckie's boat building industry afloat have been captured in a new book.

A FORMER councillor, who always put her community first, has died after a battle against cancer.

A BIG fish in the world of angling has become hooked on a rare set of fishing flies which adorn the lobby walls of a landmark Speyside hotel.

A MAN who became renowned as the bicycle man of Moray has died at the age of 80.

A MORAY business mentor is heading to Malawi to help villagers forge a better life for themselves.

HE'S soft, he's cuddly and he's just been 'born' – meet MacElliot, the newest arrival to a national card firm's popular soft toy range.

A SENIOR figure in the Moray whisky industry has been afforded a prestigious title.

IF fire breaks out in your home, the smoke detector is the early warning which could save your life.

HUNGRY field mice played a major part in the demise of a kirk organ which had become unplayable.

SOGGY cabbage and lumpy custard are more likely to feature in history lessons than be served up for lunch in Moray schools these days.

STONEMASON Neil McBean has chiselled in the handprints of a forgotten Scot whose 19th century genius is being kept alive in his northern birthplace.

THE beauty of a picturesque stretch of Moray coastline will be enjoyed by pupils and staff at a secondary school – without them leaving the building – thanks to a talented teacher and a generous benefactor.

THE newly appointed dean of science and technology at UHI, the prospective University of the Highlands and Islands, believes sustainability is the only way people can avoid leaving a legacy of damage and disruption.

TAKING that first step over the threshold of Studio 8 can open the door to a positive change.

THE sweet taste of success came as a surprise to young chef Jillian Urquhart.

NURSES who started their careers in different parts of the country, but went on to become colleagues at a Moray hospital, have retired.

A TEACHER has put a Moray village on the map by being nominated for a top national award.

RESPECT for the opposite sex is being engendered among children at primary school in the effort to challenge and change attitudes and bring an end to domestic abuse.

BEING young has its own challenges without having to cope with the break up of your family.

COURAGEOUS Moray cancer patient Mike Gray, who campaigned for life-prolonging drugs to be made available on the NHS for himself and other patients across Scotland, has died.

DAREDEVIL Erin Jamieson has won a place in a TV adventure of a lifetime.

A TEENAGER from Forres is proving to be a model student in more ways than one.

A RALLYING call has been sounded to the workforce of a once-thriving Lossiemouth seafood business to reunite.

THE wheels have been set in motion to recognise a charity fund-raiser who has cycled hundreds of miles to boost the coffers of the Breast Cancer Campaign.

A NEW organ is to be dedicated on Sunday in memory of a former head teacher and long-serving session clerk.

IT'S tough at the top – that is what a Moray marine discovered when he embarked on a multi-marathon race in the sub-zero temperatures of Northern Canada.

PUTTING their best foot forward will help charity walkers tackle a coastal challenge which over the years has raised £111,000 for good causes.

SIX young sailors are set to chart a course across the North Sea as they attempt to take an international seamanship title back to British shores.

A MORAY teenager is preparing for the experience of a lifetime, helping to bring clean water to South American villagers.

A MORAY ministry team will soon be up to full strength.

MOST people will remember John Andreetti as the man with the big personality who served up fish and chips at the Ca'dora on Elgin High Street during the 1970s and 80s.

IT started with a Ford Consul in the late 1950s and, since then, James Gibson's passion for the company's cars has never been dented.

HELPING to enrich the lives of carers, and those they care for, has given Maureen McLeod her biggest buzz over the 18 years she has been in charge of Crossroads (Moray).

A MORAY town is giving chapter and verse on its people and places in a new book which has been born out of an artists in residence programme.

MORAY hairdresser Catherine Thomson has been turning heads in the European headquarters of international industry icon Vidal Sassoon.

A FAREWELL party was held last Friday to mark the retiral of Dr Melvin Morrison, head GP partner of Keith's Health Centre practice.

SHE will be trekking with a tribe once famed for their head-hunting skills, enduring monsoons and sweltering rainforests, and sleeping among rats, spiders and cockroaches.

THE freedom of Moray is to be bestowed on Fochabers entrepreneur Gordon Baxter.

"I'M no hero" was the cry from an award-winning Moray teenager who thinks nothing of climbing down sheer cliff faces, ploughing through flood water and rushing to the scene of car crashes and other major incidents.

A KEITH businessman who played a role in community affairs over many years, has died.

A LOVE of embroidery and textiles has seen a Moray student pick up a global award.

STORYTELLER Lori Don drew inspiration from traditional Scottish folklore for her first children's book, an adventure story filled with dragons, fairies and centaurs which need a young girl's help.

THEY say love is blind, and that proved to be the case when a couple fell for the charms of a beautiful but neglected Victorian residence that has been the setting for hundreds of Moray weddings.

A MORAY woman who has travelled across the world bringing aid and comfort to impoverished communities is about to break into new territory.

A BBC news reporter who cut her journalistic teeth with 'The Northern Scot' paper will be searching for Scots abroad after winning a major scholarship.

SAVING an old banger of a car from the scrapyard is one thing. Expecting i