Bell baxter lives section I former Pupils Contents

Michelle Hill

I had a great time at Bell Baxter during the 6 years I was there; my most memorable events were winning The Bonnygate Bequest Prize for computer studies in S3. Also, going on the various school trips including Meagle in S1 (where the rooms had curtains instead of doors and I was dared to go on The Flying Fox so I did and enjoyed it!). The Battlefields Tour in S4 and the fantastic time I had at Efeling going on the rides, going to Samye Ling in S5. Not forgetting the trips to Loch Leven (complete with ice cream afterwards), Edinburgh and St Andrews castle with my CSYS history class (when Mr Hunter and his polo mints locked us in the dungeon as a joke - not very funny!). All the teachers who I had were on the whole nice and couldn’t have been more helpful (even the maths & CDT ones!). The only bad times I can recall were being made to play football in the snow once in second year and the fire alarm going off all the time when the new science wing was first built.

Whilst at Uni I made some great friends and had a fantastic time and again was plagued by constant fire alarms and drills. I had to overcome a lot of resistance to me doing a BSc (Honours) in Marine Biology in the first place. No disabled person had enrolled on that course before and they said that I wouldn’t manage it but here I am now with letters after my name. The graduation ceremony and ball on the Friday 4^th July 2003 despite being a massive anti-climax and incredibly boring - I did get to meet Diana Rigg.

I passed my driving test in September 2004 after 3 years (approx. 300 hours) of lessons, 4 attempts and two driving instructors and have moved into my own council house still in Strathmiglo in May 2005. I have also been attempting to break a world record on the most job rejections which one person has received. I have applied for 2 courses (a MSc and teacher training), almost 300 jobs and around 40 interviews with very little success. I have however, worked at Cupar Garden Centre pet shop for a couple of months in 2004. In 2005 I did two work placements, the first being under The New Deal scheme at Williams McRae where I make the tea and did filing and photocopying for the 6 weeks I was there. The second was arranged through VONEF where I worked with The Sediment Ecology Research team at St Andrews Uni where I weighed samples, labelled test tubes, analysed macro fauna under the microscope, imputed datainto spreadsheets among other things for 9 months.

In April 2007, I embarked on a Personal Development Award: Introduction to Teaching Adult Literacies and Learning Course at Glenrothes Opportunity Centre. Since completing it the following November I became a Volunteer Adult Basic Education Tutor Assistant helping adults with their reading, writing, maths and IT skills. I initially worked with a class at Cupar Opportunity Centre once a week before moving to a class in the library for a couple of months. Finally, I then moved onto a class in St Andrews from November 2009 until June 2010 when council cut-backs meant I was no longer needed.

I was also presented with a lifetime achievement trophy in 2007 from Disability Sport Fife (I have been a member for 20 years and now go to swim training at Cupar Sports Centre). Finally, since leaving school I have also enjoyed several live shows including my favourite musical, Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story live twice more. I have seen the current line-ups of The Drifters, The Searchers, Vanity Fayre, The Troggs, Dave Berry, Peter Starstedt, Brian Poole, The Swinging Blue Jeans, Gerry Marsden with his current Pacemakers (and got his autograph), went to T In The Park a few years ago and to see The Who.

I now keep busy looking after and tidying my house and garden, doing cross-stitch, building jigsaws, reading magazines and watching TV.

Angus Hogg

Stefan Hoggan

Stefan, a member of Carnegie Swimming dub, is enjoying his best ever season and at the championships he set a Scottish record for 50 metres freestyle.

He competes in the fiercely competitive S9 class and still has some way to go before he is challenging the top international swimmers.

However, Stefan can be pleased with his progress in 2011 and can look forward with confidence to the next major event for the leading Scottish swimmers, the DSE Senior National Championships in Sheffield in November.

Stefan was Kingdom FM's Sports Personality of 2011.

Christine Homewood

Christine was installed in January 2010 as the new Rector of St Margaret's Episcopal Church in Tayport. The service was conducted by the Most Reverend David Chillingworth, Bishop of St. Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Christine trained as a Librarian in Aberdeen and Aberystwyth and has been the Librarian at Elmwood College for the last 20 years. She will remain in this post as well as undertaking her duties as Rector. Her theological training took place at the Theological Institute of the Episcopal Church in Edinburgh, and she completed her curacy at All Saints Church in St. Andrews.

