March 2025

Time For Tea

I met Dr Lindsay Middleton, food historian and Knowledge Exchange Associate at the University of Glasgow  in the Salon du Luxe in the Mackintosh at the Willow tea rooms, which played host to this year’s Scottish Food Heritage Symposium that looks at tea and its relationship to Glasgow and Scotland. In Glasgow tea rooms were established in the late 19^th and early 20^th century as the city’s growing temperance movement took hold and offered an alternative to the pub drinking culture. This shift of focus offered women spaces to meet their friends and also transformed tea from a luxury for the rich to a pleasure accessible to ordinary people. 

Creative Hangouts

I love seeing youngsters enjoying painting. It’s such a creative thing. Creative Hangouts founder by Kayleigh McGuinness had four young artists demonstrating to me how their work is produced in the magnificent setting of The Briggait in Glasgow. Creative Hangouts ‘Our Big Show’ was on at The Briggait on the last weekend in March. Hundreds of unique artworks were on display created by her young people, including alive performance by the youngsters producing huge works of art. Kayleigh has worked with over 400 children across Glasgow and East Renfrewshire.

National Walking Day for Mary’s Meals

A trip to Pollok Park to meet TV star Jean Johansson was one of my favourite assignments this month. I have photographed Jean many times in the past .The last time was when she guested in Scots Squad TV show. This time Jean was encouraging people to put their best foot forward for Mary’s Meals ‘Move For Meals’ initiative. The Place in the Sun presenter teamed up with charity Mary’s Meals to get Scots to take on a sponsored walk and raise money to feed hungry children. Jean was saying her favourite walk was in Largs. When I was I lived in Johnstone it was a favourite of mine too.

Glasgow Taxi Cup Winners

March is always Glasgow Taxi Cup time. It is a fab event with over 700 students participating across 17+ different sporting disciplines including athletics, badminton, hockey and netball in a day of intense competition before coming to a conclusion at Scotstoun Sports Campus. University of Strathclyde were crowned winners with Anna Edvaldsson, Vice President Sport and Wellbeing with some of her team holding the trophy aloft. 

The fans were so delighted at the win. Their cheering was deafening

A Cool Dram

I started March with a cup  of tea and I will finish with a wee dram. I met Scottish Entrepreneurs Jason Haggerty and Anton Peters founders of Necropolis Spirits, the Scottish-based spirits company. They were launching their latest product, The Merchants’ Select whisky, marking a bold new chapter in the whisky industry. They have a commitment to inclusivity, education, and cutting-edge technology and aim to make whisky more approachable for everyone, regardless of experience or background. We did the photoshoot with the cool background of the Glasgow Necropolis. I am just glad we didn’t do it at night. I would have needed a couple of drams to steady my nerves.