Surban Living Magazine Spring Summer Edition

Surban

Surban Living Magazine

KEM Consulting & Publishing

Instagram: @surbanlivingmag

website coming soon

Editor-in-chief Kelly Morris

Sub-editors

Arts & Culture

James Dixon

Health & Fitness

Derek Elder

Michelle Bauge (writer)

Alan Foster (production)

Angela Printezi (design)

HRM Homecare Ltd

Microtech Group

QTS Group

Lanarkshire Law Estate Agents

EK Collective

The Dainty Strawberry

John Morris

Lynn Laughland

Chris McMail

Strathaven by Les Hoggan Photography

Little Scholars Nursery

“Little Scholars Nursery opened its doors in March 2003 to serve the community of Whitehills and the surrounding areas

With a capacity of 100 children, our 32-member team provides a high-quality service to the families of East Kilbride

We offer a super spacious layout including a kitchen, an indoor pram store and a family room Our central playroom area is accessible to all children and is used for all sorts of activities such as dancing, parties, and baking We also have a sensory room to provide children with a calm and relaxed space, and direct access to our garden via the playroom which ensures our kids get outside daily

At Little Scholars, we seek to maintain excellent partnerships with all of our carers even offering them the opportunity to become directly involved in the nursery by attending our “Tea and a Blether” days where they can forward their own ideas, review policies and procedures, and help organise parents evenings, open nights and fundraising events.

We have a clear vision for our children: to support each and every child’s individual needs to allow them to meet their full potential while they’re under our care

Ultimately, we put children at the heart of everything we do and always want them to feel happy, loved and included during their time at Little Scholars”

Ann Marie Kennedy, Manager, Little Scholars Nursery, Scholars Gate, East Kilbride, G75 9JL | tel 01355 900119, info@littlescholarscouk

Review

I cannot recommend Little Scholars enough The facilities are fantastic - bright, open, and yet warm and welcoming with lovely gardens and outdoor play areas, but it’s the staff that are the secret sauce here I have never met so many bright and bubbly personalities in one space Each and every member of the team genuinely loves working with children - it’s non-stop playing, games, learning, dancing and lots of laughing Communicationwithparentsisalsofirstclass Itreallyissuchan incredible team led by Manager Ann Marie Kennedy who is always bursting with new ideas. I’m delighted Ann Marie has agreed to be our expert contributor and I can’t wait for you to meether KellyMorris,Founder,SurbanLivingMag

Surban LIVING

Editor’s Note

Hi, welcome to Surban Living, your online Lanarkshire lifestyle magazine

Our aim is to connect residents, businesses, charities and communities to help each other ‘get on and do well’

We do this by promoting people to meet, places to go and stories you should know

Why Surban Living?

If you’ve been with us since the beginning, you’ll know we started as EK Lifestyle - a monthly print publication There’s been a few changes along the way: we’re now a digital and quarterly publication You can read all about the latest developments in my new business blog towards the end of this issue

Kelly Morris Editor in-chief get in touch at editor@surbanliving.co.uk IG @kelly_e_morris or 07906 199625

In This Issue

Far more interesting though, is the journey of Nicola (our cover star) from Jackton, whose self-build pipe dream was almost brought to it’s knees by a badger! I’m not kidding Her home is beautiful, her kitchen is stunning and she is just one of the loveliest people you will ever meet!

If you do anything this summer, visit Strathaven

Our Place feature this month, is all about beautiful Strathaven If you’ve ever watched a Hallmark movie and wished we had a beautiful market town where the community got together and did fun stuff, then you must go to Strathaven

As Maureen McKenna (my wee mum) explains in her first ever writing gig, ‘I thought it would be all betting shops, charity shops and empty shops, but I couldn’t have been more wrong, it’s a lovely place with lovely people’

The weekend of 7/8th June might just be the time to try it for yourself as it’s Gala day And by Gala day, we don’t mean a wee bit of bunting and a couple of home-made cake stalls, we mean the Strathaven Gala Day with it’s raft race and duck race and a million other things that make it like no other gala you’ve ever been to

Also a certain Taylor Swift is coming to Scotland that weekend, and not every fan managed to get tickets, so a trip to Strathaven could be just the treat that stops a few faces tripping all day long

Meet the team

As some of you will recall, the first edition was written mostly by me and I think we were all a bit sick of the sound of my voice by the end of it I was also exhausted (maybe even a little bit broken)

This issue still has far too much of me, so you’ll be delighted to be introduced to our growing team of subeditors, writers and contributors who will take much more of a leading role in the coming months

From the next edition onwards, I’ll be focusing on business and stuff, sharing useful information for those of you: looking for work, in work, starting up or selling up KM

If yourbigdreamistobuyaplotof landandbuildyourownhome, thenyouprobablyshouldn’tread anyfurther,as NicolaandGarry’s self-buildjourneymightputyouoff theideaforlife

Visittheircompletedbuildhowever, andyoumightjustfindyourself poppingintothegaragefora lotteryticketonthewayhome

Interview&Images:KellyMorris

HOME

Before we drive into how harrowing the journey was, and how beautiful the house is, let’s introduce you to the couple and tell you how it all started.

Bellshill born & bred

Born and bred in Bellshill, Nicola’s upbringing was the same as the vast majority of families in Lanarkshire, “We weren’t wealthy, or anywhere close to it, but my parents were really hard working and we wanted for nothing,” she explains

“My dad was a mechanic, and my mum was a hairdresser - she still is actually, at 74! She’s a real force of nature and still my biggest inspiration in life,” Nicola smiles

After school, Nicola went to Coatbridge College to study Beauty Therapy before embarking on a seven and a half year career with Clarins

From working on the shop floor to joining the Account Development Team, Nicola was selected to spearhead the ‘Clarins Studios’ campaign, launching studios and training teams in department stores UKwide, from Frasers and Jenners to Harrods and Selfridges

It wasn’t long before she found herself in Clarins France doing Advanced National Training including make-up tutorials from some of the world’s best experts

“I loved that job, it really excited me,” Nicola beams “I was 25 years old, flying to France to do training and coming back to the UK to train the girls

I remember when I got my first company car - I had never had a new car before, never mind a company car, and it had one of those big old-fashioned car phones, like the ones on the Dom Jolly show, and I just I remember thinking at that time, ‘that’s it, I’ve really made it,’ she chuckles

After 75 good years, Nicola was recruited by a smaller spa-oriented national skincare company to manage their Scottish territory before becoming the National Sales Manager, covering the UK and Channel Islands

“Gatineau is a French House with a focus on salons, spas and hotels rather than department stores It’s a really great company and a fantastic brand that often ranks in the top bestsellers on QVC,” she smiles proudly

So, an exciting career move for Nicola with plenty of travel and opportunities “It really was, and it was just before I took the job with Gatineau that I met Garry”

Settling down

Garry was born and raised in Rutherglen with a similar background to Nicola His dad was an engineer and his mum worked in admin – again both hardworking parents

Nicola explains, “Garry started his career as an apprentice motor mechanic at one of the large motor dealerships He worked his way through Sales to his current position of Operations Manager, and he’s still with the same company”

Well that’s a very impressive apprenticeship “I think it’s because he chose something that he really loves and that he was really good at,” explains Nicola “I remember him saying he was working under a bonnet one day, when he looked in and saw the salesmen in the showroom with their nice suits on and he thought ‘I’d like a wee bit of that,’ so he asked someone ‘how do I get a Salesman job’ and he literally never looked back”

First Home in East Kilbride

So, we’re forward- winding now, to Nicola and Garry buying their first home in Stewartfield in East Kilbride “We didn’t know the area but we both loved it and settled really quickly,” Nicola recalls

“We had great jobs, went lots of holidays and had kids much later And Stewartfield is a great place to raise kids, but we always had this pipe dream of buying land and building our own house”

As luck would have it, they spotted a tiny article in the back of the newspaper about a plot of land in Jackton “We were trying to find more information about it, but there was nothing, then Garry weirdly discovered the white bungalow beside the land was owned by the grandparents of a boy he worked alongside That led to us finding out more information and deciding to go for it”

Despite all of the positive ‘signs’ and putting their best bid forward, Nicola and Garry lost out to a property developer with a plan to build four houses

“We were so disappointed that we didn’t get it, so we decided to build an extension on the house in Stewartfield instead, A few years had passed, we had our son, he was a toddler, and I was expecting our daughter when we got a phone call from the council to explain the sale of the land had fallen through”

The council were landowners once again, and they anted to know whether Nicola and Garry were still interested cont/

“Of course we were interested, but the timing couldn’t haven’t been worse,” Nicola explains “We’d just spent almost all of our savings on the extension, so we definitely didn’t have as much to offer this time But, we thought it was worth putting in an offer and it was actually accepted We honestly couldn’t believe our luck”

The badgers

And it didn’t take them long to get things moving, working with architects on the design to put the plans in And as anyone that’s applied for planning will know, there’s always a fear that there’s bats “In Scottish Law, you must complete a wildlife survey for bats and if they’re found it can really hinder a project, so we were relieved and delighted when there was no evidence of bats”

But they weren’t out of the woods yet - indeed they were so focused on the bats, no-one explained the implications if badgers are found

“Yesthatwasasurprisewhenthe badgerswerediscovered- onethat ledtoaten-yearnegotiationand delayofthehouse-build”

Nicola explains, “When the badgers were first discovered, we worked very closely with the Wildlife Association to do everything possible to protect them Initially they were trying to find a suitable habitat locally and there were suggestions of the land across the road, but they would probably just try and find their way back which would put them at risk of cars I think someone also suggested Calderglen, but you’re not actually allowed to move the Badgers, only lead them, and that was too far so the Wildlife Association eventually settled on excavation and building a badger protection den on the plot”

Quite the expensive, but worth it, if it keeps the badgers safe and the planning people happy? “Not really, because the badgers didn’t move and we weren’t allowed to move them,” Nicola clarifies, “so we spent the money, built the thing, delayed the house build and we were still no further forward”

Not only were they no further forward, it felt as though they were doing everything that was asked of them and yet there was a relentless desire to delay the build and even a threat to shut it down completely

“The council were just as keen as us to find a solution and move things along, but it honestly felt like no matter what we suggested or did, it was never going to be enough for the WA,” Nicola recalls “It was all consuming and really stressful”

Take a break

The pipe dream was turning into an extortionate ten year nightmare “It was tough Garry’s dad also passed around this time and we just lost the appetite for the build So many times we felt like walking away,” Nicola admits “but we couldn’t, we had spent so much money that it wasn’t an option, so we could do was take breaks away from it”

However there was another challenge simmering in the background Five years had passed since their planning designs had been approved, which in Scots law, means you’re required to resubmit any architectural plans for approval That also meant more time, more money and potentially, further delays if planning didn’t approve

Whilst it was another thing to add to the list, Garry and Nicola saw it as an opportunity to make some tweaks

“I always wanted a big traditional wooden house with a mix of materials inside that made it feel like a Scottish country lodge and believe it or not, this house is actually built around a vision for the front door,” she smiles “I’ve had this picture in my phone for years of an entrance that I fell in love with, and we wanted to do something similar but with our own twist, so we included that in the design along with a second dwelling should we ever want to build again in the future”

The big kitchen debate

Thankfully the new plans were approved and it was full steam ahead with the build and finally, for Nicola, the interior “I spent a huge amount of time trying to source traditional exposed oak which we eventually found in Ireland, and a very specific type of stonework which we got from a quarry in Dundee and the steelwork was local from Hamilton”

For pretty much all of the interior decisions, Nicola and Garry were on the same page, until it came to the kitchen Nicola loves to cook so she was really excited about the kitchen “I knew about Jackton Moor Kitchens, but I thought they were outwith our budget Wren never came back and the others we tried, had really poor customer service,” she recalls

“So, we finally went to see Jackton Moor and we met with David and Anne Marie who were just incredible They were sending me lots of pics the phone and everything was lights and greys because that’s what everyone else was doing at that time However, I was very firmly fixed on raw wood, blacks, bronze and no bright metals, which David and Ann Marie were quite excited about as it was quite different from what they typically worked with at that time”

Garry wasn’t quite as excited about Nicola’s vision for the kitchen “It was at this point that we had our first real disagreement over the interior to the extent that we each believed we were right and neither of us was willing to budge,’ chuckles Nicola

“I knew we had a really big space, but I didn’t want it to feel too big or cold, so I was set on having a working island right in the centre Garry, however, didn’t think it would work He worried that would take up too much space, so he wanted a peninsula at the end of the kitchen, leaving the whole middle area of the kitchen as a massive empty space”

Nicola didn’t just want to make the most of the space, she knew the island would make the kitchen more of a sociable place, somewhere for the kids to do their homework and chat, whilst she’s cooking and enjoying a glass of wine

The kitchen of dreams

David from Jackton Moor designed both options, and he was very supportive of Nicola’s idea, reassuring Garry it wouldn’t be too big Ultimately, Nicola won the war when she built the island to spec using pallets

The finished article really is stunning It’s beautiful, rich, warm and so welcoming There is no doubt this is a big house, and the kitchen is big too, but there’s nothing intimidating or pretentious about it

It’s handsome, but it’s also not entirely masculine There’s the clever mix of handle-less and traditional oak doors mixed with modern facings, and the marble surround It feels a bit like a warm hug from our favourite relative that just happens to be really stylish

The best decision they made

There is no denying Nicola has an eye for style, but there is so much detail and thought in this kitchen, the designer must have had a heavy hand in this

Nicola is quick to agree “Absolutely they did There are so many beautiful and bespoke elements they brought to it For example, David knew I wanted stone in the house, and he came up with the idea of lining the kitchen wall He didn’t need to do that, but he was really invested in the overall vision and went out of his way to help”

But the praise isn’t just reserved for the designers, “Just knowing that every piece of this kitchen was meticulously designed, measured to perfection, and manufactured right here in East Kilbride before being installed is pretty amazing, and then there’s the after care You just don’t get service like that anywhere,” Nicola says “In fact, I would say choosing Jackton Moor for the kitchen was the best decision we made in the whole house build,” she smiles

Well, you can’t get better praise than that, and we can’t disagree We’re only having this conversation with Nicola because we saw her stunning kitchen in a local ad for Jackton Moor and got in touch with them

However, we can’t help but wonder if the budget was ultimately blown, especially given Nicola’s earlier concerns about Jackton Moor being way above her price range “Not at all, it was actually the opposite,” she clarifies “David worked very closely with us to ensure we carefully considered and managed our budget, giving us lots of suggestions for things to save on and things to spend more on”

Nicola continues, “In fact, I would actually go so far as to say, we got a Jackton Moor kitchen for a Kitchen Depot price,” she smiles

And we couldn’t be more delighted for Nicola and Garry who after an agonising and stressful build, moved into their new home on Christmas Eve 2022 Pipe dream - well and truly achieved! KM

PrimaryEn-suite Walk-inWardobe

PrimarySauna

Thebootroom

HOME

Following Nicola’s rave review of Jackton Moor, we asked Barry McAlear - their business front of shop, to tell us how we can achieve that Jackton Moor look without blowing the budget.

