Several community groups throughout Moray are in line for financial assistance thanks to a legacy of almost £200,000 left by the late head of the Baxter’s food dynasty.
Gordon Baxter died last year at 95 after a lifetime of achievement that saw the Fochabers firm evolve from a family business with a turnover of around £40,000 just after the second word war to one of Scotland’s leading firms employing over 1000 people with a turnover of £125million.
Mr Baxter laid a great deal of weight to helping the local community and that was reflected in his will. While the bulk of his £2millioin estate went to family members around 10% was left to several community groups.
Gordon Chapel – close to the Baxter’s base – received £15,000 for use in the Fochabers community, while the Elgin Museum has benefited from a £10,000 legacy. Another £20,000 has gone to the Burn of Fochabers Woodland Trust, which he helped put in place ten years ago.
Bellie Churchyard has received £15,000 to allow maintenance and upkeep work to progress while his love of cricket was evident with another £15,000 being left to the Fochabers Cricket Club with whom he once served as captain.
It was his love of cricket that prompted Mr Baxter to help launch the Moray Cricket Development Centre in 2011. The centre was founded to enable young people from Moray and Nairn aged from nine to 15 to develop their cricketing skills under the guidance of fully qualified coaches.
His largest community legacy was £100,000 to Aberdeen University to help research into heart and lung diseases.