44 To place editorial email inbox @ thereviewstewarton . com
Robert Watt - an Appreciation
By Rev . George Lind , former Minister , St . Columba ’ s Church , Stewarton .
Martin ' s Virtual Lejogle - End to End and Back Riding 1742 miles
martin ’ s story
My son James Moore came into this world on September 8th 2018 , it should have been a joyous occasion for us as a family but sadly we were thrown it to heartache and despair . Sands provided resources which meant we could grieve for our son during a dark time mentally and physically . Due to Covid19 Vital funds are simply not there for charities and I wish to do all I can to help . I was due to cycle end to end Lands End to John O Groats but the event has been cancelled till next year . Martin is a keen endurance cyclist and loves to push himself to the edge ! He has been inspired by another endurance cyclist who at 54 years young completed Lejogle end to end and back , over 11.5 days . Because of this is a virtual challenge has been set up , you must complete the same miles and route as Marcia Roberts did previously . The Virtual Lejogle is 1724 miles which must be completed by 24th December 2020 , Martin had 15 weeks to complete this challenge and hoped to smash it as quickly as possible . This is exactly what he did and Martin raised £ 790 for the Sands charity and cycled the 1724 miles in memory of James . Sands is the leading stillbirth and neonatal death charity in the UK . Sands exists to reduce the number of babies dying and to ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives the best possible care and support for as long as they need it . facebook . com / sandscharity Well done Martin a fantastic achievement , congratulations from everyone at The Review Magazine .
Mr . Robert Watt , a well-known and respected Stewartonian died aged 82 at the end of October following a brave battle with serious illness . His passing moved many to resort to comment on the Facebook page of “ Stewarton Voice ” where the epithets include descriptions like : “ gentleman ”, “ kind ”, “ thoughtful ”, “ a fixture ”, “ knowledgeable ”, “ helpful ”, “ big-hearted ”, “ lovely ”, “ a great loss ” and much more . I agree with all of these and would add “ hospitable ”. Robert ’ s way of offering hospitality on Stewarton ’ s annual Yuletide evening was memorable . He had the knack of morphing his beloved shop , seamlessly , into a what a Victorian parlour must have looked like at Christmas . These Christmas-themed visits to “ Past and Present ” truly took guests into former times . Robert ’ s beautiful crystal and his famous collection of Worcester China sparkled in the muted light while his fingers danced over the antique piano keyboard . It was a joy to listen to his traditional seasonal music and also to enjoy good company over a glass of sherry , courtesy of our host . Robert ’ s family and work were his chief loves . He lost his beloved young wife Fiona some 30 years ago when their only child Robert Jnr . was only 10 years old . Father Robert taught son Robert his trade well . At home in his spare time , Robert loved working in his garden , painting works of art and progressing his passion for philately . Apart from time spent in National Service abroad with the RAF , the family home in Stewarton was Robert ’ s lifetime home , having been born and brought up there . His housekeeper of many years speaks warmly of him as a kind and thoughtful employer who liked things to be “ just so ”. Robert was a contained , wise man whose words were few , well-chosen and always gracious . He will be sorely missed .
This Appreciation was requested of Mr . Lind by the Editor
New Board Appointments at Hansel
Hansel has welcomed a raft of new appointments to its Boards as the leading social care provider embarks on a future proofing strategy amidst challenges in the care sector .
The organisation , which supports people and their families living with a learning disability and autism , has two Board of Directors ; Hansel Foundation which is the parent charitable company responsible for development strategy and corporate services , and Hansel Alliance which delivers support to customers throughout Ayrshire and employing approximately 400 staff working in care and employability .
The new non-executive directors include Jim McIntyre , Royal Bank of Scotland ; David Chalmers , UPM-Kymmene ( UK ) Ltd ; Chris McMail , Microtech Support Ltd ; Dr Robert Reekie , Symbiosis Pharmaceuticals ; Carolann Lanigan , consultant and private care provider organisation ; Colin Young , Morgan Stanley and Lisa Neilson , Worksmart Contracts .
Hansel Foundation Board will now comprise of David Chalmers , Jim McIntyre , Chris McMail , Dr Robert Reekie , alongside existing members Chairman Alastair Dewar , Vice Chair Lorna Gibson , Tom McClements , Blanche Nicolson , Adam Currie , Ruth Dorman , Robert Dow , and Reverend Alec Wark .
The Hansel Alliance Board will include Chairman Tom McClements , Vice Chair Jim McIntyre , David Chalmers , Adam Currie , Alastair Dewar , Carolann Lanigan ; Blanche Nicolson , Colin Young and Lisa Neilson .
Gerry Lindsay who sits on both Boards as an Executive Director and is Managing Director of Hansel said , “ The challenges facing the care sector have been well documented over recent months and pressures are likely to continue for some time to come .
“ We have been working closely with health and social care partnerships and local authorities and will continue to do so , in support of our customers and families throughout Ayrshire . The combined skill sets of our new non-executive directors will broaden the strength of our business expertise and help us in our strategy planning . We are also incredibly grateful to our previous board members who have decided to stand down after years of continuous service and to our staff whose exceptional dedication during this challenging time has been outstanding .”
Further information is available from www . hansel . org . uk