TRIBUTES have been paid to a community champion who served the Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly area for over 20 years, Kenny Aitken, who died peacefully last week at his home in the Highlands, aged 86.

Known to many as the former Community Worker, based at Broad Street Centre in Cowdenbeath, Kenny has been described as a real community hero by former colleagues and friends in the town.

Born 1932 in Inverness, Kenny moved to Fife in summer 1975, marrying his sweetheart Moira just a few weeks later and was soon working at the community centre on Broad Street, in fact he was one of the key people who persuaded local Regional Councillor, Tom Dair, that the town needed a community-run facility for young people, one of the first in Fife.

Kenny went on to develop a programme of activity which involved hundreds of volunteers and saw thousands of local people, young and old, pass through the Centre over the years.

A documentary about the Centre released earlier this year by the Broad Street Legacy Group, featured Kenny in a key portion of the film, demonstrating the love and respect those involved in the Centre had for him.

His wife of over 40 years, Moira, said he loved his time in Cowdenbeath and never forgot the wonderful people he met in Fife: “Kenny loved working at Broad Street and being welcomed by the community of Cowdenbeath. It was a great part of his life. "It was never just a job, he would always go that extra mile and was determined that barriers in communities had to be broken down.”

Moira added: “I think that is one of the reasons Broad Street was so successful and it played an integral role changing people’s lives, working alongside other organisations in the town such as the Gala Committee, Highland Games, YMCA, St Bride's Youth Club and Hill of Beath Youth Clubs too.”

Tom Bain was a colleague and manager of Kenny’s over the years at Broad Street, and described him during the documentary as a great man: “Kenny was probably the best Community Worker, among a handful I ever came across. Kenny always delivered, and treated people with respect and generosity.”

He was also described as “the driving force behind everything that was going on in the community” during the 1980’s and 90’s by Andy Harrower, who worked with Kenny as a youth worker for several years.

Kenny had a keen interest in sailing and dogs, but was also known for his passion of photography, capturing thousands of images of events at Broad Street Centre, but also more widely around the Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly area. His photographs were among those used in an exhibition before the closure of Broad Street in January this year.

Danny Kinloch worked with Kenny for most of his 20 years in charge at Broad Street and paid a warm tribute to him: “Kenny was such a kind and caring person, he would have done anything for anybody and often did just that! "Not only did he lead the team at Broad Street for some of the best years of my life, but his work with the Community Council, Civic Week, local churches, community groups and hundreds of individuals, was just incredible. "He was a warm and genuinely nice man and we should be thankful for everything he did for our town. I know the Broad Street family will never forget him.”

Kenny and his wife Moira, who also had an extensive community education career in Fife, previously lived at the old schoolhouse in Templehall, Kirkcaldy (affectionately known as ‘Fawlty Towers’ by friends and family), but after retirement from Fife Council they sought out the beauty and tranquility of Highland life, buying a cottage in the coastal village of Portmahomack, north of Inverness, in 1996.

Retirement didn’t bring the usual slow-down in work or commitments which some might expect though, instead Kenny was kept busy organising Gala Days, fundraising for a brand new pontoon in the local harbour and improvements to the local community venue, the Carnegie Hall.

Ill-health meant Kenny was unable to attend the closing celebrations in Broad Street Centre back in January, but Moira says that selfless spirit he brought to Cowdenbeath was repeated in his new home in the Highlands too: “He was sorry he could not participate in the celebrations directly, he preferred that people remembered him how he was when he left Fife. His community activities continued here in Portmahomack, gaining new friends and challenges along the way.”

“His sense of fun and mischief never left him and he will always be remembered as a kind, honest man with a big heart.”

“I also want to say thank you to all those who ventured north from Fife and for all those who have sent cards and messages of love and support. I hope to see some of you soon.”

A collection of over £750 was raised at a service for Kenny in Inverness last week, which is being split between Marie Curie and the Carnegie Hall venue in his adopted hometown.