Alexander M Honeyman

Annie M Honeyman

Margaret Stevenson Honeyman

Nan Honeyman

Alexander K Hood

Andrew Hood

18-year old Andrew didn’t manage to win any medalas at this event, but is convinced his first taste of the five-ringed competition will catapult him to future success.

"I have never competed in two events so close to each other before and so that was a good experience but I struggled a little bit. But I will definitely take a lot out of the experience and something I have definitely learned is that I have got a lot of hard work ahead of me."

Andrew was delighted to come home to a cheque for £400 presented to him by East Fife Sports Council.

From The Courier 28 October 2010:

Triathlete Andy Hood holds on to Commonwealth Games 2014 dream

Young Cupar athlete Andy Hood's Commonwealth 2014 dream is closer to coming true.

The 18-year-old former Bell Baxter High School pupil has been selected for a national development squad. He hopes it will allow him to reach the standard necessary to represent Scotland in the triathlon in four years.

Andy was the only Scottish athlete to take part in the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August, finishing 15th.

His selection as one of 19 athletes for triathlonscotland's performance programme is a boost for his Commonwealth bid.

He said, ‘Singapore was great as I got to meet people from lots of other sports, not just triathlon, and living in the athletes' village was good too, mixing with athletes from all over the world.

‘The experience has helped me to appreciate what a major games is like and now the next big goal is Glasgow in four years' time. Being a home games, just half an hour from my training base, makes it that bit more special.’

The development squad which Andy is part of is one of three sections of next year's performance programme, sandwiched between foundation and podium.

Andy is studying applied maths at Stirling University, the campus of which is home to triathlonscotland's national performance centre.

He said, ‘This is definitely a big step forward for me this year, not just with my studies, but with much more focused training at the performance centre. The main benefit of the performance programme is the coaching support and also the access to the additional support from the sportscotland institute of sport.

‘There is a core group of us all living together, encouraging and helping one another. It may be an individual sport, but we work as a team as everyone has the same aims — to perform for Scotland.’

Triathlonscotland national performance development coach Chris Volley said Andy's place in the squad was awarded during the most competitive year so far.

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  By Cheryl Peebles
  
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  Published in the Courier : 28.10.10
  
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  Published online : 28.10.10 @ 05.24pm
  

Andy was the only Scottish athlete to take part in the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August, finishing 15th.

His selection as one of 19 athletes for triathlonscotland's performance programme is a boost for his Commonwealth bid.

He said, "Singapore was great as I got to meet people from lots of other sports, not just triathlon, and living in the athletes' village was good too, mixing with athletes from all over the world.

"The experience has helped me to appreciate what a major games is like and now the next big goal is Glasgow in four years' time. Being a home games, just half an hour from my training base, makes it that bit more special."

The development squad which Andy is part of is one of three sections of next year's performance programme, sandwiched between foundation and podium.

Andy is studying applied maths at Stirling University, the campus of which is home to triathlonscotland's national performance centre.

He said, "This is definitely a big step forward for me this year, not just with my studies, but with much more focused training at the performance centre. The main benefit of the performance programme is the coaching support and also the access to the additional support from the sportscotland institute of sport.

"There is a core group of us all living together, encouraging and helping one another. It may be an individual sport, but we work as a team as everyone has the same aims — to perform for Scotland."

Triathlonscotland national performance development coach Chris Volley said Andy's place in the squad was awarded during the most competitive year so far.

He said, "We now have a good mix of athletes ranging from proven performers at senior level through to athletes new to the sport who have shown the potential to develop quickly with a positive attitude to the challenges they will face."

Angus J Hood

Angus Hood, the respected founder of the Ruthven Parish Festival and local agricultural consultant, died on 27^th March 2009 at the age of 77 after several years of ill health.

Born in Arbroath, his family moved from Angus to Fife in 1939. While still at School he was Scottish Champion Rifle shot. He went to Edinburgh University to study agriculture, graduating BSc in 1952. His fine tenor voice led him to become a founder of the Edinburgh University Operatic Society. He did his national service from 195254 with the 5th Royal Tank Regiment, serving in Korea as a commissioned officer. He married Evelyn in 1956.

Mr Hood took over the running of the family fruit farm at Gilliesfaulds following the death of his father before joining Scottish Agricultural Industries as a technical adviser in 1964. He then joined Hayes McCubbin MacFarlane in 1981 as agricultural consultant, where one of his considerable achievements was the development of bread-making wheat in Scotland.