Striking the Balance: How to Potentially Save or Splurge on Your New Kitchen” by

Barry McAlear

Embarking on a kitchen renovation project is an exciting endeavour, but it often comes with the question: should you save or splurge? Finding the right balance between saving money and investing in quality upgrades can ensure that you achieve the kitchen of your dreams without compromising on style or functionality At Jackton Moor we are on hand to help navigate the decision-making process for your new project:

Assess Your Priorities:

Begin by identifying your top priorities for your new kitchen Are you focused on updating the aesthetics, enhancing functionality, or both? Understanding your needs and desires will help you allocate your budget accordingly

Saving Strategies:

Customization and Personalization:

Explore cost-effective materials that offer durability and style Opt for laminate worktops, decorative feature splashbacks as opposed to tiling, vinyl or laminate flooring, wood grain 5-piece frontals which give the appearance of hand painted kitchens as affordable alternatives to Bespoke Painted solid wood options

Minimalistic Design:

Embrace a minimalist design approach to create a sleek and modern kitchen aesthetic By keeping clutter to a minimum and focusing on clean lines and simplicity, you can achieve a high-end look without the high-end price tag

Splurging Strategies:

Invest in Quality Appliances:

Appliances are the workhorses of the kitchen, so investing in high-quality, energy-efficient models can pay off in the long run Look for features that enhance performance and durability, advanced cooking technologies, and extended warranties

Upgrade to Premium Materials:

If you have room in your budget, consider splurging on premium materials for worktops, cabinets, and flooring Quartz or Ceramic worktops, solid wood frontals, and hardwood or natural stone flooring can elevate the look and feel of your kitchen and increase its resale value

Customizing your kitchen to suit your specific needs and preferences can be worth the investment From custom cabinetry and built-in storage solutions to personalized finishes and fixtures, splurging on custom touches can enhance both the aesthetics and functionality of your space

Professional Installation and Design Services:

Enlisting the help of our professional designers and installation team we can ensure that your renovation project is executed with precision and attention to detail While this may involve a higher cost, it can save you time, stress, and potentially costly mistakes in the long run

Finding the Balance:

Ultimately, the key to achieving the perfect kitchen lies in finding the right balance between saving and splurging Prioritize your spending based on your needs, preferences, and budget constraints Remember that a well-planned and thoughtfully executed renovation can transform your kitchen into a space that brings joy and functionality to your daily life

Whether you’re looking to save money or invest in premium upgrades, Jackton Moor have plenty of options available to help you create the kitchen of your dreams By carefully weighing your priorities and exploring cost-saving and splurging strategies, you can achieve a result that reflects your personal style and meets your practical needs Happy renovating!

If you would like to discuss your kitchen further with Barry, call 01355 575175 or pop into the Jackton Moor showroom at St James Retail, Jackton

Lanarkshire Law Estate Agents

In the first edition we introduced you to one of our generous sponsors, Lanarkshire Law Estate Agents This month, we’re introducing you to their newly appointed Management Team for East Kilbride: Hugh Murray and Lynn Martin

Hi Hugh, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Sure, I’m from Coatbridge originally I spent 20 years playing professional football then became a Gas Engineer where I trained funnily enough, at South Lanarkshire College in East Kilbride, before joining Lanarkshire Law Estate Agents

Which football teams did you play for?

I played for St Mirren for 17 years where I got a testimonial, before moving onto Partick Thistle, Dumbarton and Clyde

When did you join LLEA and what is your role there?

I joined 3 years ago, my role is Senior Valuer which involves valuing people's properties, guiding them through the process and also carrying out viewings at properties we are selling

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Meeting new people and helping clients on the journey of the sale of their property as some may have never sold a property before and can be really nervous about the whole process

What do you love doing in your downtime?

Spending time with my family - I have 4 kids so I'm a busy dad, also enjoy keeping fit gym/running

What's the one piece of advice you would give to someone selling their home?

Trust the process and we will make it as stress-free as possible for you and look after you every step of the way

Hi Lynn, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I have been an Estate Agent for over 21 years working within Corporate and Independent Estate Agents in Lanarkshire/Glasgow

When did you join LLEA and what is your role there?

I actually only joined LLEA at the end of February, however I have known most of the team for a very long time so I’m coming into well-established relationships My role is Acting/Interim Branch Manager and point of contact alongside Hugh for the East Kilbride area

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Working closely with the clients to assist them selling their home No day is ever the same and working with a great team of colleagues

What do you enjoy doing most on your downtime?

Spending time with family and friends, going to the gym/boxing

What's the one piece of advice you would give to someone selling their home?

To trust the expertise of your Estate Agent

If you’re looking to sell your East Kilbride, get in touch with Hugh, Lynn for a no obligation quote on 01355 729 688.

TOP TIPS FOR HANGING BASKETS

with M.T. O’Donnell

MT is publisher of Scotland Grows magazine and the Scotland Grows Show podcast, which celebrate Scottish gardening.

Nothing says summer as much as a floriferous hanging basket bursting with a trail of bright blooms and healthy foliage. By following our top tips from the outset, you can make your hanging baskets the talk of the town.

Basket Liner

There are many different options for basket liners: moss, burlap, coconut husks, coir, or preformed hard liners, but once the plants have established the liner will not be visible

The most important thing to remember is that the liner must be strong enough to hold the weight of the plants and the soil when wet It is a good idea to place something which can form a reservoir, like an old pot saucer, in the bottom of the basket to help to reduce water loss.

Frost Risk

Keep your hanging baskets in the greenhouse or under cover until all threat of frost has passed which can be right up to late May across Lanarkshire, or even early June if you live in a frost pocket Alternatively, just leave planting of baskets a little later when all risk of frost has passed

What to Plant in Hanging Baskets

You could choose a colour theme, a single colour, go heavy on scent, try a basket with just foliage plants, or select a range of hanging basket plants that offer a vibrant splash of bold colours

Edible baskets are another great idea so try filling a hanging basket with herbs like parsley, chive, basil, or thyme Growing strawberries in a hanging basket is a great way to protect the crop from slugs

With so many options for hanging baskets, it can be hard to know where to start when choosing what to plant but noting how much sun and shade the location gets can determine which plants will do best there

THRILLER, FILLERS & SPILLERS

Thriller, Fillers, and Spillers

Traditionally, hanging baskets are planted on the basis of a thriller, fillers, and spillers

Thriller: is usually the largest plant, placed in the centre of the basket, often with a tall and upright growing habit which should be striking in as many ways as possible Look for plants that have continuous flowering or can give colour and texture in both flowers and foliage

Plants such as ageratum, bush fuchsias, pelargoniums, and osteospermums are an ideal thriller plant, as are plants like dwarf roses and lavender to provide interest Small conifers, hostas, and heuchera can also be used as thrillers and although the latter two are not profusely flowering plants, they add architectural value

Fillers: are used to add colour, body, and texture to the container, usually placed around the base of the thriller plant so the choice of the thriller will have an effect on the plants that you chose as fillers Plants can be selected for flowering interest or to provide foliage contrast and can be either upright or spreading in their habit, with a mixture of plants varieties in a mixture of colours

Flowering plants ideal for this include bush lobelia, begonias, petunias, and nemesia Plants such as cineraria, helichrysum, and pelargoniums can be used for foliage interest

Spillers: are flowering and foliage plants around the side of the basket to soften the appearance by trailing over the sides Plants ideal for this include calibrachoa, known as million bells, trailing pelargoniums, trailing fuchsias, bacopa, surfinia, and nasturtiums

One Plant Variety

The same effect can be created in a hanging basket by planting one single plant variety using for example, an upright fuschia for the centre thriller, slightly smaller upright fuschias for filling around the sides, and a few trailing fuchsias spilling over the sides

It’s all about the Thriller, Fillers & Spillers

A VISIT TO STRATHAVEN

By Maureen McKenna

I’d never been to Strathaven before - not that I can remember anyway. I didn’t know a thing about the place before my recent visit. I just thought it would be like every other wee place - a couple of cafes or pubs, pound shops, betting shops and empty shops, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

STRATHAVEN HOTEL

On the Friday I arrived at the Strathaven Hotel with my daughter Kelly, and my sister Joyce We didn’t have much time, so we went straight to the restaurant to have dinner and we all ordered the fish and chips because we were in a rush and didn’t want to wait about

However, the fish and chips was so nice that we finished it quicker than we thought and we had extra time for dessert So, I ordered the pineapple turnover, which I was really quite pleased with until I saw Kelly’s black forest dessert and then I felt quite jealous actually. As for wee Joyce, she didn’t order a dessert but she can be annoying like that :)

The hotel was lovely I felt really comfortable really quickly The people were so welcoming and chatty that it felt like we had met them before

After dinner we checked into our rooms and freshened up before our big night out It was then that it dawned on us, that me and our Joyce hadn’t shared a room since I was 13 years old!

That was the age that I moved out of ‘our’ room because I wasn’t allowed to talk, move or even breathe when I was sharing a room with our Joyce So, we had a good wee giggle about that before heading into Strathaven for our ‘Raer Night Out’ at the Parlour which the locals know better as The Drawing Room

A RAER NIGHT OUT AT THE PARLOUR

As soon as we arrived, we met Katie (O’Brien from RAER) and she handed each of us a glass of fizz, which we assumed was a really nice prosecco or cava, but it turns out it was a whisky

I honestly would never have believed it You could not get me to drink whisky if you paid me, and here I was drinking away, saying it was lovely and I had no idea it was whisky! So Katie definitely tricked us, but she was so lovely and welcoming we’ll let her off

Katie sat the three of us at a table with two couples that we didn’t know from adam and they didn’t know each other, but looking back, we couldn’t have knitted better company

I can’t remember the men’s names (so sorry because you were both lovely), but the women were both

called Morag and we couldn’t believe it when it actually dawned on us I mean what’s the chances of two Morags at the same table when it was only a small gathering?

THE DOUBLE MORAG

Of course when Katie found out and told Scott (he co-owns the Parlour) that was it - a new cocktail called ‘The Double Morag’ was made The cocktail really was delicious, although how Scott managed to make one that both Morags liked when they have completely different tastes - I’ll never know!

All through the night Katie, was introducing us to different whiskies and spirits from Jackton Distillery which all tasted completely different whether you mixed them with soda, lemonade or coke In fact, the two

Image courtesy of Les Hoggan

men a the table were joking about the idea of whisky with cranberry until Katie had them taste it and they couldn’t believe it It just goes to show we can sometimes be stuck in our ways and it’s always worth trying something new

Half way through the night Scott brought the most beautiful mixed platter to the table and we all enjoyed a wee nibble as Katie kept us entertained with quizzes However, one of the Morag’s was being a right show-off and of course she won the bottle of Gin and the tour of Jackton Distillery In saying that, she did invite us all on the tour, so we’ll let her off

At the end of what was a lovely wee night one of the Morag’s and her man, drove us back to our hotel which was really kind of them

Meanwhile, the other Morag and her man walked back to the hotel on their way home and joined us for a wee night cap which was just lovely

While we were there, they introduced us to a friend of theirs that was staying at the hotel - Frank (McGraw) - so he joined us for the night cap and we all had a great laugh

After a great wee sleep (and no fighting with our Joyce), we had a lovely breakfast at the hotel with our new friend Frank He told us about the football team that he runs and all the good things Strathaven has to offer

STRATHAVEN SHOPPING

Frank helped us get into town and although he told us about some lovely shops like No40, I really was I was expecting the usual - pound shops, betting shops and empty shops but it wasn’t like that at all - it was the complete opposite

There’s a wee square right in the middle of the town that the locals call the Common Green, and it’s a lovely wee place Lots of shops, cafes, restaurants and plenty of people walking about getting on with their own thing It was quite unusual actually because we’re so used to going to wee towns and places for the day and when we get there, there’s nothing to do and nowhere to go This was completely different

JARO DESIGN GIFT SHOP

The first shop we went into was the Jaro Design Gift Shop - they had a lovely selection of gins and whiskies as well as gifts and bags

We picked up a lovely wee gift for our friend Margaret who wasn’t able to join us (hopefully you’ll meet her the next time)

One of the things we noticed was the lovely gifts they had in stock for men, it’s usually really hard to find something different for my sons & son-in-law’s birthdays but they had a great choice so we’ll be back just for that

Scott at The Parlour mixing the Double Morag Cocktail

The charcuterie at The Parlour was exquisite

Board Hoarders

We then went into Board Hoarders It was quite an unusual wee shop because they had toys and all sorts of stuff for kids, and then a separate area for people to come in and play or buy board games which we thought was a really good idea This was the shop where Joyce spent a fortune on wooden toys and bath bombs for our Kelly’s weans, which she didn’t need to do, but it was just our wee Joyce’s way of saying thank you for taking her on the trip so that was nice

By the time we came out of there, it really was bitterly cold, so we were on the hunt for gloves and scarfs

Number 40

We spotted Number 40 the shop that Frank had told us about, so we went there for a wee look They had some lovely stuff in there Katie Loxton bags, beautiful scarfs and Ellipsis hair bands and accessories I saw a pair of gloves that I liked and Kelly spotted a scarf and before we even knew what was happening, our Joyce had secretly bought them both for us which was a lovely thing to do but very sneaky

YOUR BOUTIQUE 365

The next shop was Your Boutique 365 and I could not believe how many lovely things they had at all prices From tops, dresses and blazers to bags and shoes I honestly think you could get something to wear from there, no matter who you are or where you’re going

We spotted a lovely wee white top that we knew would look lovely on Joyce so we told her to go and try it on While she was in there, the girl that worked there showed us a multi-coloured woollen cardigan which wasn’t really any of our cups of tea, but she said it was really flattering on So, we told Joyce to try that on too and right enough both tops were lovely on her -especially the multi-coloured one So we decided to buy her both tops to get her back for being so sneaky earlier, and because she was going on her holiday the next week.

TAYLOR’S BAKERY

By this point we were ready for a sit down, so we walked round to Taylor’s Bakery where I had a pineapple cake with coffee and Joyce had tea and a scone We were served by the loveliest young girl called Lucy We were telling her all about our day and how we were loving Strathaven and we were asking all about her

It turns out she had worked at the cafe for four years and this was her last day So we wished her well and asked for a wee photo with her before telling her she would be in a magazine. Ha! She must have thought we were two mad women, the wee soul

We loved Strathaven and we didn’t even see half of it The place was beautiful, the shops were great and the people were lovely We’ll definitely be back MM

No40 Common Green, Gift Shop

Maureen, Lucy and Joyce

Strathaven Park by Les Hoggan Photography

Wearedelightedto introduceAlisonHarleyas thisedition’sHometown Heroforhersignificant contributiontothe sustainabilityofStrathaven.

As Programme Manager for Climate Action Strathaven, you could argue ‘she’s only doing her job ’ The reality, is that working in sustainability right now is like pushing a locomotive up a hill with constant landslides coming at you And yet, Alison charges on regardless, developing and implementing new initiatives, driving change and positively impacting people’s lives.

Alison knows sustainability is as much about society and the economy as it is about the environment, and she carefully considers all three in every decision she makes She is also an absolute force of nature and I have yet to see anyone in a similar position come close to delivering so many tangibles Alison’s approach should be an inspiration to other towns and communities across Lanarkshire It is amazing what can be achieved when there’s a will and a relentless drive for change.

