Fife milk woman who has delivered to doorsteps for 40 years named 'Dairy Hero'

Davina Bruce, who works at McQueens Dairies in Kirkcaldy, has been delivering milk to doorsteps in Fife for more than 40 years and received the accolade from the prestigious Grocer magazine, a national publication that is read by the food industry across the UK.

The high profile magazine set out to find individuals who had gone the extra mile in 2020 to keep our favourite dairy products on shelves and in fridges throughout a very tough year.

Davina’s commitment to making regular doorstep deliveries to her many customers in Fife was recognised alongside others from across the whole of the UK including an ice cream maker in London, a cheese maker in Yorkshire and a dairy farmer in Cornwall.

Her hard work was pushed even further in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic took hold and her delivery rounds grew rapidly as lots of people looked for a safe and reliable fresh milk delivery service.

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Having originally helped out on her father’s milk float from the age of 12, Davina followed in his footsteps with her own round as soon as she was old enough.

And her passion for delivering fresh milk, eggs and fruit juices to the people of Kirkcaldy continues to be a family affair, with son Bob – who joined McQueens in 2011 – now her boss, after he was promoted to the post of depot manager earlier this year.

Davina told The Grocer magazine that during lockdown existing customers increased their orders and she would have to do two runs to their doors because she couldn’t carry everything they’d ordered, but that her spirits were kept high by the messages she received from the families she delivered to.

Davina said: “You’d get drawings and thank-yous for being a key worker. Kids would be writing on the paths with chalk saying thank you for their milk deliveries. It was really touching.”

Getting deserved recognition for her hard work isn’t a new thing for Davina as in 2019 McQueens Dairies named her as its Woman of the Year.

Mick McQueen, chairman of McQueens Dairies, said: “Davina is a model employee whose customers love her to bits and we’re very proud of her.”

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