Issue 057

Each individual is an intricate amalgamation of experiences, culture, knowledge, and style. These facets of life’s profound journey leave their mark on every aspect of our existence. In this magnificent tapestry of diversity, there’s every reason for the way we express ourselves and possessions to mirror the depths of our hearts. Bespoke jewellery serves as an emblem of reflection, transcending to an allure that only personal expression can attain.

Further to the article about Ayr Rugby Football Club in issue 55 of AM, we can now report that the new road into Millbrae, the club’s home for over six decades, has been completed. It won’t, however, be until the new 3G all-weather pitch at the eastern end of Millbrae has been installed, most likely around Christmas, that the road opens to rugby traffic.

Ayrshire is something of a haven for boaters, with commercial and recreational boats being berthed at a number of locations along its coastline. Indeed, no-one who lives near the Ayrshire coast is ever more than a short journey away from a marina, harbour, or slipway.

Pink is possibly one of the most diverse colours in a director’s palette. Conventional yet subversive, alluring yet nauseating, authentic yet fabricated.

The Book Nook Stewarton is an independent bookshop in Stewarton, which opened in December 2020. Stewarton residents are rightly proud of having an independent bookshop in the town, and even more so since The Book Nook won the Scottish title of Independent Bookshop of the Year in the prestigious British Book Awards 2024.

Few things are more devastating to a family than the loss of a child and few things are more inspiring than a family who turns that grief into something positive. For Liz Fulton, owner of Me’s Café in Coylton, the loss of her baby nephew, Micah Eddie McEwan, was the start of a business venture which aimed to keep his spirit alive and raise awareness and funding for the condition which had taken his life so early.

The East Ayrshire town of Darvel takes immense pride in being the birthplace of Sir Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), the renowned physician and scientist, who discovered penicillin in 1928. This groundbreaking antibiotic revolutionised medicine by effectively treating bacterial infections, saving countless millions of lives worldwide.

With one in two people likely to develop cancer at some point in their lives, it’s probable we all know at least one person who has been diagnosed.

Whether you realise it or not, your expectations play a big role in how you live your life. Every decision you make is influenced by what you think will happen, and these expectations can impact your career, well-being, and overall path in life. By understanding and managing your expectations, you can unlock a more fulfilling and successful life.

Insomnia is bad enough at any age but during the menopausal years lack of sleep compounds all the other symptoms which can come out of the woodwork at this time; anxiety, depression, fatigue, musculoskeletal pains, mood swings, brain fog and weight gain to name but a few. It’s not mother nature’s finest moment.

If, like me, you’ve been watching the growing interest in cold water therapy from afar you’re probably wondering what makes those brave souls walk willingly, some might say joyfully, into the wild waters of Scotland. It’s a question actress and Soulful Sunday teacher, Julie Nimmo, is passionate about answering having experienced first-hand the health benefits for herself and countless others.

Imagine… you’re 46 years old and you find a lump in your breast. Now imagine you’re a 46-year-old man and you find a lump in your breast. That’s exactly what happened to William Steele back in 2001.

If you stay in Ayrshire, you will undoubtedly have heard of Ayrshire Cancer Support. It is, after all, the county’s leading cancer charity, first established in 1982.

Some people have a particular quality that can radiate positive energy and embody an inherent goodness. We may be blessed to have a certain predisposition to positivity, or sometimes not… but not all is lost. Positivity can also be learned. Like a muscle, the more positivity is activated and nurtured, the stronger it becomes. Smiling is a sign of positivity. The more we smile, the more connected we can be. We are connected with ourselves and the people around us.

While enjoying a glass or two of wine of an evening, have you ever looked at the bottle and wondered what the words on the label actually mean? Unless you are a bona fide wine expert, the dizzying array of technical terms such as “late harvest”, “sur lie”, “brut” and “reserva” can be baffling. But if you can decode the label, you will have a better understanding of what is in your glass.

Food brings us comfort in many ways, from nourishing and fuelling our bodies to sparking joy in our hearts and minds. What we think of as comfort foods are also unique to each of us, often they provide a nostalgic reminder of our childhood or are an especially indulgent treat.

It’s hard to imagine a vegetable that’s had more comebacks on the culinary front than the humble beetroot. The Egyptians cultivated it for its leaves which were used to treat wounds; the Romans favoured it for fevers, blood disorders and stomach complaints; Napoleon raved about it as an alternative source of sugar when sugar cane was scarce; the Victorians used it as an early hair dye and lip blush; and in WWII it was a staple on the home-front as a vegetable, a sugar replacement, a clothes dye and more.

Ayrshire is blessed with some of the world’s most famous and testing golf courses. This means that golf’s most prestigious major comes to Ayrshire about once every ten years. Troon was the host for the 2024 British Open and saw the world’s best golfers and 250,000 people descend on Ayrshire. One British hopeful was Tommy Fleetwood who was staying in Troon with his family for the week. Tommy is a modern athlete who likes to eat well even when he travels and employs a chef to cook for him and his family. He had the privilege of attaining one of Ayrshire’s top chefs, Ryan Beattie, for the week, and for golf lover Ryan it was an experience he enjoyed and led to an amazing opportunity straight after it.