HOMETOWN HERO

ALISON HARLEY Programme

Manager

Climate Action Strathaven

proudly sponsored by The Dainty Strawberry

Alison Harley has lived with her husband in Strathaven for the last 16 years She has four children (2 stepchildren) who all attended the local primary and secondary schools Prior to joining Climate Action Strathaven, Alison worked in the NHS for thirty years

“Working in the NHS was a tiring job” Alison recalls, “but I wasn’t ready to retire, and I always had an itch to work in the third sector I also used to wonder what it would be like to work locally, in the heart of the community”

So when the job came up for Programme Manager at Climate Action Strathaven (CAS), Alison didn’t hesitate She applied, was interviewed by a panel of four trustees and received a call the next day offering her the job

With a remit to (i) grow the organisation (ii) provide direction for the team and (iii) launch a bus service, Alison had plenty to get on with The team has since grown from 5 people to 14 – all employed, with 21 volunteers and five trustees to whom Alison reports monthly as part of the CAS Trustee Management Meetings

As soon as we sit down to chat, I congratulate Alison on the fact that Strathaven appears to have embraced sustainability but not to the detriment of the local economy I mention the new bus service from Strathaven to Glasgow which locals refer to as a ‘lifesaver,’ and the fact that residents and visitors can still park their car (albeit for a short time) within the common green, to pop-in to the local shops & cafes - feeding that local economy

As a visitor, it feels like common sense prevails – for oncebut Alison is quick to put me right “At the end of the day, we are in the middle of the climate crisis, however we believe in taking tiny steps towards sustainability; get out of the car, take the bus, and save food from landfill,” she explains

“We’re also very realistic We can’t force people For example electric cars are just not affordable for a lot of people so we don’t preach to people to buy them

When the cost of buying or leasing them is reduced and the charging infrastructure has improved, then we’ll definitely encourage it a bit more proactively, but not until then”

It sounds like a fair approach and no doubt the locals will be happy - but something must be happening to discourage car use in the area surely?

EV Cars for hire

“We are working really hard to purify emissions in Strathaven and reduce our carbon footprint, but we go about it in a ‘quietly convincing’ way,” Alison explains “For example, if you have 2 or 3 cars in the drive, we’ll tell you about our car club where you can hire an EV for £30 for the day Some people have a real fear of driving an EV because of range anxiety and other factors, so hiring one for a few days or weeks not only reduces carbon within Strathaven, but it also helps alleviate those concerns and prepares the driver for any EV purchase they go onto make

Strathaven to Glasgow Bus Service

“Often, it’s the small things, but the bus is such a big beast,” she admits, “we started with a 6-month pilot, hiring a 53-seater Mercedes bus We were really lucky to get a local chap to drive it as there was a national shortage of bus drivers at the time, and we knew that was our biggest risk The community really supported us and within 12 weeks it was washing its face,” she smiles

Today, there are 2 buses (a 53-seater / 59-seater) running 24 x a day (12 from Strathaven and 12 from Glasgow) The service runs direct from Strathaven to Glasgow City Centre via Stonehouse The results are great and feedback is positive all round, Alison must be delighted

“We’ve carried out four surveys on the bus since it launched and around 80% of users told us, they would have used a car for part of their journey if not the full journey if the bus wasn’t there The emissions we are saving as a result of around 80% of our service users not driving their cars is a fantastic result”

80% of users have told us, they would have used car for part of their journey if not all if the bus wasn’t there.

Alison would love to go a step further and run electric buses, but it’s just not an affordable or viable option for an express service from a semi-rural village and the infrastructure just isn’t there yet For now, they have the cleanest Mercedes bus there is, and the rest will come in time

Reduced emissions by any percentage (let alone 80%) is a resounding success, but this is about so much more than reducing carbon for Alison.

Local Impact

“I love chatting to people on the bus, to find out whether the service is working for them and what we can do to improve it,” she explains “The Stonehouse people are forever telling us how grateful they are for the bus stopping there, en-route to Glasgow and we also have people in Strathaven that can now visit friends and relatives at Stonehouse Hospital, whereas it wasn’t as accessible to them before “

“I also remember just before the bus launched, there were parents panicking because they didn’t know how they were going to get their kids to college or university They would have to pay for trains or rent accommodation in Glasgow, whereas now, U22s can travel free on the bus with their Young Scot card”

“Then there’s the over 60s/70s that were dependent on family for transport because they can no longer drive and car insurance soars once you reach 70, so many can no longer afford to drive However, those very people are taking the bus into Glasgow City Centre to people watch in George Square – just because they can And again, 60 years and over travel free on the buss every day with their concession card,” she beams

j g , explains, “it’s actually a very congested area We have three bus companies using it every day, 7 days a week for drop-offs and pick-ups, there are delivery trucks in and out all day long and we have cars and pedestrians including young and older people trying to navigate their way through We have to consider the safety risks and people’s wellbeing in all of this too”

And you know what? Alison is absolutely right I’ve parked there a few times over the last few weeks and whilst I’ve enjoyed the convenience and used the local shops and cafes, I have noticed the odd horn tooting, poor visibility for cars reversing, and there is an abundance of delivery trucks - some of which aren’t really delivering anything, they’re just stopping in a loading bay for a bite to eat (which is great for local cafes) - but I do understand where she’s coming from

“I think sometimes people forgot we’re here because we’re in the middle of a climate crisis,” Alison shares. “That’s because we don’t shout about it too much, but sea levels are rising, and we need to get that message out and educate people more So, we will be upping our marketing in that area, using social media to keep people better informed, and the bigger goal is to hold Scottish Government accountable for things like, not having bus lanes on the M8 – I’m convinced that would be a solution to the congestion,” she smiles

We suspect when Alison is ‘convinced’ about something, it means she’s more than 100% certain in every possible way, otherwise she wouldn’t say it We can only hope Scottish Govt officials are smart enough to listen KM

DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT... KEY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THINK SO

TOO......

“Alison and I have been friends for many years. Alison always has a positive and energetic approach to what she does, whether it be work or play! She is warm and caring, super organised, and always takes time to think of others I remember in her pre CAS days when she worked as a Project Manager for the NHS, she voluntarily organised a Winter Jacket donation programme which helped hundreds of families across Lanarkshire Just one example of the many things she does to help others

Alison’s move to CAS has been great for our town - it’s no mean feat setting up and running a bus service (the work involved is monumental) - but the efforts of Alison and the CAS team have changed the lives of many Strathaven dwellers Insulating houses, the community fridge and coffee and chat sessions are just a few of the other initiatives Alison has been integral to implementing

Alison is also a volunteer organiser of one of Strathaven’s biggest community events - she is part of a small team of 4 who organise Reindeer Day which is attended by thousands of people from Strathaven and beyond

As a friend Alison is caring, supportive and great fun - she is brilliant at organising girly get togethers which usually involve lots of laughs and a bit too much wine!”

Kirsty Archer-Ritchie, No40 Common Green

“Alison, a kind, hardworking and determined woman is the driver at Climate Action Strathaven who provide so much for the local community from their Eco-Hub in the town centre

The 3C bus service from Strathaven to Glasgow has proven to be a lifeline for many commuters for work and university, and there's a host of other initiatives from tree planting, bike repair and hire services, to community larder, electric car hire, and improving home efficiencies"

Alison is passionate about her job, whilst raising awareness about climate action and creating a more sustainable future for the people and indeed the local community in Strathaven

We at Strathaven Dynamo are proud to work with Alison by assisting in the delivery of leaflets to promote the 3C Bus service, the installation of bike racks at our football facility for the kids and soon to assist in tree planting in the towns surrounding areas"

Frank McGraw, Strathaven Dynamoes

“Alison Harley was appointed Programme Manager for Climate Action Strathaven in 2022 With no experience in public transport, Alison took on the project to implement the 3C service with enthusiasm and commitment and through her determination the service is now a huge success

Alison goes the extra mile to ensure the service operates 12 times a day six days a week, whilst also coordinating the other projects and staff within Climate Action Strathaven including retrofit, the Community Fridge, e-bike hire, Car Club, Climate Cafe and many more

Alison officially works 4 days a week, but throws herself into the role with real gusto and is the cohesion that holds Climate Action Strathaven together

From a background in the Health Service, Alison has brought her skills and experience to an entirely different discipline and is utterly invaluable to Climate Action Strathaven She does this with humour, commitment, determination and superb communications”

Les Hoggan, Climate Action Strathaven

roasted.

English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

Roasted is the past tense and past participle of roast, which means to cook food in an oven or over a fire It can also mean to criticize or joke about someone, especially at a public event

Scottish meaning - Surban Living Magazine

roasted. is the best, most talked-about coffee shop in Strathaven

F

Everyone in Strathaven knows Roasted – arguably the best, most talked about coffee shop in town.

There are plenty of other great cafes in Strathaven, it’s just that Roasted has a vibe and a buzz that reaches far beyond the town to people like me, surfing on my phone in Jackton thinking….what the heck is all the fuss about?

And I’ll tell you what the fuss is NOT about It’s not, as I suspected it might be, because Roasted is reminiscent of a café in the West End (as many others are) I mean, there is a vibe – you better believe there’s a vibe but it’s more of an original vibe, not a copycat vibe

And it’s not because the coffee is amazing and the food is otherworldly delicious Although, the coffee is incredible and the food is out of the world, but no, that’s not it either

I’ll tell you what it is It’s Theo –the Ozzy Australian owner, that runs the show, calls the shots and repeatedly shouts ‘Ah fak’ several times a day He is a character if ever there was one and I’m wholly convinced that he’s reason people go to Roasted

Having spent a little time with Theo, I think he’s fascinating guy and his patter’s brilliant, but if you can’t handle sarcasm and you’re not partial to a wee bit of flowery language here and there, you’re probably not going to agree with me

And that’s ok, because Theo couldn’t care less He genuinely could not care whether you like him or I like him He’s way too long in the tooth for needing anyone’s approval In fact, this complementary piece will probably make him feel uncomfortable and a bit p*ssed off, but I don’t care what he thinks either, so here we go anyway!

In the beginning...

Theo was born and raised in the Orange with a population of 38,000 in New South Wales, Australia He left school and completed a two years advanced certificate in hospitality and catering supervision followed by a four-year apprenticeship as a professional cook and worked in a local café which inspired a lot of what we now see and feel in Roasted, including the blackboards

A stint in Sydney is imperative for any good cook, and Theo worked in a restaurant there for five 35 years before taking on an entirely different kind of job “I worked for a year as a delivery driver for a fruit and veg company beetroot brothers,” he shares “That was actually one of the best jobs of my life, I wasn’t stuck indoors in the kitchen all day, I was driving about a great place and meeting people, I loved it”

However, Theo found himself back in the restaurant and he was only there for a week when his life changed forever

Beautiful Anna

He recalls, “One of the only good things about that restaurant, was that they employed amazing beautiful women from all over the world At that time, there were three Ozzy chicks, an English woman, an Irish woman and beautiful Anna from Strathaven” he smiles

Of course, Anna was due to return to Scotland and there was a decision to make Not so much a decision about whether Theo would move to Scotland, it was more about how he would move to Scotland “Because I’m Greek, I was able to apply for my Greek passport and come to Strathaven Within three months I’d bought a flat and proposed and I’ve been married to Anna for 20 years”

But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows in Scotland The pay here was rubbish “The hospitality industry is really big in Australia, and they pay a decent wage for cooks,” Theo explains “In the UK and Scotland it’s not quite the same at least it wasn’t then - it’s gotten better now”

Theo worked in local restaurants including the old Waterside in Strathaven before moving to The Universal in Glasgow where he was Head Chef between 2005 and 2009 In between times, he and Anna welcomed two beautiful daughters into the world, Mona Maria and Eva and it was soon time to return to Australia for mum and dad to meet the grandkids

Back to Oz

They stayed in Australia for two and a half years “I worked in a bar for the first year and my brothers were struggling with their restaurant business,” he recalls

“I spotted an opportunity at a local bowling club that was looking for caterers, so I jumped in for an initial meeting, thinking this could be great for me and my brothers to run The meeting went well, but the contract went out to tender”

Theo and his brothers submitted the tender and they were invited for interview, “So I rock up to the interview in flip flops, shorts and a black t-shirt As I was leaving the building, I passed my old boss from when I was an apprentice, and he was all dressed up in a smart suit I remember thinking ‘ah, I’ve messed up’ and I really didn’t think we were getting that contract, but we did,” he smiles

So, for the next year and a half, Theo and his brothers successfully ran an 80 seat Greek ala carte restaurant and a 300seater Bistro and function rooms

restaurant

When the family returned to Scotland, it took a long time for Theo to get a new job “I spent a whole year in the toddler club and doing the school run (daughter number 3 was born Popi), and it was tough, but it was great to get that time with the kids I’m usually working all the hours and don’t get to see them, so it really opened my eyes to the realisation that I wanted a job with better balance for the family”

Don’t lecture me

Theo applied for lecturing jobs and secured a part time position at the local college There he lectured Monday to Wednesday until 12 noon and then do a cooking job from 1pm onwards till Sunday and then repeat He enjoyed the new role and the family-friendly hours so he gave up cooking to focus on lecturing full time

and having to travel to Dumfries to work in Stranraer College It was too much, and I hated being away from the kids, so I handed in my notice”

Theo took a job with a University as the Manager of their Canteen which was a Monday to Friday job “Again, it was great hours for the family and I gave it 150% but it wasn’t challenging at all and I really didn’t enjoy it To top it off, I was struggling for childcare during the October week so I brought my three girls to work with me – which plenty of other staff did in the college uni and there was never a problem with it, but it seemed to be a problem that I did it so that disagreement led to the end of that job”

A lifeline

That December was challenging for the family “Having no job and no money at Christmas of all times, and then my mother-inlaw passed – it was definitely tough times,” recalls Theo

However, Anna’s mother left a lifeline for the family in the form of an inheritance which meant Theo could open a place of his own “I always wanted my own place, and I seemed to have this amazing ability to get sacked, so it made sense that I should just do it.”

As luck would have it, a clothes shop in the common green in Strathaven closed and the unit became available “We viewed it in Feb/March and decided to go for it straight away We spent two and a half months gutting it, before opening on 2d July. We thought we would open during the school holidays because we didn’t think it would be too busy and we could ease ourselves into it”

A roasting

They couldn’t have been more wrong “It was berserk, absolutely mental,” Theo recalls fondly “There was me, Scott, Anna and Lou at the time and it was just so busy and it was constant I was prepping for two hours after every shift and then back in again at 3 am every morning”

A fantastic start, but that doesn’t sound like the work life balance that Theo had been striving for

“Nah, it really wasn’t sustainable Now, we’re ticking by happily four days a week from Wednesday to Saturdays We’re closed on Mondays which is when I do my paperwork and on Tuesdays when I receive a lot of my day orders and make bread I also do outside catering too, which I really enjoy”

Not your traditional operating hours, but a gift of sorts from lockdown as Theo explains

“During COVID we were shut to the public for 6 weeks but that gave me some time to work away in the background on ideas

“We came up with the idea of boxes each with 4 sausage rolls, 2 brownies, cinnamon buns, bread and eggs and they were delivered to homes two times a week with 24 in each delivery slot It was good to be doing something and helping the community but it wasn’t making any money,” he admits.

