Dancing for Scotland
Business success Liv launches book she hopes will inspire
A group of Lanarkshire dancers have successfully qualified to represent Team Scotland at this year’s Dance World Cup.
The talented movers from the Carol McLaren Dance Academy are delighted to be attending one of the most prestigious competitions in the dance calendar.
So much so that only the most elite dancers from around the world are chosen to attend.
And the pupils are the first in the region to have qualified for the event that will see dancers from 62 countries compete at the nine-day competition held in Burgos, Spain, in July.
Dance teacher Carol McLaren said: “We have qualified for an amazing total of 23 dances, some of which include mini and junior jazz and lyrical team dances, lyrical soloists, acro soloists, ballet soloists and many more.
“Two dancers also received awards for highest scoring qualifying lyrical solo in Scotland and highest scoring qualifying acro solo in Scotland during the qualifiers – including outstanding awards and achievements for the Dance School and Team Scotland as a whole.
“During these unprecedented times this is giving young local dancers something to work towards and the chance of a lifetime to represent their country on a huge worldwide platform.”
Now the dancers are working to fundraise toward the cost of their upcoming trip but they are appealing to the Lanarkshire public for help.
Carol added: “In past years for any events under normal circumstances and pre-Covid, we were actively able to fundraise ourselves, such as bagpacking, show events and fundraising nights, however like most things
Covid has put a stop to that.
“So for now we are trying to fundraise as much as we can through online events and have recently set up a Facebook page named CMDA Fundraising Fun, where we will hold monthly cash raffles, top prizes and much more.
“We have also set up a Just Giving page, CMDA Dance World Cup Dream, if people would like to help and donate.
“We kindly ask for as much support as possible from all of our family and friends and the local community to help achieve these young dancers dreams.
“This will be an amazing lifetime experience and achievement for them to represent Team Scotland at a massive global event.”
Anyone wishing to help the girls achieve their dream can donate at www.justgiving. com/crowdfunding/ cmdadanceworldcupdream
New council homes have been built in Cambuslang – and one of the first residents is a woman who has lived there for 50 years.
Gail McCowan, 91, has moved into the new housing, which transformed East Whitlawburn, and brought 311 homes to the area as a result of a strategic housing partnership between South Lanarkshire Council, West Whitlawburn Housing Cooperative, CCG (Scotland) Ltd and hub South West.
A total of 230 socially rented homes will be created alongside 81 homes that will be sold by CCG Homes the private housing arm of the CCG Group.
Gail first moved to Arkle Terrace in the early 1970s.
And moving in to her new, modern amenity flat in Rona Terrace means she can remain in the community, close to her family and friends.
The first properties completed were the 24 accessible amenity flats suitable for elderly residents such as Gail, and the next 24 mainstream flats will be ready for occupation at the end of this month.
Phase One of the project is due to be completed by August, with 140 properties available for rent.
Gail said: “Having lived in the area for so long, I was delighted to be able to remain in the place I am happy to call home.
“The whole move was a bit overwhelming at first, but I am absolutely delighted with the new house.
“The kitchen is a fantastic size with all mod-cons and much better than my previous house.
“I can’t wait until there is hopefully an easing of the current restrictions and I am able to get out and about and meet my neighbours.
“It will be great if we can do that by the summer – and the lift in the flats will mean I can get up and down easily enough.
“The people are all very friendly and go out of their way to help and look out for one another – that’s what I love about staying here.”
The regeneration of the Whitlawburn area is a £42 million project and forms part of a programme that will see 1000 additional homes delivered by 2022.
Chairman of South Lanarkshire Council’s housing and technical resources committee, Councillor Josh Wilson, said: “It was an absolute pleasure to meet Gail and to hear her stories about Whitlawburn and how the area has changed so much over the years. I am delighted that we have been able to provide her with a new home which enables her to continue to live independently in the area.
“As a council we are determined to continue to deliver homes that meet the highest building standards, with quality insulation and energyefficient boilers and glazing.
“But more importantly, we recognise that it is the people that make any area a community – and Gail is one of the many folk that are the absolute heartbeat of Whitlawburn.”
As a direct result of CCG’s involvement in the delivery of the project, a number of significant benefits to the wider Cambuslang community will also be created with the provision of jobs, training opportunities and localised investment.
CCG director and managing director of CCG Homes, Calum Murray, added: “The regeneration of East Whitlawburn is a new vision for housebuilding in Cambuslang and South Lanarkshire.
“The partnership philosophy for the project has not only enabled the delivery of high-quality, energy efficient homes but also a lasting legacy for the surrounding community.
