THE retiring chief executive of the Energy Agency in Ayrshire has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award by national fuel poverty campaigners Energy Action Scotland.

Liz Marquis has led the agency for the last 25 years and is one of the country’s leading voices highlighting the extent of fuel poverty and the impact it is having on people’s lives.

The Energy Agency is a charitable organisation providing free, impartial and expert advice to households, businesses and communities, covering energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable transport.

Its aim is to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainability, operating across South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway.  

Energy Action Scotland chief executive, Frazer Scott, said: "This really does mark the end of an era for us as an organisation and for me personally.

"As one of our trustees, Liz has been one of our greatest supporters over many years and has made the most extraordinary contribution to the fight to end fuel poverty in Scotland.

"For the Energy Agency which Liz has led for so long this must feel seismic. Liz has always led from the front adapting and changing approach as circumstances dictated.

"Always creative, always thinking about the big picture  your commitment to demonstrating the links between fuel poverty and ill health have been game changing."