“Then the guidelines changed and we opened up from 9 am –3pm Wednesday to Saturday and we did all of the social distancing and deep cleaning that was required at the time I remember that first day that we opened back up on the 1st of May,” he smiles, “there was a queue, socially distanced of course, right the way round to the chemist I’d like to think it for our stuff, but I think people were just desperate to get out of the house for their sanity”

People in Strathaven became so familiar with the restricted opening days and hours that Theo used this as an opportunity to restructure his entire business model So in a strange way, lockdown has been a blessing for roasted, Theo and the family

“It’s worked out well, but it’s still really challenging,” he admits “Energy prices went up from £1,500 a month to £3,000, the cost of supplies have gone up and a lot of suppliers are now demanding minimum orders which is a bit of pain, but you can understand why It’s so hard trying to keep on top of it all, it takes a lot of head space and makes it fuzzy, but at the end of the day, I’m just passionate about food and cooking is what I love”

Well, we like the cut of Theo’s jib, and we quite fancy trying some of that delicious food, so we’re delighted to announce he will be joining the Surban Living Team as a guest contributor, sharing recipes, hints and tips

To get us started, he’s giving us a Broccoli Salad It’s super simple and almost too easy to make, but you can’t underestimate the taste

Broccoli Salad aka not Waldorf

Ingredients

1 head broccoli

1punnet mixed red and green grapes

100g dried cranberries

1 tablespoon seed mustard

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

100g vegan mayonnaise

Method

1 Either grate or using a mandolin thinly slice the broccoli including the stalk

2 Add all the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly

3 Taste may need a splash more vinegar or maple syrup

NB Unfortunately, broccoli salad is one of things that tastes amazing but doesn’t photograph particularly well, so we have a challenge for readers - make Theo’s salad, take a really good photo (if you can), post it on Instagram, tag @surbanlivingmag and @roasted and the winner will get £30 voucher for roasted

For more info on Theo and Roasted, visit wwwroastedstrathavencouk or follow them on the gram @roastedstrathaven

PhotoCredit:LeeMoir

LIAN Surban New Life & tor

those people you and you sort of do. seen her: on a you’re in town; advertising screen n; in pretty much magazine you will most recently, the Scottish Wedding

ted to share that and hearing a lot as she has agreed ing’s new Life & With 20+ years industry, she has ation in Scotland, tion and lotion earned all the top m industry pros, all een to share. So, w her a bit better, into the hot seat

u tell us a little bit

Cheung I am a nce model I live in th my husband and hildren I’ve been s and tied the knot of Mauritius in Burnside, South studied Psychology university I lived in r a while when I was nd I’ve travelled to places across Asia, Europe

What kind of modelling do you do?

Over the years I have modelled in numerous photo shoots, fashion shows, video shoots and catwalks

I have been lucky enough to appear in many magazines, billboards, newspapers, adverts, social media content and even on buses.

Having been in the industry for a couple of decades now, there isn’t really much I haven’t modelled at this stage! From ladies fashion to jewellery, bridal gowns to knitwear, swimwear to winter coats, hats to socks and just about everything in between

Did you ever sign with a modelling agency?

I have been with different agencies over the course of my career but around 4 years ago, I made the decision to go freelance and it has been the perfect step for me.

I have built an incredible and loyal client base over the years It’s fantastic to have the flexibility to choose my jobs and balance my schedule so that I can still be around for my kids

PhotoCredit:LeeMoir

In today’s world of Instagram influencer models, you’re very much the 'classic model.’ You’ve been there and done it all, so what do you enjoy most.

Bridal modelling is probably what I am best known for and the Scottish wedding industry is something that I’ve become very knowledgeable about and I absolutely love being a part of it

I adore being on the catwalk, it’s always special to bring clothes to life, show the movement of the garments and to see and hear the reactions of the audience

I also really enjoy the fast-paced buzz of e-commerce shoots where there are huge amounts of clothing to shoot in one day, it can be challenging but I find it really fun

PhotoCredit:LenaSabala

For our readers that perhaps have their own fashion brands or boutiques, how can they book you?

I have a contact form on my website wwwgilliancheungcouk or they can reach me via my Instagram @gillycheung20

So what's next for you?

I’m so excited to be the Life & Style Editor for Surban Living Magazine

In each issue, I will be offering inspiration by focusing on the best of what our area has to offer I will be writing about my life as a model, sharing my beauty must-haves, as well as other fashion and wellbeing tips

The next issue is going to have a focus on skincare with a very exciting competition prize There will also be interviews with a couple of talented and creative locals KM

Getting Married?

THEN YOU NEED THE LATEST COPY OF YOUR SCOTTISH WEDDING MAGAZINE

280 pages jam-packed with inspiration and suppliers for your big day including bridal gowns, groomswear, outfits for mums, venues, entertainment, equipment hire, florists, hair & beauty & photography

There are three publications a year January / May / September

Subscribers can have the print copy delivered direct for £15

You can also find the magazine online https://issuucom/yourscottishwedding/docs/ysw may24

On the website you’ll find even more inspiration including a host of excellent resources such as ‘The Wedding Countdown, ’The Wedding Planner’ and a chat room https://yourscottishweddingcouk/

PhotoCredit:AleksandraModrzejewska

PHOTO BY FRANCIS J SMITH

PHOTO BY LUKE BELL PHOTOGRAPHY

ELLIPSIS

Ellipsis is a sustainable luxury womenswear brand created and manufactured in Lanarkshire We believe in slowing fast fashion by creating unique timeless garments that are ready-to-wear

Our mission is to make sustainability seductive, to create the small sustainable wardrobe and to highlight the importance of high quality garments which are season-less and manufactured in small batches to reduce overstockcreating less waste and harm to our environment

All garments and accessories are designed and handmade, strengthening artisanal skills that have been lost in a mass-produced industry

Before your garment is made in final fabric, it undergoes a process known as toiling. This process not only takes a lot of time, but uses a lot of fabric. Ellipsis uses and recycles unwanted clothing using fastenings and material from the clothing for the toiling process We see this as a very small step in the right direction in the reduction of waste in an

LIFE & STYLE

FASHION TIPS WITH DONNA

MILLER OF YOUR BOUTIQUE 365 The Jamie combat trousers (7) are a great option to wear with one of our cute floral embellished T-shirts (8) for a fresh and casual Spring Sunday brunch look Throw the Marble Open Knit sweater over your shoulders and a pair of the Shelley Wedge Trainers (9) on and you are all set for the day!

Off for a Spring break? Here are my top picks from Your Boutique 365 that you definitely need to pack I’ve based my selection on maximising your time looking fabulous, enjoying your break and not having to iron everything Top tip for keeping creases to a minimum, try rolling your clothes and not folding

TOP PICKS

Something that is comfortable for travelling such as our Marble Fashion culottes and top (1) Soft & stretchy fabric that looks great with either trainers or wedges (2) and the elasticated waistband means you can indulge in a scrummy lunch, still feel comfortable and look amazing!

Add a little shrug also by Marble Fashion (3) that you can scrunch up into your handbag and when you need it, just take out and wear - no need for any ironing and looks great at all times

Crochet knits and bold florals are bang on trend this season, so we have teamed the two together with the Ayanna Tropical Print dress (4) in vibrant oranges and green along with the Montana crochet knit cardi (5) in ivory A great little outfit to wear for a relaxed lunch or browsing the shops & cafes

If you’re heading out in the evening to a smart restaurant or cocktail bar then the Ebony Bow jumpsuit (6) will have you turning heads for all the right reasons It’s classically elegant in black & white, with stretchy fabric to make it fit well and feel comfortable An essential of any jumpsuit is the ease of getting it on and off (you know what I mean ladies) and the side zip and one shoulder design ensures this Team with our Liddia ruched sleeve blazer in white to give you a relaxed ‘tuxedo’ effect

Don’t’ forget to pack some accessories, such as the Emily clear studded handbag (10) in white or green, a contemporary statement metallic necklace which is very in vogue this year as more is definitely more in 2024! Finally, something recommended by my own hairdresser Stephen Doran, is the ‘Eleven Miracle Spray’ to keep your hair looking amazing whatever the weather

From top to toe, you will look effortless and feel a million dollars during your mini break For more fashion tips, follow us on instagram @ / website @ etc etc etc

(1) Marble Fashion Wide Leg Culottes and Top sizes 10 – 18, £54 & £47

(2) Lunar Beatrix White & Gold Wedges, sizes 4 – 8, £3899

(3) Marble Fashion Lightweight Shrug, one size fits 10 – 18, £30

(4) Ayanna Tropical Print Dress, sizes 8 – 18, £47

(5) Montana Crochet Knit Cardi – sizes 8 – 14, £32

(6) Ebony Bow Jumpsuit, sizes 8 – 18, £47

(7) Jamie Combat Cargo Trousers, sizes 8 – 14, £30

(8) Gina Embellished Flocked Flower T-Shirt, sizes 8 -14, £22

(9) Shelley Wedge Trainers, sizes 3 -8, £37

(10)Emily Clear Studded Handbag, £30, Burnished Metal & Suede Necklace £21

Eleven Miracle Hair Spray, Stephen Doran Hair

Arts & Culture

By James Dixon

Hi all,

Product Preview

I’m James Dixon, and I’m thrilled to be stepping into the role of Arts and Culture editor at Surban Living - the first one we’ve ever had, happily, so at least I’ve got no shoes to fill

I'm an adopted Scot, living with my wife and daughter in the south side of Glasgow, where I typically haunt coffee shops and libraries, writing and talking about all things literature, arts, and culture (high and low!)

Aside from several years spent as a freelance journalist across a wide range of fields, I’m also an award-winning novelist My debut novel, The Unrivalled Transcendence of Willem J Gyle (Thistle Books, 2017) was shortlisted for the Somerset Maugham Award by the Society of Authors in 2018

More recently, my debut children’s book, The Billow Maiden, won Guppy Books’ inaugural Middle Grade Open in 2021 They published it in 2022 as a result I’ve recently signed my second children’s book with them, publication date TBD

As the new Arts and Culture editor, my goal is to bring you engaging content that highlights the vast tapestry of creative expression that we are incredibly fortunate to have access to in this part of the world From visual arts to theatre, music to film, and everything in between, I want to showcase the richness and diversity of the arts in our communities I’m really looking forward to diving into the local arts scene and taking you along for the ride

I look forward to sharing more with you soon, James

A Symphony of Life: A Resounding Performance of Haydn’s Creation by Strathaven Choral Society and Company by James Dixon

I recently had the pleasure of being invited to attend by the Strathaven Choral Society to their performance of Haydn’s Creation, one of my favourite oratorios, at the Sherbrooke Mosspark Church on Glasgow’s bustling southside I’ve seen it performed a few times over the years, most recently by the RSNO in 2022, and it’s always a bit of a red letter day on the calendar Exciting, bombastic, as electrifying now as it was when it was first performed (people lined the streets outside the concert hall for its debut, hoping for a listen), it truly is a spectacle

In this as well as many other ways, the Strathaven Choral Society alongside the Bridge of Weir Choral Society, with whom they had teamed up for the performance, definitely didn’t disappoint The audience were excited, as was I, and Sherbrooke Mosspark Church was packed out, full to capacity

I’m generally looking for a couple of things from The Creation Firstly, I want the beginning to be playful It’s important We’re in the firmament, before God gets to work It needs to tease, to lead you on to those momentous opening lines: In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth/ and the earth was without form and void/ and darkness was upon the face of the deep Secondly, I want bombast throughout, punctuated by soulful, quiet interludes Of course, we get this from the score, but I want to see musicianship really carry these qualities to the fore Again, I wasn’t disappointed

The audience were seemingly spellbound throughout The bloke next to me spent the whole time reading (a book on Billie Holliday, I think!) Aside from him, though, everyone else in the audience was rapt, as they should be during such a strident, life affirming piece

This isn’t to say that the performance was perfect, of course The beginning was a little loose The strings sounded a bit discordant, and there was an overall fuzzy quality to the edges of the music However,

conductor Christopher Barr brought it back soon enough, so that everything was tight by the end of the first half The Strathgryffe Sinfonia, providing orchestral accompaniment, really got into their stride and underscored the libretto’s wilder passions wonderfully

The acoustics also weren’t great Honestly, a work of this size and fulsomeness belongs in a national concert hall, not a church built before we really understood the science of acoustics Volumes were made uneven between sections, with brass often drowning everything out

This played to soprano Agostina Pombo’s disadvantage Her voice is beautiful I wrote in my notes that it delivered the clarity of spring water I was in a poetic mood, I think But the point stands It was lovely, refreshing in such an often overtly masculine oratorio It is exactly what you want of a young performer singing in her range However, her voice often got lost in Haydn’s rumbunctious drama - I struggled to hear her at times Perhaps the conductor needed to tone down other parts’ volumes, perhaps she needed to belt it out a little louder, or perhaps we can blame it on poor acoustics When I did hear her, however, it was beautiful, truly

The male soloists struggled far less Being heard wasn’t an issue for tenor Seumus Begg, who brought a fulsome, raw power to bear – I’m surprised he didn’t wake up my daughter, who is three years old and was sleeping in her bed a mile and a half from the venue! He was clear, perfect, a real pleasure to listen to Baritone Colin Murray brought a beautiful timbre with incredibly clear diction, opening the piece with those famous first lines very ably

The choir themselves, an amalgamation of Strathaven Choral Society and Bridge of Weir Choral Society, managed surprisingly good diction despite those acoustics (threatening at all times to blur edges and obfuscate) This is no mean feat, speaks to their skill, and speaks to the conductor’s emphasis in rehearsal

It is an oratorio, after all, and every word came out clear and crisp They were a little sloppy standing and sitting – it jarred one out of the moment, took longer each time than it should have, and was far from cohesive, which detracted from the piece However, their rich tones kept the whole lot together, giving the soloists an excellent jumping off point

The concert had some imperfections, but these ultimately didn’t matter too much It showcased moments of sheer brilliance and grandeur, which is exactly what you want of Haydn Much like the libretto, the performance spoke to creation’s essence, its ebullition – it was a symphony of life, with moments of clarity and crescendo intertwined with the discordant and the unrefined It was spectacular JD

If you would like James to critique your next performance, email james.dixon@surbanliving.co.uk

Arts & Culture

By Kelly Morris

Demographics vary greatly across towns, villages and neighbourhoods, but there is one thing that will always remain. No matter where you live, there will always be a ‘Fit Family’ and a ‘Musical Family.’ Every member of the ‘Fit Family’ can do every sport imaginable, they’re a member of every club and they win every competition with ease. The ‘Musical Family’ have a song for every occasion, they ‘gig’ on the weekends, and they love telling stories.

In Strathaven, The Mairs are that Musical Family but they’re not just musical, they’re arty, interesting, super chilled and just blinking well brilliant to be around.

