The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Doffing my cap to local heroes
Iwas listening to Get It On with Bryan Burnett on Radio Scotland a few weeks ago and the theme to Local Hero came on. Nearly four decades from its release the wistful yet stirring instrumental tune still has the power to make you stop what you’re doing.
The movie was green lit after producer David Puttnam’s previous film Chariots of Fire – partly shot, of course, in St Andrews – started to win awards.
Anyway, that song, and being asked to write the column, got me thinking: who are my local heroes?
An easy answer would be Andy Murray. I was glued to his Wimbledon games on Monday and Wednesday. Watching him battle past Australian James Duckworth then fall in four sets to the 6ft 10in American John Ishner was gripping television.
The 35-year-old’s worndown body wouldn’t do the things it used to be able to.
Watching him try to counter that mild but crucial decline with technique, experience, reflexes that are still catsharp and – above all – graft was a privilege.
The thing is, it’s easy for me to blow smoke on Andy Murray. He’s someone who happens to come from our area who has become a superstar. He’s wonderful. But I’ve never met him or spoken to him. The same goes for many other local people who have made it good.
Ewan McGregor. A great actor. I love him in Star Wars and Trainspotting. I’ve watched all of his motorcycle documentaries with Charlie Boorman. But I’ve never met him or spoken to him.
Alan Cumming. Brilliant. I’ve interviewed him once over the telephone. The same goes for Ian McDiarmid who, as the Emperor in Star Wars, is one of film’s greatest villains. I’ve had a telephone chat with him a couple of times during my 20-years writing for this newspaper.
What about Dundeeborn actor Brian Cox? The original Hannibal who went on to play Logan Roy in Succession, one of the best TV shows in recent memory. I’ve interviewed him face-to-face a few times over the years but I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t remember me if we bumped into each other in the street.
The same goes for curler Eve Muirhead, politician Gordon Brown, musician Ricky Ross and former athlete Liz McColgan. I know them but they don’t know me.
Who are my real local heroes? Who are the ones I have a personal connection with? People who would cross the street to say hello.
Another Radio Scotland segment gave me an answer. John Beattie interviewed Gina Logan on his Drivetime show.
The Cupar-based coach has spent more than 55 years teaching people to swim. She managed the Scottish Swimming Team at the Commonwealth Games.
She taught generations of children to swim and worked for Fife Council and then Fife Sports and Leisure Trust for more than half a century.
Earlier this year the trust announced reduced opening hours at its swimming pools in Cupar and St Andrews. Gina helped organise a protest against the cuts… and was immediately sacked. Fiftyfive years of service, Commonwealth Games success and an MBE for services to sport amounted to a two-minute phone call telling Gina her services were no longer required.
I’ve known Gina for more than 25 years, since I was a young volleyball player at the Fife Institute in Glenrothes where she was – of course – a swimming instructor. I’ve chatted with her countless times. I’ve been in her house. I’ve met her children. I’ve learned that she’s a wonderful, passionate, energised human being who improves the world around her.
So it was with sadness and despair that I learned Fife Sports and Leisure Trust had dispensed with her services.
No one from the trust would defend their decision to John Beattie. Similarly, back in February when The Courier broke the news Gina had been sacked, the trust wouldn’t say a word.
It may well be that they didn’t have enough money to keep their swimming pools open full-time – as Fife Council was always able to when it managed the county’s leisure centres.
But to sack a devoted, talented, hard-working swimming instructor for protesting against those cuts is inexcusable and indefensible.
More than 1,100 people have signed a petition calling for Gina to get her job back. I’m one of them. If Fife Sports and Leisure Trust cares about sport at all it should swallow its pride and reinstate her. She’s a treasure.
Do I have another local hero? You betcha. Mark Cashley is a man I’ve known for nearly 15 years.
Originally from Dundee, when I first met him he lived in Forfar and had recently bought the Newport Hotel, which he spent a lot of time and money renovating.
We’ve lots of friends in common and have raised a glass or three of whisky together numerous times over the years. My heart broke for him when he lost his wife Marie to cancer five years ago. We kept in touch when he sold up and moved to France with his new wife, Pascal.
Earlier this year he dropped me a line to say he’d gone to fight in Ukraine. He’s publicity shy but said he’d drop me a line when he could. A couple of months later he phoned me out of the blue. I grabbed my notepad and we talked for an hour and a half.
He outlined what he’d done to help with the war effort, working with a female-led bomb disposal unit and a psychological operations outfit, and spoke humbly and eloquently about the horrors of war. He’s heard bombs land. He’s seen bodies.
He came home for his 60th birthday then returned to Ukraine a couple of weeks later. He’s helping, as best he can, to stand with an independent country against an unjust, brutal and insane invasion.
Gina Logan and Mark Cashley. I’m fortunate to know them both. We’re all fortunate to have them. They’re my local heroes.