Mr Hood's retirement allowed him to devote his time to music. Until ill health curtailed his own singing, he had performed regularly as tenor soloist with many choral societies throughout Scotland. In 1990, he founded the Ruthven Parish Festival. It was Mr Hood's great delight to give young singers and musicians the opportunity to perform - among them Mark Wilde, now a renowned tenor - and Jennifer Campbell, principal harpist with the National Orchestra of Brazil. Soloists were invited to the Angus parish from continental Europe and Scandinavia.

Mr Hood is survived by his wife and children, Jonathan, Gillian and Peter, and grandsons Samuel, Joseph and Jonathan.

Catherine Hood

Dorothy May Hood

Isobel M Hood

John Horne

I went to Bell Baxter in 1959, having spent my first year at Waid Academy, Anstruther. My father’s place of work changed, so we moved to Cupar. I spent 4 years at BBHS, leaving at the end of my fifth year (1963) with enough Highers to be able to begin studying to be a Chartered Accountant. In retrospect, now 40 years later, I think that I was always just cruising through school, serving time so to speak, until I could get away to something more material and relevant to my own needs. From an educational perspective, BBHS did its job reasonably well..........with practically no help from me!

I do remember some teachers well and some left lasting impression as being good people with a genuine interest. Sandy Adamson and Kenny Nicoll spring to mind in this context. I do remember several others as well, but they did not leave me with pleasant memories. And then there was a French teacher called Muir, if I recall correctly, who I felt was simply bizarre and is possibly at fault for my lasting dislike for the French language.

The class I was in (last year was with 5A1) was, I think, unusual in that there were far more girls than boys. I still have the 1963 class photograph with 22 girls and only 9 boys. My main regret is that on leaving school I failed to maintain contact with any of them. The class reunion in 2008 was the first time I had seen any of them since 1963.

At that time, 1963, one could become a CA through different optional courses of action, and I chose the fast track: a 5-year “apprenticeship” entailing office work and attending night and Saturday schools in order to pass the Institute exams annually. I qualified as a CA in 1968 (James Murray & Co., Cupar) and left for London where I joined Deloitte. I was there for less than a year and moved on to Barcelona in 1969 with a three-year contract. I've been in Spain ever since! As has been my case repeatedly over the years, there was no master plan involved. It just seemed like a good idea at the time, and has worked out well.

What changes did I notice, and what were the major problems in settling in, and feeling “at home”, in Spain? Well, the weather was certainly a plus, as was the style of living and extroverted nature of most people. The language problem was more acute then; very few locals had any knowledge of English. The solution seemed to me to be simply to “go native”. That, too, appears to have worked out well.

I was with Deloitte's Spanish audit practice until 1980 (Barcelona and Valencia) and then became a Controller with a US company (automotive products), then with an Italian multinational (sports wear) and later with a large Dutch multinational (paints). In 1993 I was hired by FMC (US) as their CFO. (Chief Financial Officer) in Spain with finance, treasury, administration, accounting, tax, reporting, IT and insurance responsibilities for the Spanish Chemicals Group, which covered Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Venezuela.

The thing I have most enjoyed in my professional life has been the contact with very diverse people from vastly differing cultural backgrounds. There are marvellous people all over the world! Their differing reactions to situations, driven by their upbringing and education, have constantly surprised me and been a source of enjoyment and personal enrichment. Whilst Spaniards (mostly Catalans) comprise the majority of my working personal relationships, I’ve also worked closely with US citizens, Dutch, Italians, and Venezuelans and have enjoyed lasting contacts with nationals from most western European and South American countries, as well as from Egypt, Iran, and South Africa.

I met my wife in Spain (she’s Spanish, from the province of Huesca in Aragon) and have been married now for going on 39 years. We have three boys all of whom have Catalan partners. We have four grandchildren to date, and counting; one boy, so the surname is safe for another generation.

We normally speak Castilian Spanish at home and Catalan when the daughters-in-law are around. Catalonia has two official languages: Catalan and Spanish (called Castilian here). English is practically out of use at home, other than as reading material.

Living in Spain should not be any surprise to anyone these days, but it was a different thing in 1969 when I arrived. Franco was alive and kicking (literally) for one thing. The evolution over the years has given us a rich and eventful life as Spain moved to democracy, the EU, losing the Peseta for the Euro, and lately the importance of local “autonomous” states within Spain.

I retired in 2008 and am now spending my time as one would expect: playing golf, reading, and keeping the garden under control..........and, of course, the grandchildren.