Louise hails from the West End of Glasgow and Alan from Rutherglen They met when they were studying at the Glasgow School of Art They both went on to become Art teachers, initially in Ayrshire then Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire which prompted a move back to Rutherglen In between times, they welcomed three children into the world, Adam, David and Hazel

We’re sure life was busy enough for the Mairs, juggling two teaching jobs and three kids, but there was always time for music Louise plays piano, flute, guitar, dobro and double bass and Alan plays fiddle, mandolin and the guitar too –we know, they sound annoyingly talented, but they’re not at all arsy about it and if you met them in person you’d really love them

Arts & Culture

Back in the mid-70s-80s Alan performed with The Old Hickory band with his two brothers and Louise joined for a time on double bass When they moved to Ayrshire, they started their own band, Redwing,’ featuring Louise, Alan and double bass player and vocalist Alan McMillan

Louise recalls, “Redwing was a much more vocal group, we did a lot of three-part harmonies and we had a really good run – we were together for 20 years and it was great”

“Over the years various members have joined and left the band, working collaboratively on projects and tours at home and in the USA,” she recalls fondly

When Alan McMillan left the band, daughter Hazel stepped in on double bass and Cameron Oliphant joined on banjo “We renamed the band ‘The New Redwing ‘ and we had a great time playing clubs and festivals all over the place,” says Louise

“Then in 2013, we formed the ‘The Mairs Family Band’ with myself and Alan, Hazel and her husband Darren,who plays guitar and is also really good songwriter The music that we play includes our own arrangements and compositions in the Bluegrass style with three-part harmony singing and full bluegrass instrumentation”

Acoustic Café at The Granary, Strathaven

By 2018 the family fancied a move to somewhere a bit more rural Strathaven was easy to get to from Rutherglen and it felt like the right place “It’s a lovely market town,” Louise says, “laid back but not sleepy –there is a real vibrancy about it It’s arty and musical and a great community for families”

As luck would have it, they found the perfect home, with enough space for an exhibition to display their art work (Louise and Alan are both professional artists too)

‘Back when we were living in Rutherglen, we saw a gap in the market for live music in the area, so we set up Acoustic Night @ The Meeting Place,” Louise recalls “It went really well and people really enjoyed it, so when we moved to Strathaven and started talking to people here, it was suggested that we should do something similar at The Mill in Strathaven”

“In 2022 after covid restrictions were lifted, we transferred the acoustic night to The Mill and called it ‘Acoustic Café at the Granary’ It’s typically Americana music, not so much folk,” she explains “We provide support (3/4 songs) for the main invited guest act for the evening, unless we’re the main act ourselves The event takes place once a month, it costs £10 for a ticket, payable at the door which includes tea, coffee and some nice home baking, and, it’s non-profit so it’s all donated to The Mill,” Louise smiles

Arts & Culture

It sound fab – we’ll definitely be checking it out, but it’s got us thinking, what did the Mairs family do during COVID with nowhere to go to perform? “We actually started an online show on YouTube called ‘Acoustic Nights Online,” says Louise “It ran every week for seventeen months and it was brilliant, we had quite a big following”

And a quick check of youtube reveals the shows are still available to watch There’s one of David, their son performing a song or two on guitar, guest performers from Canada and Australia and there’s a lovely video of Louise and Alan doing their last performance before the real world opened back up again Having watched it myself, I recommend you do too Even if Americana isn’t your thing, it’s well worth a watch, if only to admire Louise and Alan’s harmonising skills which are really quite incredible I’ve never heard anything like it (and my family was that ‘Musical Family’ too!)

Life

Alan and Louise might be retired but life seems busier than ever They’re creating art, performing in The Mairs Family Band, running the Acoustic Café, and they host their own weekly radio show ‘Bluegrass Beats’ Then there’s the three very grown-up kids, Adam, David and Hazel and grandkids

“The kids are all up and have their own lives now,” Louise smiles “Adam’s 32 and he’s an Engineer, David’s 30 and a Music Teacher and Hazel’s 35 and has her own jewellery business - she was doing that part time but she’s now moving to full time so we’re keen to support her in any way we can”

And Surban Living is delighted to support Hazel as she embarks on her new venture too, so keep your eyes peeled in the next edition, for our ‘Hazel Mairs Jewellery’ feature

In the meantime, if you want more from The Mairs:

You can catch Louise and Alan every Tuesday from 6pm – 8pm on their radio show Bluegrass Beats which has moved from Celtic Music Radio to local (and global) Avondale Radio

Listen to the Acoustic Night Online sessions on YouTube here https://youtubecom/@acousticnightonline8194? si=UArywcZHefRfs0yo

Pick up their cd, Honeysuckle Sessions, produced August 2023, featuring a selection of music recorded during the pandemic of 2020/21 from the Acoustic night online YouTube channel

Or Darren and Hazel’s cd, ‘Old Sounding Songs’ from the online sessions -available by request and at their gigs

THE GIFT OF READING

THETIMELESSPOWEROFONE’SHEALTH

BY MICHELLE BAUGE

I haven’t been on a plane for 7 years, but my soul has travelled the world My soul has travelled[1] greatly through centuries, countries, and social eras It has travelled through learning, relearning, holding on and then letting go The greatest words, stories, and books, offer us the highest possibility of an alternative world or indeed an opportunity to be grateful for the one we live in

Reading is not just a gift, it is good for our brain health, mental wellbeing, and hugely beneficial for children and adults alike The benefits of reading are widely published and include:

Strengthening your b your ability to empathize, redu building your vocabulary, amon

The connection to one’s brain many benefits in the longevity has the power to activate one’s words, generating the healthy the brain which help in the co of neuroplasticity A good brai key element of good health (2)

A reading nation is a healthy n for pleasure brings life-long change lives At all life stages, b improved speech and languag bonding, increased employab and social skills, stress reduct mental health and wellbeing (3

‘Goingtothelibrarychanged mylife.Itmayevenhave savedit’ (BillyConnolly)

However, it is not just about the books we read; it is about the places we visit, our investment in self and the connections formed along the way Our physical presence tells only one part of the story, how we feel, and our interpretation of our experiences is what truly matters

Since the focus is on reading, let’s take libraries as an example, they hold the key to our history, our present and our future In our ever-changing world, some could argue one that is more disconnected than ever, our libraries hold the key to solitude and connection

"I spent my South Pacific tour in every library in Britain, Ireland, Scotland and Wales And on the nights we were dark, I'd see every play I could. But it's the books, the reading, that can change one's life. I'm the living evidence"

Sean Connery, Joy is found in the everyday moments of wonder and possibility.

There’s a book for everyone.

I strongly believe libraries harness the essence of learning, connection, growth and much more They offer a voice to those who may have otherwise remained silent In the last couple of years these books have inspired me more than I could ever have imagined Writing may have set me free but reading showed me the way

The Choice by Dr Edith Eger

This book will change your life Dr Edith strongly suggests there is not hierarchy to trauma, but what she does so well, is offer everyone the opportunity to explore healing She poses it as an option, even in the most horrendous unbearable circumstances she offers the gift of possibility She so beautifully interweaves her own story with that of others Life changing!

Love Warrior and Untamed by Glennon

Doyle

For anyone feeling a little lost, misunderstood, caged Knowing in your heart you want more, but forget you are worthy of having more These books are you, especially ‘Untamed’ If you need a reminder of who you were born to be, a wakeup call to the whispers telling you that there is more to this life, then this book is for you I have bought this book for so many people and it each person has said how much it has impacted their life Life changing!

Have a little Faith by Mitch Albom

Mitch Albom reaches the soul in every book he has ever written; ‘Have a Little Faith’ is no exception His full collection is among my favourite reads of all time, including ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’, but this book does not disappoint A real story, with real lessons, and if it doesn’t leave you feeling like you want to do a little better, then you have missed the message

The Honeymoon Effect by Dr Bruce Lipton

This book will wake you up, and shake you by the shoulders, not in an aggressive way, but in a way, that lets you know, you can never pretend you don’t know the key to change You may have been handed a blueprint for your life, but there is no rule that says, that you can’t be the architect of your life It is never too late to create the life you know in your heart soul you want and deserve

Tattoos on the Heart, Barking to the Choir and The whole language by Father Gregory Boyle

Wow is all I can say If you have the slightest interest in social justice, would like a deeper understanding of why people may make the choices they make, then these books are for you. In my opinion Father Gregory Boyle is one of the greatest leaders of our time He leads with compassion, dignity, and the upmost respect for humanity This book is a call to action, and a reminder that even if we don’t have all the answers, may we choose compassion over judgement.

The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama

One page in and what I read are some of the most beautiful words, I have ever read “If someone in your family tree was trouble, A hundred were not: The bad do not win not finally, No matter how loud they are We simply would not be here, If that were so You are made, fundamentally, from the good With this knowledge, you never march alone You are the breaking news of the century You are the good who has come forward Through it all, even if so many days feel otherwise” (Alberto Rios) This book although written by the first lady, speaks the words of many It is an offering for anyone willing to see the light, when the world has asked that you sit with darkness

This book is one to remember I have listened to Gloria Steinem on various podcasts, so I was already inspired by her work This book just offers a wider lens My favourite line in this book: “I ask the 98 year old lady: “How have you remained yourself after all these years” She looks at me and replies: “You’re always the person you were when you were born, you just keep finding new ways to express it”

References

1 https://wwwhealthlinecom/health/benefits-of-reading-books#alleviates-depression

2 https://wwwscottishbooktrustcom/about/a-reading-nation-is-a-healthy-nation

3 Brain Energy - Christopher Palmer, MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School https://wwwchrispalmermdcom/

My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem

Les Hoggan

Co-founder and host of Avondale Radio, Writer, Photographer, former Publisher, and a member of almost every committee in Strathaven (We don’t know how he does it!)

By Kelly Morris

Photography supplied by Les Hoggan

Hi Les, thank you for taking the time - againto be interviewed for Surban Living Magazine.

It's ironic that you were the first person that I interviewed in Roasted Café, and that you put me in touch with so many of the people featured in this issue, and then I only went and lost your interview notes! Mortifying.

However, ‘leaders eat last’ as the saying goes, and so here you are again (thank you). So, can you tell me a bit about yourself, where you were raised and how you came to be in Strathaven?

I was born and raised in Falkirk, went to Falkirk High School and eventually Falkirk College of Technology where I studied IT I also did an MBA at the University of Glasgow from 1993-1996

I've lived at various times in Leith, Tillicoultry and Motherwell, ending up completely by accident in Strathaven in 2001

My ex-wife and I had separated, and I had no idea where I wanted to live until a friend dragged me up to Strathaven for lunch in Marios and showed me round

It seemed like a good place to live for six months until I decided what I wanted to do My dog Sam and I rented a flat then Morag and I bought a flat in Dunlop Court Sarah was born in 2003 and we moved to the house in Glassford where we have been ever since

What attracted you to the town?

I love the community spirit and the can-do attitude Want to start a balloon festival? Go for it Organise a music festival in the town centre? Why not Run a raft race every June? Of course There are many people seen as incomers who add so much to the community complementing those from Strathaven who get involved

A perfect example is when South Lanarkshire Leisure announced they were cutting staff from Strathaven Park, threatening many of the much-loved park activities What happened? Strathaven Dynamos applied for a community asset transfer to take over the football pitches Strathaven Tennis Club applied for a community asset transfer of the tennis courts and the pavilion The Barrie Shelter agreed to take over the running of the boats, the putting green and the toilets

All within two months So very little will change because of the desire within the community to make things happen

You weren't in Strathaven long before you became heavily involved in the community

Yes, the Strathaven Echoes started around 1988 Lucy Dawson and I were offered the opportunity to take it over in 2016 and it seemed too good to miss I had no background in journalism but Lucy had and so we decided to give it a go.

We redesigned it from scratch creating a 24-page part colour paper published fortnightly and printed locally at 360 Graphics We decided to focus on the local area involving schools, sports clubs, organisations, etc and concentrated on the good news stories as opposed to the scandal (and yes there is some)

We got some great local people as regular contributors and the music feature written by Kenny Quigley was the launchpad for us creating Avondale Radio which launched in March 2022.

Mhairi Anderson created a sheep themed cartoon for each edition for a while which was brilliant (my favourite was the two sheep looking at a large cow and asking "Are you the beast from the East we've been hearing about?" And the much missed Gillian Lamb created the regular feature 'The People who Make Our Community', a regular interview with someone local that morphed into my Avondale Radio show 'Avon Valley Discs' My first ever interview for Echoes was with Lisbon Lion Bertie Auld who lived in the town

And as the years progressed, you became involved in more community groups and committees

I first got involved as a member of Glassford Primary School Parent Council From there I was introduced to Strathaven and Glassford Community Council by Councillor Margaret Cooper, a good friend now I'm now the secretary

Margaret also encouraged a group of locals to form Glassford Community Group, which I am now Chair of and which completed a community asset transfer of Glassford Village Hall in 2023.

We also managed to get it set up as a registered charity in 2022. The group has put on some fantastic shows including GUN, Big Minds (Derek Forbes, Big Country & China Crisis members), Raymond Mearns, Des Clarke, Stuart Mitchell in a comedy night and we were the opening night of the 20th anniversary tour of Singing I'm No' A Billy He's A Tim

I accidently got involved in the Strathaven Balloon Festival in 2017 having been invited for a balloon flight only for it to be cancelled due to heavy rain and then spending the day helping move things about I'm now the secretary on that as well

I was Chair of Strathaven Business Association for four years and am now secretary, but not for much longer as the AGM is in June

A group of us set up a community support group called Working Together For Avondale in 2020 at the start of the pandemic and we ended up raising over £70,000 for various projects We are currently looking at setting up a Strathaven Coordinating Group to help local organisations collaborate

I am also director of Creative Strathaven along with Mhairi Anderson and set up Frets Creative along with local musician Douglas MacIntyre, although we are in the process of wrapping that up

And I helped set up Avondale Radio in 2022 with Kenny Quigley and Nancy Luke We are directors and now trustees after becoming a registered charity in 2023

Not bad at all. And very impressive listener numbers for such a small town What can we expect if we listen in?

We have a twenty-four-hour schedule, which you can find on wwwavondaleradiocom We have a Listen Again feature (similar to BBC Sounds)

Our presenters present a wide range of shows covering all sorts of music and an interesting range of topics We have a breakfast show, lunchtime show and drivetime show Kenny, Nancy and I, and a few other presenters regularly include interviews on our shows My Saturday Magazine show is a bit like Echoes on air, covering local stories and interviewing local people about what they are up to

Avon Valley Discs features interviews that get behind the stories of local people as well as musicians I have got to know through Frets Concerts (David Scott, Grahame Skinner, John Douglas, Bobby Bluebell, Duglas T Stewart, Stuart Kidd, Douglas MacIntyre, Chris Thomson, Hazel Morrison amongst others) and more recently authors I enjoy reading including Neil Lancaster, Doug Johnstone, Chris Brookmyre, Ed James, Craig Robertson and Callum McSorley

I've also recently been interviewing authors from a publishing company set up by Stephen Cameron called IntoBooks including George Paterson, Gillian Shirreffs and David Belcher It's great being able to talk to people and to help bring our community to life Our strapline is 'For the Community By The Community'

So, you’re doing radio and you’re on a gazillion committees and boards, I can’t imagine what a typical week looks like for you. Any down time?

