From headteacher to craft gin award-winner
CHART-TOPPER Callum Beattie and his manager Dave Rogers have been appointed as the newest ambassadors of Highland mental health charity Mikeysline.
Having both lost loved ones to suicide, they are championing Mikeysline’s Bee the Change campaign aimed at challenging the current dialogue and stigmas surrounding mental health and suicide. In honour of this new role, Beattie will release a special charity single for Mikeysline this summer.
He said: “We both share such a strong connection with the Highlands and becoming Mikeysline ambassadors allows us to deepen those roots. A lot of the lyrics I write are about mental health and I find the process of songwriting very therapeutic – essentially it’s about taking your thoughts and feelings, putting it on paper and transforming them with a melody.
“I work in an industry where mental health is discussed but action is rarely taken. That’s why I’m passionate about getting to the root cause of why people struggle in silence and doing my part to help make a change. Our mental health is all we have – the ability to have clear and positive thoughts is the foundation of everything we do.”
Rogers said: “When I first met
AFORMER headteacher has become the creator of an award-winning Scottish craft gin. Collymoon Craft Gin’s Gealach Ur Scottish dry gin won the bronze medal award for Scotland in the London Dry Gin category at the World Gin Awards in January.
The drink is the brainchild of former headteacher Nicola Finney, who had a long-held dream of launching her own spirits brand.
In 2021, she left her career in education and returned to Scotland after 30 years living in England in a bid to turn her vision into a reality.
“I’ve always liked gin and always had a hankering for setting up my own business, but was a bit apprehensive about jumping in at the deep end,” said Finney, whose business is based in Port of Menteith. “I still
Callum I asked him, ‘What do you want to be known for?’. He replied, ‘I want to be known for someone who did some good’. So here we are.
“So much of what Callum and I do is to help others – that’s where the real rewards come from.
“Music can inspire, it can change lives, and it can heal – we hope this is something we can bring to those in need of all three.”
Since 2015, Mikeysline has offered confidential, non-judgemental support to people of all ages dealing with mental health issues, emotional distress or thoughts of suicide in the Highlands, Islands and Moray. can’t believe that my first product is award-winning.”
Finney’s son Cameron motivated her to take her first official step by registering the business on Companies House without her knowledge.
She then spent the next 18 months learning about foraging and botani
It does this via a text line service at 07786 207755; WhatsApp at 01463 729000, messenger and via its website and live chat.
The charity also produces a podcast, Speaking of Suicide; provides support for businesses; works closely with teachers and pupils in schools; and offers faceto-face support in Hives across the region – at its Inverness headquarters, and in Alness, Nairn, Tain, Balintore and Portmahomack.
For more information, visit www.mikeysline.co.uk – or find Mikeysline on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. cals, flavour profiles and the distillation process so she could get off to the best start. Finney also involved the rest of her children in the business, with her eldest son Ben designing the logo and her youngest Kieran, a mixologist, creating the perfect recipe.
Finney credited Business Gateway with helping her succeed, having turned to them to be put in touch with a digital expert who carried out an audit of her website.
“Business Gateway has been a massive support throughout the process of setting up my business,” she said. “Having my adviser at the end of the phone has given me a real confidence boost, knowing that I’m not alone in this process.”
Linda Letford, Business Gateway Stirling’s food, drink and tourism adviser, said: “Collymoon Craft Gin has seen great success since launching, which is testament to Nicola’s hard work and passion for her product.”