Obituary: Doreen Graham, SSPCA spokesperson who championed cause of animal welfare

From those early days she carried an abiding belief that good communication could change perceptions, inspire action and build understanding – a belief that shaped everything she later achieved.

That conviction found its fullest expression when Doreen became the principal spokesperson for the Scottish SPCA, Scotland’s leading animal welfare charity. Over many years she became the trusted public voice of the organisation, working on two television series about animal care and ensuring that the cause of animal welfare was heard in households across the country.

Her leadership came to the fore with the launch of the Scottish SPCA’s groundbreaking “First Strike” campaign, which was the first initiative in the United Kingdom to shine a light on the link between animal cruelty and domestic abuse. Pioneering at the time, the campaign attracted widespread media attention and Doreen reached out and spoke at Crufts, veterinary schools, police forces and social work departments.

She was later invited to address the seminal “Forging The Link” Conference in London, a foundational event that brought international attention to the connection between violence towards animals and violence towards people. This work directly inspired the creation of The Links Group, which continues to raise awareness, provide education and foster inter-agency collaboration among Women’s Aid, UK police forces, social work professionals, veterinary schools and animal welfare charities.

After leaving the Scottish SPCA, Doreen brought her formidable skills to a different arena of public life. She joined the management team that established the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, helping to create the organisation from the ground up and communicate its aims to the public. Her clear-sighted approach and ability to explain complex issues with warmth and clarity ensured the new body earned the confidence of those it served.

Yet animal welfare remained close to her heart. In 2009 she became a board member of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, Scotland’s oldest animal shelter, where she volunteered as Press Officer and edited the annual report. Her commitment and vision saw her appointed Vice-Chair and, in 2019, Chair- a role she found profoundly rewarding.

Among her proudest achievements was helping to launch the Home’s Pet Food Bank, an innovative initiative that offers practical support to pet owners facing financial hardship, ensuring that beloved animals could remain with their families even in difficult times. After years of dedicated service, Doreen stepped down in 2023, leaving behind an organisation strengthened by her guidance and compassion.

Doreen’s energy and generosity extended well beyond animal welfare. A lifelong music lover and active member of two local choirs, she understood music’s unique power to enrich and heal. In 2019 she joined the board of the Nomad Beat Community Music School in Peebles and became Chair the following year. She steered the school with steady hands and a buoyant spirit through the challenging Covid years, when the financial climate threatened its future.

Her unshakable optimism lifted morale and helped sustain the school when it needed it most. To Doreen, music was not merely a pastime but a life-enhancing force, and she poured her heart into making it accessible to everyone.

For all her public achievements, friends and colleagues speak just as warmly of Doreen’s private acts of kindnes – deeds performed quietly and without fanfare. Whether mentoring a young colleague, lending an ear to a neighbour or offering encouragement in difficult times, she embodied a generosity of spirit that left a lasting mark. She was, many have said, a positive life force: compassionate, encouraging and endlessly curious about people and the world around her.

In 2025, just months before her death, Doreen was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to animal welfare. She was delighted to receive the honour personally from King Charles at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, a fitting recognition of decades spent championing the voiceless and improving the lives of animals and their owners.

Doreen’s life was enriched and sustained by the devoted partnership she shared with Archie, her husband of over 41 years. Archie adored her and championed her every endeavour. Whilst the close timing of their deaths is a source of deep sorrow to all who knew them, many have also found comfort knowing that theirs was a love so enduring that even death could not separate them for long.

Doreen Graham MBE leaves behind a legacy of compassion, advocacy and quiet, determined leadership. Her work continues in the campaigns she championed, the organisations she strengthened and the countless people and animals whose lives she helped to protect and uplift. Those privileged to have known her will remember not only her accomplishments but the warmth, humour and positivity she brought to every encounter.

A Celebration of Doreen’s life takes place on Tuesday 30 September 12 noon at Newlands Kirk, Romanno Bridge. Donations in her memory can be made to Pancreatic Cancer UK.

Obituaries

If you would like to submit an obituary (800-1000 words preferred, with jpeg image), contact [email protected]