A typical week involves a bit of golf with friends, walks with Layla, our five-year-old Cockapoo and spending time with our twelve year old Jack Russell/Chihuahua Ollie Both of them featured in the regular walk feature in Echoes over many years

I usually do around twelve interviews a week for my Avon Valley Discs show, Avondale Sports show and Saturday Magazine show for Avondale Radio There is a bit of radio station management as well plus I still love getting out and about with my camera We've a big garden so that takes up some time (not gardening as such but moving stuff around and tidying up) I love reading so I always find time to relax with a good book (mostly Scottish crime but also a bit of historical novels as well) And we enjoy socialising as well so we will be out and about for meals and a few drinks at some point as well

We think you’ve earned a few drinks Les. Before we wrap up, can you tell us what you love most about Strathaven and why readers should visit if they haven't before?

I love how it is a rural community with fantastic walks yet within 30 minutes you can be in the heart of Glasgow or on the way to the Ayrshire coast I love all its

festivals and events; Strathaven Gala's 50th anniversary this year, Strathaven Rugby Club is 40 this year, 25 years of Strathaven Balloon Festival, 100 years of guiding in Strathaven, and how the community gets involved at every opportunity

I love its award-winning park with its miniature railway (75 years old this year), play areas and boating pond and there are so many people in and around Strathaven who I now count as close friends

Its pubs, cafes and restaurants are all special You just can't beat a bacon roll and a roasting from roasted, a curry from the Taal, dinner from the Fortune Dragon or a beer in Weavers And of course, we have the utterly unique 3C service into Glasgow run by Climate Action Strathaven (I forgot to mention that I am now a trustee with it as well)

KM

He’s some man is our Les, but you heard him, there is so much to see and do in Strathaven, it’s well worth a visit. And if you’re fed up with your usual radio station playing the same old songs, give Avondale Radio a try.

Preschool Aged Birthday Parties

Hosted by Agape

Our party host will guide

We have a state-of-the-art sensory hub and ball pit for the children to play in, as well as a tea and coffee station for the grown-ups We have slots available on Saturday mornings and afternoons Suitable for up to 12 preschool aged children

Bring your own decorations and party food

CONGRATULATIONS

RHYTHM XTREME

1ST PLACE IN THE UDO ANNUAL BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP

Massive congratulations to Rhythm Xtreme dance team from East Kilbride for winning the UDO British Championship at the annual dance competition in Blackpool !

Rhythm Xtreme hip hop team, part of DP Dance Studios in East Kilbride, competed in the Under 18 Novice category against 7 other teams from around the country and performed brilliantly to retain the title they first won in 2023

Winning the British title means the team has automatically qualified for the World Championships in August at the same venue The team will also be competing at the Scottish Championships in June Best of luck - let us know how you get on!

For more info call 07775 427297 or visit their facebook https://www facebook com/people/Rhythm-Xtreme/100061293528285/

Les Hoggan Photography

IF CARLSBERG DID GALA DAYS, THEY STILL

MIGHT NOT DO THEM AS WELL AS

Strathaven is fortunate to boast a rich variety of major events in its annual calendar The Balloon Festival, Agricultural Show, Reindeer Day and Round Table bonfire and fireworks draw thousands of visitors from around the town and beyond each year. However, this year is a special milestone for one of the town’s longestestablished events, as Strathaven Gala celebrates its fiftieth anniversary

Over the last half-century, Strathaven Gala - or to give it its official title, ‘The Annual Festival of the Free Burgh in the Barony of Strathaven - has grown from its beginnings as a single day event to a week-long festival, is one of the biggest events of its kind in Scotland

Plans for this year’s festival, and Gala Day on Saturday 8th June, are well under way, with Faith Gilmour named as 2024 Gala Queen She will be joined on Gala Day by this year’s Gala Queen, Zack Dale

Faith said: "I am delighted to have been chosen as Strathaven Gala Queen 2024 - I'm really looking forward to celebrating the day with everyone!” Zack added: “It's great to have been selected as Queen's Champion - it's a real honour and I'm proud to be part of Gala 2024”

STRATHAVEN!

Gala week 2024 gets under way on Sunday 2nd June with the raft race held on the River Avon, with dozens of teams taking to the water and competing –newcomers are always welcome, although you may get wet! There is a packed programme of events planned throughout the week including the duck race, netball, swimming, football, gymnastics, and much more, all culminating in the annual Gala Day celebrations

The Gala festival is entirely organised by local volunteers, with a small committee doing an amazing amount of work to put on the week’s events every year They have been working with schools, clubs, businesses and organisations around the town to make the Gala a success, although more volunteers are always welcome!

Strathaven Gala has its origins in a weekend festival run in 1973 as part of a community project organised by the Rotary Club of Strathaven It was a great success, featuring live music and events at venues around the town Building on this initial success, the first ‘official’ Strathaven Gala festival was held in 1974, with Andrew Park Jr chairing the organising committee and Academy pupil Ruth Aiton crowned as Strathaven’s first Gala Queen on the steps of the John Hastie Museum It has been a fixture in the local calendar ever since

As the first Strathaven Gala got underway, Scotland’s footballers were getting ready to kick off their first major tournament in 16 years at the 1974 World Cup in West Germany, America was gripped by the Watergate scandal which would bring down President Nixon just weeks later, and Tom Baker made his debut as Doctor Who, taking over the role from Jon Pertwee Elsewhere, Britain was between the two elections held in 1974, Abba had just won Eurovision with ‘Waterloo’, and Manchester United had just been relegated from England’s top division

Academy pupil Ruth Aiton was crowned as Strathaven’s first Gala Queen on the steps of the John Hastie Museum, and the first Gala, or to give its official title ‘The Annual Festival of the Free Burgh in the Barony of Strathaven’ was declared a big success, which has now endured for five decades as the town, and the Gala have grown together

Strathaven and District Round Table took over the festival’s organisation in 1975 as it continued to grow, with new events being added throughout the week in the run-up to Gala Day Further expansion in 1976 led to a separate steering committee being set up to run the Gala, which by then included a full week of events, including the ‘bogie race’, ‘It’s a Knockout’, Crags running race, and interhostelry football with some fierce competition between local pubs

Another early success of the Gala was the annual ‘Window Spotting’ competition, with shops around the town decorating their windows and attracting families to tour the town searching for hidden items – Window Spotting is still a big part of Gala week, with over 70 businesses taking part last year

The duck race is another highlight of Gala week It was first held in the early 1990s and nowadays attracts big crowds on the Monday of Gala week The early duck races, like so many other Gala events, were hosted by the incomparable Adam Law, whose voice and commentary provided the soundtrack to so many Strathaven events until his death in 2006 His work is carried on today by the Community Trust set up in his name

The programme’s publication each year acts as a comprehensive directory of pretty much all the businesses in the local area, and in pre-internet days quickly became a who’s who of local businesses

Strathaven also welcomes the Gala procession each year, which attracts thousands of visitors to the town for the day The parade has followed most of the same route since its inception, starting at Station Road from 1974 until 2010 when the start point was moved to the new Sainsbury's store It then makes its way to the park for the culmination of the Gala week, the crowning of the Gala Queen Originally, the ceremony took place on the steps of the John Hastie Museum, but in 1987 the location was switched to the bandstand in the George Allan Park - a great venue for huge crowds to watch

Strathaven’s Gala Queen and her accompanying Queen’s Champion have always been selected from senior pupils at Strathaven Academy, with the Gala Court coming from local primary schools Both the first Gala Queen, Ruth Aiton (now Hastings) and 1977 Queen Joan Patrick are still closely involved in the festival today - Ruth’s daughter Erin was even crowned Gala Queen in 2011! Sisters Gail and Wendy Weir made it a family affair as they were crowned Gala Queen in successive years (1988 and 1989), and 2014 Queen’s Champion Bradley McCallion, is 2009’s Gala Queen Rachel brother

Strathaven Gala continued to grow and thrive throughout the 1970s and 80s,, as the Gala Day parade expanded to include hundreds of school pupils in pageants and floats from local groups, including the Rankin File, Strathaven Striders, Rugby Club and many more taking part every year

Although this year marks 50 years since the first Strathaven Gala, it won’t actually be the 50th festival because, in common with events around the world, the Gala was affected by the global pandemic which saw the 2020 and 2021 festivals cancelled – but the Gala returned strongly in 2022 and continues to thrive today

As Strathaven Gala enters its sixth decade, the town’s great festival just keeps growing and growing, with new events being added every year, and established parts of the calendar increasing in popularity Here’s to the next 50 years!

If you would like to get involved with any part of this year’s Strathaven Gala, you can get in touch with the organisers by emailing strathavengala@gmailcom – and keep an eye on the Strathaven Gala Facebook page and @strathavengala Instagram accounts for details and updates too

CONGRATULATIONS STRATHAVEN DYNAMO AFC

ON YOUR ‘LET THEM PLAY’ PARTNERSHIP WITH SFA

If you’re in the process of starting or running a grassroots football club in your community, it’s worth checking out Strathaven Dynamo AFC as an example of best in class The commitment, passion and sheer creativity of the leaders and coaches at this club is beyond impressive They are so relentless in their efforts to improve the environment, conditions and experience of all associated with the club, that you’d be forgiven for thinking they are full time employees rather than volunteers with busy lives and full time jobs of their own Their recent partnership with the Scottish Football Association is a typical example of their innovative approach

The Club’s players, coaches and officials have teamed up with the Scottish FA to help promote their inspirational ‘Let Them Play’ initiative Teams from all age-groups gathered at the club’s W3ST pitch in Strathaven to show off their new ‘Let Them Play’ training kit, and were joined by John Brown Scottish FA South West’s Regional Manager and Colin McKendrick Scottish FA South West’s Club Support Officer

John Brown, said: “We are delighted that a progressive club like Strathaven Dynamo have really embraced the ethos and culture that our campaign represents ” Colin McKendrick, commended the club’s initiative: “It’s such an innovative and creative initiative by the club leaders at Strathaven Dynamos Delivering such a consistent positive collective national message from one of our Quality Mark Platinum Clubs within the South West Region, should hopefully help create the correct friendly and safe environment for all our players to flourish and love the game ”

Frank McGraw, Chairman of Strathaven Dynamo AFC, said: “The ‘Let them Play’ message fits in perfectly with our Club ethos This ethos is what we encourage our coaches and parents to demonstrate with positive encouragement to all players in the team and not just their own child We are all responsible to support and provide encouragement to all our players and for them to feel that they are part of a team and to love the game But It’s not all about football It’s also about that sense of belonging and that’s what we strive to achieve at Strathaven Dynamos

So it’s a huge congratulations from us and we look forward to working with Strathaven Dynamos to launch an initiative of our own Keep your eyes peeled

For more information (& inspiration) check out their Facebook page https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/strathavendynamoafc2

D R A M A L A M

MEET LIANNE MCHUGH

The triple threat talent behind Dramalam in Strathaven and East Kilbride The Performing Arts School where where every child can flourish

BY KELLY MORRIS

IMAGES COURTESY OF LIANNE MCHUGH

YOU GOTTA LOVE HER!

From the minute I discovered the Dramalam instagram account, I loved everything about it; the name, branding, vision and values - all of it! Then I discovered the woman behind it, Lianne McHugh, and quickly realised, it is literally impossible not to love everything about her too!

If you take your children to Lianne’s classes or follow her on social media, you already know why. And if you don’t (yet), then let me tell you - she is a breath of fresh air.

On the day that we meet, Lianne’s doing the ‘business-owner-parent-of-a-sick-child juggle,’ and she’s doing it with great ease I can’t begin to fathom how she does anything with three children under the age of five, so I’m keen to get straight into the ‘tell me about yourself,’ and ‘how do you do it’ chat - because I want some of what she’s having!

“So, I’m originally from East Kilbride,” Lianne explains “I lived in Greenhills then Calderwood, before moving to Chapelton (just outside Strathaven) where I’ve lived for the last 16 years or some with my partner Barry and my three daughters Molly (5), Annie (3) and Esme (2)”

“I’ve been dancing pretty much all of my life, I joined a dance class in Greenhills at the age of three I was always in school plays and shows and my whole family sung in the local church in Springhall,” she recalls

At 7 years of age, Lianne scored the role of Mary in her Primary 7 Easter show and by this age she was seriously into drama and the arts

“My dance teacher had a stage school in Glasgow She was a big influence on me and I knew very early on, this was what I wanted to do So, I attended the GAMTA Musical Theatre school and then Motherwell College where I got my degree BA Hons Musical Theatre via Northumbria University”

So, with her natural born talent, a lifetime of performance experience and the qualifications to boot, Lianne was clearly heading for the stage “Not quite,” she explains “I always really struggled with auditions I would have anxiety to the extent that I had tummy issues and I would feel physically ill Unfortunately, if you can’t get through an audition, it’s almost impossible to have a career in performing arts”

At 21, Lianne accepted a full time job in a Call Centre for Sky, “I remember telling myself that Sky was an entertainment company, so I was still in the industrykind of - but not really,” she laughs “Although, I did a lot of training and facilitating which was a good use of my performing and theatrical skills and that actually helped with my confidence, so it wasn’t terrible”

To keep a foot in the performing arena, Lianne also sung in pubs and clubs at the weekends and performed at kids parties, but even then, she was struggling, “I think that’s when I realised how much of a problem anxiety was for me and I knew that I would really need to work hard on it if I was to have any quality of life”

During lockdown, like most people in and around Strathaven, Lianne got up and took action She started Zumba classes online which were really successful and taught Zumbini Mum and Baby classes in person soon after “Doing those classes really gave me strength, along with the confidence and belief that I could turn it into an actual thing,” she recalls

In the space of a few days Lianne had come up with a business vision and plan for a musical theatre and dance school which would put confidence and mindfulness first and Dramalam would be the name, “It sounded cute and fun and family friendly

Then it was full steam ahead! “We started advertising in local groups and I was really getting into it, when only a week later, I found out I was expecting my third baby Obviously a baby is a joy and a gift, but I remember thinking about the timing and how there was no way I could do all that I planned to do with two young children and a baby on the way ”

“So, I decided to look at it as a test - maybe it was sent to see how serious I was about making this thing work, because if I was really serious, another pregnancy, baby or any other thing for that matter wouldn’t stop me, and it didn’t”

Lianne started off running musical theatre classes in The Town Mill in Strathaven, then dance classes on a Friday She then brought someone else in to teach classes, which allowed her time off to have the baby

“Unfortunately, that dance teacher took an opportunity to work at Disney in Paris, meaning Lianne had to return to work sooner than she would have liked

Nevertheless, being back in the business meant there was only one direction of travel and that was growth and it wasn’t long before Lianne progressed from hiring rooms at The Mill to having her very own dance studio near the centre of town

The Mill was so great for us and we will still use it for our shows but I do remember when we found out we were getting the space, I was so excited It ended up being a real family affair to get it ready My partner, my dad and brotherusing every spare minute to knock down walls and paint I’m really lucky to have such a supportive family that could help”

And what a beautiful space it is, although Lianne tells me it isn’t quite finished, “I’d like to get some really nice lighting and wall mirrors, so that’s all in the plan, but we ’ re really happy with it so far It’s such a nice, bright, welcoming and safe environment It’s little things like the toilet being located within the studio space, which means we don’t need to worry about children going on big long walks every time they need to go ”

The studio has only been up and running for a short time but it’s already a success “We have a full timetable at our studio in Strathaven with four evenings of dance and musical theatre classes per week and we run two musical theatre classes in Peel Park in East Kilbride for early years We also have two summer schools planned for this year, and we ’ re doing our first Panto at The Mill at Christmas which is going to be a great experience for the kids because t’s a double cast which means everyone has an opportunity to get involved,” Lianne beams

It all sounds fantastic, but it also sounds like a lot of work and that’s before Lianne mentions she’s studying for her IDTA Level 4 Diploma in Ballet Dance, Tap and Musical Theatre Syllabus

“We just want to provide a place where everyone can flourish, gain skills and confidence, and I want to ensure I have the best possible training to deliver that Doing the Level 4 Diploma also means I can put the next generation of dance teachers through their training, which will be really fulfilling”

As I sit chatting to Lianne, there is so much to admire about who she is and all that she’s achieved She’s also that girl that you feel like you ’ ve known for years There’s something immediately likable and trustworthy about her A real sense of warmth, kindness and compassion

It’s hard to imagine that someone so talented, bright and positive could be hindered by anxiety and yet, it’s refreshing to hear If you follow Lianne on socials, you’ll know she doesn’t shy away from sharing her life experiences and learning In fact she’s using her platform to do just that Her posts are honest, vulnerable and sometimes raw, but there’s nothing ‘ woe me ’ or attention seeking’ about them Her content is authentic, relatable and ultimately, helpful for others

If you’d like to follow Lianne, and we think everybody should, then you’ll find her on instagram @themindfulmummylife If you’d like to know more about Dramalam visit @dramalamperformingarts on Instagram and @dramalamscotland on tiktok

New class timetable and age groups coming summer with Wednesday and Saturday classes being added to the Strathaven timetable

Health & Fitness

By Derek Elder

Hello, Surban Living readers!