Peter Horne

Sarah Hoskins

Victoria Hoskins

Thomas L Howie

MA (1st Hons.) St Andrews; was at Balliol College, Oxford; 1st class Honours Classical Moderations, 2nd Class Final School of Litterae Humaniores (Greats); taught at Falkirk and was Principal Teacher of Classics at Alloa Academy; is Principal Teacher of Classics at Bell-Baxter.

From the 1968 School Magazine:

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'Always to be best and distinguished above others'

Homer Iliad VI, 208

‘He has always been there. Now he is not there.’ These words were said some years ago of a great statesman, said by someone who had not known him, and yet felt his death as a personal loss. That is how a great many of us feel about someone we did not know - Mr Howie, teacher and friend, whose sudden death last September was such a grief to his colleagues and his pupils past and present, to all those who had the joy and privilege of knowing him.

Mr Howie was a pupil of Bell Baxter when it was quite a small school, but already a well-known one, and he was one of its most distinguished pupils. He returned to it as principal teacher of classics in 1948 and Bell Baxter was indeed fortunate in his return.

He was a most kind and friendly man, a man of integrity, whose influence on his pupils — and on colleagues — was very great. He was a wonderful teacher, able to fire his pupils with his own enthusiasm and love for the classics. Although he had taken first-class honours both at St Andrews University and at Balliol College, Oxford, he was an unassuming man, and a sensitive man, never too busy to help others, never too tired to encourage the dispirited, appreciative always of work well done. Of course, he could on occasion be angry! But never without just cause. He also had a most delightful sense of humour which he often used against himself.

In 1960 he had a long, very serious illness which he fought most courageously; and at last, to our great joy,he returned to school. But his voice - and not only his voice - was much weakened, and he had to avoid straining it. 'So I must never shout now!' he said - and laughed. And during the years since 1960 he and his brave wife together faced life with the same courage and gaiety.

I feel that the last verse of a poem he wrote some years ago could well be said of Mr Howie himself:

He's dead; but still his music lives

Weel kent by ane and a';

And in the lift its cadences

Undying rise and fa'.

Grant Howitt

Born and bred in Newport-On-Tay, I attended Bell Baxter from 1975-1981 and have been living and working in Guernsey, Channel Islands since 1988 where at least one other BBHS FP, whom I know,  is also resident.

Sabine Hünten

Caroline Hughes

Caroline left the following message on our eBoard having seen the photographs and report on the 1960 reunion:

So many familiar faces from away back then!

Sorry I missed out on the Reunion, it would have been fantastic.

Hello James and Pat - remember me? Forgive me, but I've forgotten most of everyone else's names on the old class photograph, but your faces are all so familiar!

I left Bell Baxter two years before, to continue my education in England. After Art College and work in Manchester and London, I wanted a change so moved to Berlin where I got ‘stuck’ and from Caroline Hughes, I became Caroline Friedrich. Hubby and I have our Ruby Wedding Anniversary in April this year (2012) and have both been retired for several years. We have a 39 year old son.

I still have very fond memories of my days in Cupar, in particular, caddying for Jimmy Farmer on the wee Cupar course!!

Best wishes to all who remember me!

A few days later she posted the following message:

How interesting to see that there are so many Scots around in Germany! There are definitely a LOT here in Berlin!

I left Cupar with my parents and continued my education in England. On leaving school I studied Art in Leeds then worked in Manchester as a graphic designer. In October 1970 I moved to Berlin, Germany, where I worked for the US Army. I then got married and did freelance work from home after my son (my only child) arrived. In 1979 I began working as an International Programme Organiser in the Chemistry Department of the Free University Berlin. I had just over 25 very rewarding years there before retiring a couple of years ago.

Would love to hear from anyone who remembers me!

cfriedrich48@web.de

Grant Hughes

Courtney Hunt

I attended Bell Baxter from 2002- 2006 probably the longest I've stayed in one place but now in Calgary Canada. Was in class 5b when I left and came back in 2007 to visit however was sadden at the fact Ms Baikie passed away. Face subject there was German with Mr Ritchie and Ms Harrison, Italian with Miss Moffatt and Spanish with Mr Oswald (longest time learning about football in Spanish in that class)!

Jean Hunter

Jill Hunter

John A A Hunter

A Scott Hutchison

BBS 1941-44

We had a profile of Professor Robert Davidson, of Trinity College, Glasgow, in an earlier issue of the FPA Newsletter, but so far we have not featured anyone from the parish ministry. We are very grateful to Scott Hutchison for agreeing to contribute this article to Issue 7 about his work as a Minister of the Church of Scotland. Scott entered fourth year at BBS in 1941. He was the oldest of three brothers from Newport who attended the School.