“I am proud to state that CCG (Scotland) has, so far, created seven new jobs; five trade apprenticeships; four work placements and provided curriculum support for local schools as well as committing a £50,000 donation towards community-based projects.”
A young South Lanarkshire woman, who was bullied throughout her school years and left at 16, is now the successful owner of her own business with a turnover of £1m.
Now Liv Conlon is keen to share her amazing journey and the secrets to her success.
The 22-year-old’s debut book, Too Big for Your Boots, went on sale last Friday and urges the next generation to tap into their entrepreneurial spirit and blaze their own trail.
As much as it focuses on how to get into business, Liv opens up on the challenges and struggles she faced throughout her school life because of being bullied.
Liv explained: “My mission through the book is to connect with one million young people throughout the UK and help them gain back their confidence that they too may have lost because of being bullied.”
The young businesswoman says she was bullied because she was an individual, but reckons the two go hand in hand.
She added: “Being in business allowed me to be an individual and express who I am. If I went on to work for some big firm it would have been a traditional learning environment, but this way I am able to be who I want to be.”
Despite not having an easy school career Liv can now reflect on that part of her life.
She writes: “It’s easy to look back on the years of being bullied as a blessing now – they shaped me into who I am today and drove me to the success I now enjoy.
“At the time it was extremely difficult. It was a period of my life when I felt hopeless.
“I think there is often a misconception that only quiet and frail people are bullied. There were people I knew who were like that, but I was the opposite. I was outgoing, good at sports and got A grades in all of my subjects. I shone too brightly and certain people took umbrage with that.
“The insight I’m about to give you about my experience at school is a theme that has run throughout my entire life.
“As time passed, I tried to ignore those around me and what was going on in my school life by launching myself into my business.
“As my grades got better, their voices got louder. The tactics to strip me of any confidence got more brutal, painful and insidious.
“I masked what was really going on. No one would have guessed someone like me was being bullied.
“When I left class and no longer had the safety blanket of a teacher present, the bullies would humiliate me on social media or on their group chat.
“It felt like I was in a glass room with no holes for air. You could see me from the outside, I appeared fine, but as I started to lose oxygen I felt I had nowhere to go and developed an inability to breathe.
“With my oxygen tank running on low for so long, I broke. I couldn’t take it any longer. I decided enough, I went home. I internalised the situation for 48 hours and then told my parents what had been happening.
“They were shocked and upset but hugely supportive. Until then I had presented the perfect exterior – I was top of my class, I had won awards at school and I had a couple of close friends.
“From the outside looking in, I was flying. Internally I was drowning and I didn’t know if I could continue.
“With my parents’ support and blessing, I moved to a different school. It was the fresh start I needed, and I distanced myself physically and online from the bullies.”
Too Big For Your Boots provides a detailed insight into Liv’s business journey, as she leverages her experience to issue the ultimate ‘how to’ guide for young entrepreneurs looking to start a business of their own with no start-up funds and no experience.
Liv is the founder and chief executive of ThePropertyStagers, which came to life when her mother Ali struggled to sell an investment property after three months on the market.
That’s when Liz had an epiphany, and the then 17-yearold decided to seek a property staging service. However, she could not find any that offered her a required service at an affordable price.
So, she decided to create the service that she could not find.
After doing so, the property sold above the valuation within three days.
ThePropertyStagers was born soon after.
Liv’s business began as a direct result of being unable to sell a property, much like the clientele she now works with.
Having experienced the same issues her clients face, Liv’s passion for her work stems from her understanding of the needs of those she serves.
Liv left school with five Highers but had no intention of
going to university, and was keen to get ahead in business as soon as she could.
She writes: “Starting out in business at 16, I have made a lot of sacrifices to follow my dreams and live my passion.
“People say that I missed out on a lot of the fun of being a regular teenager, which is absolutely true, but I have never regretted following my true purpose. It’s important for those of you starting out on your entrepreneurial journey to truly know the sacrifices required. Are you in?”
Liv says the highlight of her career so far is having Marc Randolph, the co-founder of Netflix, write the foreword for her book.
Marc said: “Liv’s book is that step-by-step guide that I wish I had when I was starting out.”
She explained: “That is the biggest compliment, to have Marc say that about the book it’s just amazing. I knew I didn’t want to go to university and just wanted to get out there, and as Marc says in the foreword, business can’t be learned in the classroom.”
Liv has also interviewed some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs on her podcast and was invited to dinner with the Prime Minister, all before the age of 21.
She said: “I was invited to share Burns Night at Number 10, it was an awesome experience. There was myself and other successful Scottish people, CEOs of companies, footballers, and I was delighted to be invited. It was quite the experience.”
Liv’s book is now available to purchase on Amazon and all good book stores.