My name is Derek Elder, a 20-year-old from Cambuslang and the passionate owner of Derek Elder Coaching (though a rebranding is on the horizon) Raised by my parents alongside three younger siblings. This is where the journey began.

I've always been fuelled with huge drive and ambition - but never quite knew where it might take me I went on to study Health, Fitness & Exercise at New College Lanarkshire at 16 with the aim of becoming a sports scientist But then realised I was capable of much more, after going through some struggles and having to step up in more significant ways than I ever anticipated These experiences not only tested my strength but profoundly shaped my outlook and mission

I moved from being a fitness instructor to founding my own coaching business at the age of 19 But my commitment didn’t stop there - I continuously strive to grow personally and professionally, attending business and self-development events nationwide and engaging in ongoing mentorship

The past year has been one of profound personal challenges and growth for me In February 2023, I faced the immense loss of my mum at just 39, an event that has deeply shaped my perspective and approach to life and work Her journey, from a tragic asthma attack 5 years prior that left her paralysed from the chest down, to her fighting spirit through multiple comas and rehabilitations, has been a cornerstone of my strength, determination and resilience Despite these hurdles, she remained a warrior, a relentless mother, and my greatest inspiration

My Vision and What You Can Expect

I believe in transparency and connection, which is why I share my story not just to recount my past, but to forge a bond with you, the reader Understanding my journey helps you see the ethos behind my coaching philosophy Our biggest challenges often lead to our greatest growth With a newfound purpose that transcends my struggles, I've dedicated myself to helping others

At Derek Elder Coaching, I empower those who struggle with self-belief and purpose, helping them shift from "I can't" to "I can," not just physically but mentally

In this magazine, you can expect more than fitness routines I'm here to offer insights, tips & guidance to enhance your entire lifestyle, equipping you with the tools to improve your routines, habits, beliefs, and behaviours

My goal is to help you become the fittest, happiest, healthiest, and most energetic version of yourself

A Special Challenge for You

To kick things off, I'm setting a 14-day accountability challenge for all of you Here’s what it includes:

1 Walk 10,000 steps daily

2 Drink 3 litres of water each day

3 Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily

4 Plan each day the night before

5 Avoid caffeine after 3 PM

Track your progress daily, and see if you can achieve a perfect 14/14 I'm eager to hear how you do, so please reach out with your experiences or any questions you might have!

Stay Connected

Feel free to connect with me and share your journey through the challenge or any part of your fitness journey:

● Facebook: Derek Elder Coaching

● Instagram: @derekeldercoaching

● Email: derek@surbanlivingcouk

I look forward to being a part of your journey to a healthier and more empowered life

Let’s make this a transformative experience, filled with growth, resilience, and community

See you in the next issue! DE

2 7 . 0 5 . 1 9 8 3 - 2 3 . 0 2 . 2 0 2 3 I N S P I R A T I O N

THE FITNESS CHICKS

These chicks keeps popping up on our Instagram feed. They’re doing all sorts of amazing, high energy stuff so we had to find out more!

Hey! We're Amy & Leah, both 26 from Calderwood and The Murray in East Kilbride In 2019, we started an Instagram account called "Fitness Chicks Community" to share workouts, recipes and well-being advice that we hoped would lift up and inspire other women

Four years on, our blog turned into a business, and we are now both owners, coaches, marketers, event managers, cleaners (the never ending list goes on ) at our very own fitness and well-being studio in East Kilbride!

What is fitness chicks?

Fitness Chicks is a female-only fitness and well-being community in East Kilbride We love the fact everyone in our community is a mixture of ages, sizes, shapes, abilities and fitness levels No matter where you are at on your journey, as soon as you walk through our studio door, everyone is made to feel welcome

We take pride in the fact there is no judgement in our classes, just encouragement We want Fitness Chicks to feel like your happy place, where you come in to switch off from life outside for an hour, socialise with like-minded women and leave with a smile [AFTER A GOOD] sweat!

Our timetable has a variety of class styles including our small-group strength training (FIERCE), group cardio classes (GBX), boxing for fitness sessions (DISCOBOX), all of which run from Monday-Saturday

Our classes are tailored to all abilities, no matter whether you are a complete beginner or regular gym bunny We've just launched our new beginners running club too, which we are absolutely loving!

Tell us about your new running club

Our running club is aimed at complete beginners and is on every Saturday at 9AM, meeting outside our studio at 1 Burley Place, G74 5LL

A few months ago, we both began to find a personal passion for running outdoors whilst training for our first HYROX We loved the fact that running challenges you not only physically, but mentally, too

If anything, we think the mental side of going for a run can be one of the most challenging parts at times, but that's what makes the feeling when you finish even more rewarding We felt inspired to show other women in our community and local area that they are capable of running too, as we find that a lot of women automatically put themselves down and say "they aren't fit enough"

We wanted to create a safe space where complete beginners could take the first step in their running journey A place where they would be made to feel welcome, comfortable and confident whilst they learn more about their running technique and how to breathe, whilst building up the distance in a gradual way

Our club is completely free and open to non Fitness Chicks members, too Ensuring our club was accessible for everyone was extremely important for us as we want to encourage as many women as possible that they can do whatever they put their mind to, and remind them that we all have to start somewhere

It also gives our well-being a boost seeing everyone show up for themselves every week, push themselves out of their comfort zones, smash new weekly challenges, and socialise with other people Community is at the heart of everything we do!

How is it going?

We're so happy with the turnout so far Our club has only been running for two weeks now and we have had 30 people at each session The girls who have come along so far seem to be loving it, which is always nice to hear! Some of the ladies have brought their little girls along to help encourage them Someone last week even ran with their baby in a pram - absolute queens!

How can people get involved?

Our running club is on every Saturday at 9AM, leaving from 1 Burley Place, G74 5LL There is no need to book in, just turn up on the day! If you have any questions beforehand, please feel free to message us on Facebook or Instagram - @fitnesschickscommunity

"Was such good fun, even for a nonrunner!" - Fiona, current member, firsttime runner

"Thank you for the run club this morning it was amazing to be around such a motivated and positive group of girls!"

- Gemma, non-member, first-time runner

"Thanks for being so supportive as always at the running club"

- Chloe, current member, first-time runner

Areyoulookingtoprioritise exercise,connectwithothers andticktoughtasksoffyour to-dolist?

I wholeheartedly embrace physical activity to manage my business life, and I want to offer others the opportunity to access these benefits too I’d LOVE you to join our friendly, sharing community and experiene exercise as a catalyst for work and business as my guest

Being a part of the Club Synergy community creates dedicated time in your weekly work schedule, keeping you accountable for your fitness and work goals

We take the decision of when and where to exercise out of your hands One less decisionmore focused time for you and your business.

It is a supportive space where members will champion you to achieve business and wellbeing goals, celebrate success, build string relationships and give you gentle nudges to GET THINGS DONE

As a small business owner who has benefitted from getting more active, I wanted to build a community where people could experience increased productivity, creativity, focus, and growth that follows exercise

Just use the code CSGUESTEK at checkout and enjoy your first session on me!

Book at https://clubsynergy co uk/

Or book your virtual walk and talk here 07974 959661 Kelly Houston

Business & Stuff

By Kelly Morris

Hi there,

Product Preview

I’m Kelly Morris, Consultant Project Manager, by day, and Founder of Surban Living Magazine by night I’m a Lanarkshire lass, having been born and bred in Coatbridge (proud Greenender), before living in Troon for over ten years. Just last summer I returned to Lanarkshire (Jackton) where I now live with my husband John, daughter Lana (14), son John Michael (3) and our wee dog Benny (the boss)

I truly believe there are multiple opportunities for individuals, businesses, charities and groupsthey’re just difficult to find at times.

Moving forward my goal is to share as much useful information as possible. Whether you’re in work, looking for work, starting up or selling up. It will all be here But first, it’s important to share a bit about my own business journey.

Having left school at 15 with almost no qualifications, zero self esteem and a hatred for the education system as it was, I found my purpose in the world of work

An office junior job in a criminal defence solicitors in Ruchazie led to a 25 year career in mostly project management and business development roles across the public and private sectors

Roles have been varied and random really From investigating serious crime and complaints against Police Officers, to advising the Secretary of State for Scotland, the late Rt Hon Alastair Darling MP on all matters related to energy policy From working in Westminster to joining the newly established Transport Scotland, before jumping ship to the

world of corporates and SMEs I led bids, projects and strategies across a variety of sectors including aviation, aerospace, construction, data and tech, defence, nuclear and every other type of transport you can imagine

All of this before embarking on self-employment, which as many of you will know, is the toughest gig of them all

THE NEED & THE NICHE

My niche has and will always be Project Managing complicated things in very short timeframes under a ridiculous amount of pressure There are easier ways to earn a living, but they are nowhere near as stimulating

I was diagnosed with ADHD and OCD around 13 years ago after two very caring colleagues approached me in very different ways to suggest there might be something a little different with my ‘wiring’ Thankfully, because of them, I received; a diagnosis, all of the answers I was looking for and most importantly, treatment for something that was causing absolute chaos in my life (my brain basically)

The ADHD story is for another day, but it explains why I can’t stick to one job and I need the right dose of adrenaline, risk and challenge to get me motivated In 2019, I made the decision to leave a great job in a large corporate with a lovely big salary I had no idea what I was going to do, I just knew I needed to do something different but I was so engrossed in the day job (hyper focused), that I couldn’t even think what that would be until I left

I loved magazines as a child - I was actually addicted, but that sounds silly

I knew no one would pay me to write because I wasn’t a qualified writer and whilst I can tell a decent story, I’m not technically a great writer, so my only option was to start something myself

So I started a magazine in 2019 called Tartan Eye to promote people and places across Scotland Whether you voted yes or no, you wore green or blue, surely we could all come together to celebrate the thing that we have in common - living in Scotland

Business & Stuff

The Gut Wrenching Part

I won’t go into too much detail other than to say it felt as though it was really going somewhere and we were four editions in when we held our big fancy launch event in Glasgow

The event was supposed to be the catalyst but it was actually the killer My wee dad who was taking photographs at the event, collapsed and died only an hour or so in, and It broke me in every possible way Today, almost five years later, I am still trying to learn how to accept and move on from it which sounds ridiculous, but true

Freelancing, our wee surprise baby John (a gift from dad of course) and a few other things distracted me for a few years before I finally plucked up the courage to return to the world of magazines

EK Lifestyle Magazine

In March of this year, EK Lifestyle Magazine was published with the aim of connecting residents, businesses, charities and groups to ‘help one another get on and do well’ It was aimed at East Kilbride and the surrounding areas of Jackton, Thorntonhall, Strathaven, Auldhouse, Crmunnock and various others

The process of producing that first edition was incredibly emotional and painful as I relived moments that I had hidden away in the deepest part of me But, I knew my dad would be proud as punch - he would have hated the fact that Tartan Eye stopped when he did So I ploughed on seeing it as a challenge from the universe to personally and emotionally evolve

A key goal was the creation of 100 earning and learning opportunities for young people who would: make money delivering the magazine; and attend our weekly Press Clubs where they would learn about the publishing and creative industries

Another goal was to contribute to our local economy by creating additional revenue opportunities, particularly for charities; Kilbryde Hospice was a great example of this, selling magazines in their shops and cafes, keeping £100 from every issue sold

However, those of you that have launched a start-up, will appreciate, things don’t necessarily work out the way you planned And, those of you that follow the ‘fail fast, fail often, and fail forward’ approach to life, will recognise the importance of: throwing yourself whole-heartedly into getting started; making changes as soon as you see risks; and being open to other paths

A different path

So here we are with a digital magazine when I so wanted print Fortunately, the feedback to going digital has been incredible, much to my slight annoyance (because why doesn’t everyone love print?), but mostly, it’s utter relief

We just want to connect residents, businesses, charities and communities to ‘help each other get on and do well’ and we can still do that with a digital magazine - in fact, we’ll reach a wider demographic now So, happy days all round, until I realised no print means no delivery jobs, which means no earning and learning opportunities for young people!

Of course that realisation led to a mini-meltdown which merited a tub of ice cream, a packet of chocolate buttons, a flake and a good old trashy tv show A decent night’s sleep later and I woke up with a fresh perspective (some very puffy eyelids) and more importantly, the solution which means we will still achieve that goal of creating 100 earning and learning opportunities, just in a very different way! I’ll share the what, where, how and when in the next issue

Chosen charities

What about the revenue generating opportunities, especially for the charities? Well, that is tricky Unfortunately there wont be so many businesses and charities benefitting from selling the magazines, but the reality is, each stockist would have done well to sell 20-30 copies a month and that’s not a huge income Now, there will be two charities chosen each year who will split £100 from each issue sold

For this year (May 2024 - May 2025) I’m delighted to announce our chosen charities as Kilbryde Hospice in South Lanarkshire and St Andrews Hospice in North Lanarkshire

The rebrand

Ok, so that brings us to the name We started out as EK Lifestyle which wasn’t exactly catchy and wasn’t feeling as inclusive to the communities surrounding the town which promoted the rebrand to Surban Living Magazine

‘Surban’ is a catch all for suburban and semi-rural areas It’s basically everything out-with city centres, but don’t worry, we won’t be stretching across the entire country, we’re expanding only to North and

South Lanarkshire (+ we’re including Eaglesham & Carmunnock because they were part of our original wee gang and we’ve got a soft spot for their beauty and charm)

East Kilbride

All of that said, our heart and head (office) lies in East Kilbride It is the largest town in Lanarkshire, so it makes sense that we stay here and promote the town as Lanarkshire’s very own shopping and leisure alternative to Glasgow, because that’s what it is I was blown away when I moved here and realised how much of a sleeping giant East Kilbride really is (with a population of circa 80,000) I can’t wait for you to see the next edition which shines a light on exactly that

A different kind of magazine

Now seems like a good time to clarify what the magazine is and isn’t First and foremost, we are a content-led magazine which means more articles than ads

This is a magazine for people that like reading the pages, not flicking through them We’re all about the people, the places and the stories, above all else When we feature a person, family or a business, we include the whole story, we don’t cut it down to a one-pager so that we can save space for advertising

If it’s short and snappy content that you’re looking for, head to our socials

We’re not trying to be some arty aspirational magazine or win any awards We are a team of part time writers with full-time jobs We’re here to promote the people and places of Lanarkshire (with a sprinkling of external stuff) You’ll see the odd fancy ad, but there will always be local gala days and community fairs

My editing preference is local vernacular (you can take the girl out of Coatbridge ) so the tone and language of the magazine will always be informal and casual We want you to feel as though you’re listening to a story that your neighbour is telling, because at the end of the day, that’s what we are

As for the future of Surban Living, initially it looks like an online digital magazine on a quarterly basis with a view to increasing the publication frequency and sneaking some print back in, but all in good time

We hoped to publish the magazine for free for the next three months, , but it doesn’t seem to be an easy thing to do on the publication platform So, each copy of this edition will sell for £100 with all income from sales going straight to our two charities That feels like the right thing to do

KM

BroganCraigatthefamousQTSstaircase

(whereallthebigcheesestand)

PhotoCredit-KMorris

THE APPRENTICE MEET

Hi Brogan, can you tell us a bit about yourself growing up?

