Fraserburgh care home resident’s artwork chosen for whisky bottle label

A painting by a late Fraserburgh care home resident has been chosen by public vote to feature on a limited-edition whisky bottle label.

The artwork, depicting the town’s historic Wine Tower, was created by Betty Milne, a former resident of Kynnaird House Care Home, operated by Meallmore.

The painting received 77% of the public vote in a competition organised by the care home provider ahead of Father’s Day.

For the second year running, Meallmore invited residents, staff, families and members of the wider community across its 27 care homes in Scotland to submit artwork for the whisky label design.

More than 30 entries were submitted and over 1,000 votes were cast.

Betty lived at Kynnaird House between 2022 and 2023 with her husband David, who still resides at the home.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Betty painted a number of local landscapes, including the winning image of the Wine Tower, which she later gifted to staff at the care home.

Senior carer Deborah Whyte sought permission from Betty’s family to enter the painting into the competition following her death.

David was presented with the first bottle of the whisky, named “Drammie”, during a special event at Kynnaird House on Friday May 22.

A plaque and display case recognising Betty’s achievement will also be installed at Meallmore’s headquarters in Inverness alongside last year’s winning design.

Residents across Meallmore’s homes will be invited to enjoy a dram with loved ones on Father’s Day.

Betty’s daughter, Margaret Morrison, said: “This is absolutely wonderful, I love it. We used to live on the Broadsea shore and often went for walks along there.

“My mam would tell me all about the history of the wine tower and the lighthouse and take her camera with her. She loved painting landscapes and this was one of her best.”

Roselle Alberto, care home manager at Kynnaird House, said: “Betty’s painting is truly beautiful, and we are so proud to be able to share it. The whisky bottle is such a lovely tribute to Betty, her connection to Kynnaird House, her family, and the local Fraserburgh community.

“We had a brilliant celebration at Kynnaird House to recognise Betty’s win, and beforehand we went along to the lighthouse with Betty’s husband, David, to take in the view where the painting was created. It was a lovely experience and gave us a real sense of the scene that inspired the artwork.

“We’re all very proud of Betty’s work and she’d have been thrilled to have had it recognised like this. It’s especially lovely that the painting features such a well-known Fraserburgh landmark – we’re pleased to be showcasing the stunning spot in our local area to all of our sister care homes’ residents, their families and our colleagues across Scotland.”

Meallmore chief executive Cillian Hennessey said the competition had received double the number of votes compared with last year.

He said: “The whisky label competition (and the whisky!) was very well received when we introduced it last year, so we were thrilled to be bringing it back again and to receive so many amazing pieces of artwork for consideration.

“We were blown away by the response of the public vote, with 1,000 people voting – double what we had last year! With over three-quarters of the vote, Betty’s painting was the standout winner, and the bottle will look fantastic next to John’s 2025 edition.

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to David and to Betty’s family for allowing us to enjoy her incredible work.”

Last month, Meallmore was named among the UK’s Top 20 Large Care Home Groups for the first time.

The company, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, operates 27 care homes across Scotland, with three more currently in development.