There had been gentle, good-humoured conversation around the breakfast table, but suddenly there was a stunned silence. I am very fond of my son’s mother-in-law, but this was a revelation. She was a cold-blooded killer and, moreover, was proud of it. I felt obliged to administer the usual caution.

At our Vets4Pets practices in Ayr, Irvine and Kilmarnock, we are incredibly fortunate to have a dedicated and compassionate team of veterinary professionals. Recently, one of our veterinary nurses, Grace, went above and beyond when we had three abandoned kittens, who were only days old, brought in to the Ayr practice. Recognising their fragile state and to help Cats Protection who are overwhelmed at the minute with cats needing care, Grace took it upon herself to take the tiny kittens home, where she cared for them tirelessly.

Backpack strapped to my back and camera slung over my shoulder, I tramp uphill along The Five Mile, one of the Irvine Valley Trails, which winds through the countryside behind Darvel. With fantastic rural views, it’s an invigorating walk on a September morning. But beware, one thing you need to know before tackling The Five Mile is that it feels more like ten miles, thanks to those muscle-challenging hills.

As an Ayrshire-based agency, we understand that the ever-evolving world of Google updates can be confusing. Google’s latest core update started rolling out on August 15th, you may be wondering what it means for your website. Let’s break it down and guide you on how to stay ahead in SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

The Olympics sneaks up on me every four years. I pay little attention to the world of track and field for three years and 11 months but for that one month it is all encompassing. My fascination with pole vault, archery and pistol shooting knows no bounds in that time and once it’s over, the void from not waking up to an exhilarating canoe race seems unbearable. Scotland was represented strongly once again and had very strong medal hopes this year. Prior to London 2012, it had been 100 years since Scotland had contributed more than nine medals to team GB.

In the wake of the pandemic a renewed focus on health and wellbeing has seen many of us dust off our running shoes (or indeed purchase our first pair) in an effort to stay fit and well.

The United Rugby Championship is the competition that our two elite rugby teams, Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby, play in. It’s an 18-team tournament consisting of teams from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, South Africa and Italy. The competition has consistently been dominated by teams from Ireland, but last season it was won by our very own Glasgow Warriors.

The finalists for the Ayrshire Business Awards have been announced and judging
is well under way.

If you’re familiar with Ayrshire’s live music scene, you’ll have probably come across Cassy Lockhart. The Ayr-based singer-songwriter has performed in numerous venues across the county, notably in Prestwick and Ayr. She also has three studio albums to her name with a fourth in the pipeline.

Largs Gaelic Choir was formed by Wilma Scoular in 1980 with a core of members from her former church choir from Uplawmoor in East Renfrewshire which had successfully competed as a rural choir in the Mòd. Wilma was very dedicated in her role as conductor for 27 years and was passionate about Gaelic music.

Dundonald House has been owned and managed by the same family for three generations. Anne Kerr and Ruth Murdoch have owned and managed Dundonald House for over 30 years and Adam Hughes, Anne’s son, joined the team in 2020. Both Anne and Adam are registered nurses and Ruth’s background in business management and administration is supported by Stephen Maxwell, our administrator.

Nestled in the heart of Ayr, Scotland, The Poet’s Corner is a gem of a café, perfectly situated directly across from the historic Burns Cottage.

When it comes to interior design, why be restricted to what you have seen in show homes and catalogues? At Jackton Moor, luxury, style and elegance come together to create premium kitchens, bedrooms and custom furniture in all aspects of the home.

Ayrshire’s independent jewellery and watch specialists with a reputation for providing excellent service and a friendly welcome.

Mobility retailer, Thistle Help Limited, has secured a contract to supply and deliver community healthcare equipment for North, South and East Ayrshire, and NHS Ayrshire & Arran for the next two years.

Fossilfield Training Centre in Auchinleck, East Ayrshire is a not-for-profit social enterprise that supports young people to realise their potential through a unique equine-based learning programme.

Urquhart Opticians has been bringing the best of eyecare to the people of Ayrshire and beyond for over 100 years. Initially founded in Dreghorn by Robert Urquhart back in 1916

Ayr Body Sculpt offers the most advanced non-invasive solutions for body shaping and other medical aesthetic treatments. Suitable for most people, their procedures help you to look and feel fabulous inside and out without the use of needles, scalpels or anaesthesia.

Family-run business, Aristos Fitness, has been constantly evolving since it first opened its doors to the Stewarton community in 2015.

BC Motorhomes, situated in Ayrshire, is celebrating the new-found interest in campervanning and wild camping which has been gaining momentum across the country since the pandemic. In seeking healthier lifestyles and a better work/life balance, more and more of us are heading out on the road favouring time in nature and freedom of movement over other pursuits.

It’s a year since James Griffiths purchased Shoot Soccer in Ayr; a year in which it has been transformed from a much-loved old friend fallen on hard times into the smart, purposeful, and successful sports centre that the town has long needed.

Established in 2020, Monarch Financial Services has fast become Ayrshire’s largest Independent Mortgage Brokerage and one of the top firms in Scotland. With international clients on the books and multiple UK awards under its belt (including Best UK Firm 2023, Best New Advisor 2022 and Best Administrator 2023 – testament to the whole team approach to excellence), this family-run business has established itself as sector-leading in an impressively short space of time.