Surveyis foodfor thought
Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau is urging local people to take part in a national survey on issues relating to food, including cost, choice, access and quality.
The Food on the Table survey will run for the next month and is available online at www.cas.org.uk/ foodonthetable.
Paper copies will also be available at the local CAB at Norman MacEwan Centre, 3 Cameronian Street, Stirling, FK8 2DX.
Stirling District CAB manager Craig Anderson said: “The people who come through our doors often talk about how hard it can be for them to put food on the table. Cost is certainly a major issue for many, but it is not the only one. We also hear from people who find it hard to access good quality food in the local shops.
“The Scottish CAB network is running this national survey, and I want to make sure that Stirling people form a big part of the total responses. The results will be used to inform government ministers and help shape future policy on food.
“We want to hear from people of all backgrounds and sections of society. It only takes a few minutes and you don’t have to give your name, but the more responses we get the stronger our voice will be.”
Those who complete the survey for Stirling CAB will be entered into a prize draw (if they choose) for the chance to win either a £50 voucher or one of five £10 vouchers for Sainsbury’s. The draw will be at the end of October.
Our double-page spread last month on Stirling-born Olympic bronze medallist Mike Ryan rekindled a few old memories from one of his old friends.
Campbell Curran, now living in Hampshire, trained with Mike during the Olympian’s school days at St Modan’s High.
He was interested in the article which told how Mike, in the black vest of New Zealand, won bronze medals in the marathon at the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, and Olympic Games in Mexico two years later.
Looking back on his stellar running career from his New Zealand home, 76-year-old Mike told the Observer he didn’t think he was anything special.
But Campbell , 77, who was born in Bruce Street and attended Stirling High, believes his old pal has got that wrong.
“Mike Ryan was one of Scotland’s leading junior athletes on road, track and cross country try and he fully deserved his later Commonwealth and Olympic success for New Zealand. He was exceptional,” added Campbell .
“I met him as a schoolboy when I went to train at St Modan’s,” he added. “I remember going on a training run with a St Modan’s group, including Mike and coming back down the Bannockburn road he put in a surge. I started to go with him but one of the other guys said `let him go’ which was good advice because he was way,way ahead of me in terms of times.
“We went on to race many times and although I have a medal showing that I was St. Modan’s junior cross country champion of 1959-60, I am sure Mike must have been ill that day because I never beat him.
“The closest I came was in a mile race at St.Modan’s when I had the audacity to overtake him going into the last lap – he went on to win by about 50 yards.”
After leaving Stirling High, Campbell carved out a career in banking and was working in Jamaica when he next met Mike.
Campbell said: “My mother sent me a copy of an Observer report which said Mike had been selected to represent New Zealand in the Commonwealth Games marathon in Kingston.
“I located him at the games village on the Sunday before the big race and he decided it would be a good idea that I should join him and a few of his mates on a gentle training run.
“At that time, New Zealand had a extraordinarily talented running team and I ended up jogging with some of the best runners in the world.
“Unfortunately, I had spent most of the day at the beach knocking back Red Stripe beer and the run ended for me prematurely ... on my knees getting rid of the afternoon’s `intake’. It was somewhat embarrassing.”
Because of the heat, the Commonwealth Games marathon was run at 6am and Campbell went to the stadium on his way to work to watch the end of the race.
“There were only a few hundred people there and when Mike appeared in bronze medal position, I remember jumping on to the track and running part of the last lap with him screaming appropriate words of encouragement,
“After the closing ceremony, my wife and I and a couple of friends along with what seemed like half the New Zealand team, ended up at a night club owned by a friend of mine. I think it all went well although I know that when we said our goodbyes all the medals had to be returned to their rightful owners.
“The next and last time I saw Mike was in a cinema in London which was showing a film of the Jamaica games and he was featured again with a bronze medal. I told the complete stranger sitting next to me `that guy is a friend of mine’ but he wasn’t really interested.”
* Campbell also had an anecdote about Leeds United and Scotland football legend Billy Bremner who attended St Modan’s at the same time as Mike.
“Years ago, I was introduced to him by the Chairman of Bournemouth FC when they played Leeds in the Cup and Billy was manager,” recalled Campbell. “He took one look at me and said `Ah’m no as auld as that auld (expletive deleted)’ – and resumed drinking with his friend.”