Sure, I was brought up by my Mum Kathleen and Dad John in Strathaven, along with my younger twin brothers Jon and Brady It’s a nice place to grow up and really safe so we were always outside doing something - usually playing football

We all went to Western Overton Primary School and then onto Strathaven Academy but I really didn’t enjoy school I always liked maths, but the whole school experience and way of learning just wasn’t for me It wasn’t that Strathaven Academy was a bad school - not at all You could have put me in any school anywhere in the world and I would have felt the same I just felt like I didn’t fit in and I wasn’t excited or motivated by school. Over the years my attendance started going down and I didn’t do too well - I was definitely eager to get out and start earning and learning

Did you have any idea of what you wanted to do when you left school?

Well, because I liked maths and my mum worked in finance, I just always thought I would do something related to that. So when I left school, I started applying for jobs with accountancy firms and I never really heard anything back

I remember trying to think about what I was good at and what I enjoyed, because the last thing I wanted to do was get a job that I didn’t enjoy and dreaded going into At the time, I was good with numbers and I really enjoyed technology - I was always learning about the newest phones and games, so I thought I would give IT a bash

So how did you go about getting a career in IT when you had no IT-related qualifications?

I found a company called QA Apprenticeships online and attended one of their Interview Days in Glasgow

Basically, they interview you and pass your details to various companies that they work with - QTS being one of them Being local, I had passed the QTS Rench Farm and had a rough idea of what they did, but I didn’t know too much When I was invited for an interview, I obviously did some research and I was really surprised I had no idea how big the company was or all of the things they were involved in, so it definitely piqued my interest and made me really want to secure the role

As well as researching the company, I spent quite a bit of time working on interview questions and responses - taking the feedback that I had received at the QA Apprenticeship event

How did the interview go?

It was a really good experience I actually remember the drive onto the site and being amazed at the size of the place, the pond and the track. I had seen it all online, but seeing it in person for the first time is really something else

I was interviewed by three people, one of them being David Hogg, who is now my line manager I just remember being really honest and saying, ‘I don’t know a whole lot, but I’m eager to learn and would love the opportunity to prove myself’ They must have liked the honesty because I got a call later that day offering me an IT Engineering Apprenticeship That was 5 years ago, on the 8th of April

That’s brilliant! So how does the apprenticeship work?

In the first few weeks I had a lot of training and inductions and then I started attending courses run by QA Apprenticeships in Glasgow All of the courses were in-line with a career in technology, giving a basic level of knowledge When I think about it, I had basically left school with no real training or knowledge of IT, so learning the basics was really important and helpful

Each of the QA courses were booked well in advance and I would attend for a week at a time I basically took in the learning, returned to work, applied the learning and wrote about it to complete the units

Year one was all about developing that base level of knowledge (Level 6), and by year three I’d reached Level 8 and completed an HND in IT & Telecoms and Information Security At that point the assessor told me there was an opportunity to apply for Uni, but I wasn’t ready I had just completed two years of course work and wanted a break, so I declined, which I still believe was the right decision for me at that time

Then about a year ago, I did feel ready to go for it again, so Jane, the QTS Workforce Development Coordinator, helped me to apply to Glasgow Caledonian University I’m now studying for an honours degree in Graduate Apprenticeship BSc (Hons) Cyber Security

That’s fantastic, especially as you didn’t think university was an option for you?

No, it really wasn’t an option, and I didn’t have the qualifications to attend straight from school even if I wanted to This was just another avenue and way of getting to the same place, and it’s been really helpful to me and I would absolutely recommend an apprenticeship to other people - I have nothing but good words to say about it

what about working at QTS - has that lived up to your first impression?

Absolutely It’s been brilliant working here The work environment and the people are all great. I definitely consider my colleagues as my friends and I have so much appreciation for the guys that taught me from the minute I walked through the door. Being so inexperienced, there were times when I would get a bit panicked if I did something wrong but the guys were brilliant - always supportive.

I remember COVID being a challenging time - working from home was tricky as an apprentice and a whole different dynamic, but there were Teams Calls every single morning to check in and lots of support from a mental health perspective

From a work perspective, I’ve always been interested in what I’m doing here and enjoyed it I used to go out on site with the guys to install 4G routers I remember the first time I was asked to take the van and install one myself - that was quite a memorable experience and it gave me a great confidence boost

Another high point was at one of the Renew Holdings events Renew Holdings is (insert details here) They hold regular events where the directors of all the companies come together to talk about health and safety or business in general

I wasn’t invited to the event as a guest, I was actually there providing IT support, but I got to stay in a nice hotel and join everyone for dinner It was a really great experience getting to meet the managerial staff from other companies, sitting at dinner having nice conversations with them - that was brilliant

Now that you’ve completed your apprenticeship, what’s a typical week for you?

A typical work week involves going to Uni 9-5pm every Monday, working from home on a Tuesday and working in the office Wednesday to Friday The hybrid working brought in following Covid is something I really appreciate

In terms of my role at QTS, I was actually just promoted last month to IT Security Engineer, which I’m really pleased about I was previously working on the infrastructure side of things - keeping things runningbut now, I’m focused on keeping everything secure, which is a real area of interest for me so I’m really enjoying that

Every now and then I get to travel to another office, which I enjoy It’s nice to see how other QTS offices manage their IT and I get to meet people that I’ve only ever spoken to online

outside of work, I spend time with my brothers and mates – whether that’s playing golf, at the Waterside in Strathaven having a few beers or going into Glasgow for dinner with my girlfriend Jemma, who’s a nurse at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The new bus from Strathaven to Glasgow has been an absolute lifesaver

And the future?

I hope that in four years time I’ll have completed my Hons Degree in Cyber Security and that I’m still working here at QTS, in a higher position That would be very nice

For some reason Brogan, we think you might just do that. All the best for the future and thanks for chatting to us.

If you would like to know more about QTS visit wwwqtsgroupcom or follow @qtsgroup on instagram To find out more about apprenticeships with QA Apprenticeships visit wwwqacom

"IthasbeenaprivilegetowitnessBrogan'sgrowthand developmentoverthepastfiveyears Fromdayone,his dedicationandenthusiasmhavebeenevident,andit's nosurprisetoseehimthrivinginourfield

Apprenticeshipschemesofferanexcellentalternativeto academicpathways,providingindividualswiththe opportunitytolearnandgainreal-lifeworkexperience whilstearningincome Broganisanexcellentexampleof this

AtQTS,wetrytocultivatealearningenvironmentthat givesourstudentstheabilitytoexpressthemselvesand naturallyfindwhattheydobest Thishascontributedto thesuccessoftheprogram,particularlyintheIT department,wherewehavestaffinseniorpositionsand nowinfurthereducation,allofwhomstartedlifeasan apprentice”

David Hogg ,T and communications manager, QTS Group

Think an apprenticeship isn’t for you....? Think again.

School, College and University is not for everyone, or at least not at the typically prescribed times If you haven’t considered an apprenticeship before, you’re overlooking what could be a fantastic opportunity to earn and learn, and you could still go on to get your degree as Brogan has proven

QA Apprenticeships pitch themselves as Scotland’s leading provider for digital apprenticeships, but don’t let that fool you

You might not be considering an apprenticeship in tech, because you think tech is all about IT Support, Cyber Security, Data Analysing and Software Developers You couldn’t be more wrong

Tech features in every aspects of almost every job there is, which is why QA offers apprenticeships in Business Administration, Legal Administration, Digital Marketing, Web Content, Project Management and much more

A quick look at the QA website and they have a range of apprenticeship vacancies open now including:

Software Developer Apprentice, Bellshill £19-23K IT Support Apprentice, Glasgow £20k pa Web Content Apprentice, Glasgow £11.5k p.a Business Admin Apprentice, Glasgow £14-17k pa

Legal Admin Apprentice, Glasgow £15k pa

if like Brogan, you want to pursue a career in IT support or cyber security, then this could be the path for you too. If you don’t consider yourself ‘techy’ and you don’t really know what you want to do, then you should seriously consider an Apprenticeship in Business Administration, Digital Marketing or Project Management Each of these apprenticeships will provide you with a broad range of transferrable skills that are highly sought after in every possible industry, providing a strong foundation upon which you can build and grow

Either way, it won’t do you any harm to check out QA Apprenticeships or get in touch with one of their experts You can find more info on their website at https://wwwqacom/apprenticeships/scotlandapprenticeships/

What does your App do?

These days, there is an App for anything, but is there an App for everything?

When starting a business, looking to scale up, or simply looking to help your current business be better, faster, and more efficient (and profitable – of course!); we all look to the ‘App Store’ to see what is best If we are not sure, we’ll ask our advisors, often our accountants what software is best for our business

If it is for bookkeeping, your accountant will advise what they know and love - #1 at the moment is Xero, with QuickBooks, Sage, and Free Agent also popular for small and medium sized businesses These are good bookkeeping solutions – and the accountants can push you in the direction of apps that they have heard of for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) –Mailchimp to Hubspot; e-commerce - Shopify; booking appointments – Calendly GoDaddy is good for hosting, and you can build a website AWS good for Storage Spreadsheets will do everything else, and the accountant and their mates have spreadsheet templates for most things – inventory (where new accounting innovations come from!), fixed asset register, pricelists, even works order templates

Use your operational spreadsheets internally, and if they involve financial transactions, give them to your accountant – they Excel at everything, and they are very good at solving issues you didn’t know you had in a way you will never understand

But what if there was one affordable solution that does pretty much everything a business needs? Well, that is what Calibrate does with a cool cloud-based software solution from Belgium

As a small business with many years of experience in implementing ERP systems, Calibrate didn’t have far to look for the business solution that was most approp for them – Odoo Enterprise with its 82 modules A only costs from £1750 per user per month Yes that Apps for as little as 22p per App per user per m Compare that to what you pay for Xero, HubSpot, Sh Salesforce, GoDaddy, etc etc

So, what is the general market feedback to Od Scotland?

“Way more than we need”; “Sledgehammer to cra nut”; “Ok – what is the catch”; “I’ve never heard of it” Accountant has never heard of it”; “If it’s that che must be rubbish”

Calibrate is the Scottish Partner for Odoo, and provides demonstrations to potential clients, starting with a generic overview and often followed by a presentation tailored to the specific needs of the business

Calibrate started as a home business in Strathaven, then moved to the EK Collective managed service hub, followed by establishing their own office at the Collective and in Preston for clients in the north of England

So, what is the feedback after people see Odoo?

“It’ s unbelievable”; “You completely under sell it”; “There must be a catch”; “So I cancel all of the subscriptions and just do this?”; “can it integrate with my current systems?”; “It looks great, but there are mixed reviews?”

In answer to the last question, Andy Scott, Calibrate’s Managing Director responded:

“It’s true – if you Google Odoo reviews, there are a good few that are less that complimentary about some people’s experience with Odoo There are two main reasons for this:

Firstly, there are more ways of doing things in Odoo than there are things! – Because, it is so cheap, people expect the same as you get from a single process App Take Xero for example – it is a very good looking, simple bookkeeping tool

Due to the fact that Odoo does so much more, it is a little more sophisticated to use, and, like anything, once you get used to it, and configure it to the way you work, you harmonise with it

Secondly, is the choice of implementation partner Again because Odoo can be adapted as standard to address the many different ways business operate, companies need to carefully plan and execute their Odoo implementation project

This involves defining requirements to meet the business processes; developing a project plan with priorities, timelines, roles and responsibilities and a focused project manager

Companies often decide to implement Odoo themselves, after watching videos and reading hits and tips This does take a fair amount of time, and because there are so many options and routes to take, it is best to take advice from Odoo specialists, as they can steer you in the right direction, and speed up delivery of the project results

Another option is to go to Odoo themselves for a success pack Users will be given training by a team of Odoo experts who will advise on how to navigate the solution and perform basic steps, such as orderprocessing They are a really helpful young team based at the company’s headquarters near Brussels

There may be additional help needed in local UK Accounting and a deeper understanding of specific processes, and the support is very much of a standard technical nature”

How does your company Calibrate help companies with the implementation of Odoo?

“Calibrate is an Odoo Silver Partner, which means we are recognised by Odoo as having the necessary skills to match Odoo to customer requirements

We provide fixed cost implementation, configuration, development, and ongoing support services. Our team of Consultants is certified in the latest three versions of Odoo

We have a wide range of clients – from sole practitioner business advisory Accountant, through sportwear manufacture, to an end-to-end solution for a space rocket engineering company

When we are engaging for a full project, we tightly define the tasks with an allocation of time We always encourage ‘Out of the Box’ Odoo deployment, at least to start

There are times when industry specific requirements –such as football kit personalisation, make it necessary to customise the solution at the beginning We itemise all of the configuration, customisation, training, and project management, in a Project Definition Document

We are approached for ‘Rescue Projects’ by companies who have not achieved their objectives for a variety of reasons Where possible we work on lessons learnt from the original project, and upgrade to the latest version with a clean start

Some companies, particularly where they have engaged with Odoo Direct, come to us to fine tune certain elements that they need for ‘Go-Live’ such as some of the more detailed accounting processes, how best to manage inventory, and configuration of bills of material and how best to configure variants, options, and accessories Once we have fine-tuned these client instances, they stay with us for ongoing support

Sometimes, with charities and very small companies, they simply cannot afford our services, but they see the opportunities that Odoo presents, and they subscribe through Calibrate, which helps our Silver Partner status

They spend time watching the videos and doing it all themselves When they get stuck, they pop into the office or on a Teams call, and we put them right”

If you would like to find out if Odoo could help your business:

contact Calibrate on Hello@calibrate-erp.co.uk call 0141 291 5195; visit https://www.calibrate-erp.co.uk/