A FEW REMINISCENCES OF A MINISTRY ON CRUTCHES

I left Bell Baxter in 1944 with keen expectations of becoming a minister. These hopes undoubtedly sprang from parents who reflected for me the love of God, and I wanted to let the world share my excitement.

In due course I completed divinity training at St. Andrews University and went into my first job as Chaplain to overseas students in Glasgow, but not before contracting polio in the army. Consequently, my ministry was to be one on crutches, and latterly in a wheelchair.

However, contrary to what I had first imagined, far from disabling my ministry, paralysed legs in a remarkable way enhanced it, in spite of the fact that most Saturdays I agonised watching rugby instead of playing it.

Confirmation of my ‘call’ came days after I began work in Glasgow. I had been told that an Indian student was prostrate with grief after his father's death. No- one could console him let alone get him to rise from bed. I had to go, but found that he, like most students, lived on the top floor of a tenement just off Byres Road. No-one was around to give me a bit of help up the poorly lit and worn steps. My technique was to go upstairs backwards gripping the banister with one hand and an elbow crutch with the other, with the other crutch dangling round my neck. I was a physical and mental wreck by the time I reached the top and stood knocking on his door. Eventually he opened the door and, without even looking at me, let me in. I tried in vain to comfort and encourage him. His eyes were mostly closed and his words incoherent mumbles. I said I must leave, but he'd have to give me the support of his shoulder, else I'd never get down the steps.

Most reluctantly he got to his feet and, prompted by me, supported me the whole way down. Amazingly, by the time we reached the foot of the stairs he was talking clearly and intelligibly. His crisis was over, just because he helped another individual in need. To me that was God saying to me ‘You can do this ministry job!’

After being called to Ceres Parish Church I discovered ‘disability’ to be more an entrée to people's homes and hearts than I had ever imagined. Mind you, they nearly got rid of me on my second Sunday. In order to ease my passage into the pulpit they asked a local joiner to put up a second rail. He was really chuffed when he told me, on completion of a rather smart looking bit of joinery, that he'd managed the job without having to resort to nails, bolts or screws. Sunday came and I climbed up backwards using both rails. Near the top the whole rail suddenly disintegrated under my weight and crashed to the ground with a resounding bang. Fortunately, the open door saved me and I scrambled into the pulpit, to look out on a petrified congregation. Only one face wasn't pale white, that of the joiner's wife. Hers was positively green. A month later she and her joiner husband emigrated to Australia, though we were assured there was no connection with the pulpit rail incident!

As a family, grown from one to six children in the village of Ceres, we were so happy amongst the people of the parish that it was hard to leave for a city charge in Aberdeen, but not before a vacancy committee seeking a minister had come to ‘hear’ me at Ceres. As we stood at the door after the service, their spokesman said ‘Thank you, Mr. Hutchison, for your conduct of the worship which we much appreciated’, and, hesitating slightly, finally said, ‘But of course you must appreciate we have to think of our congregation’. I was clearly a write-off. What he was really saying - and, sadly, what many employers say to disabled interviewees, if they get that far was:- ‘As our minister with your disability you would be a liability and not an asset. We would have to be serving you and not you us’.

By the grace of God an Aberdeen vacancy committee thought differently, and I went to be minister of a thousand-strong congregation in Rubislaw Parish Church. In a short time we had pews taken out and spaces made for wheelchairs, ramps laid, and a clever electric lift to get me from ground to chancel level. These spaces for the disabled right in the heart of the sanctuary have been a tangible welcome to people with handicapping conditions. Better still, the congregation proved to be a welcoming and caring family where all sorts of people in search of life's meaning could be at home and hopefully find an answer.

When the time came to leave Rubislaw I was now moving into my wheel-chair period - five years as hospital chaplain.

Now, in retirement, I am remarried after my first wife's death, and am father to another two beautiful daughters, and thoroughly rejuvenated.

It's my wheel-chair that's ageing!

Scott died serenely at home on 26 August 2011, and his funeral service was held in Drumoak Parish Church on Thursday, September 1, at 3.30 pm.

The following obituary notice appeared in the November 2011 issue of the FPA Newsletter:

(Information courtesy of the Press and Journal)

Ian Elliot Hutchison

BBS 1941-7

Ian Hutchison was School Captain (or Head Boy as it was at that time) in Session 1946-47. He was a very able pupil and an outstanding sportsman. He fell ill half-way through his sixth year and died after a long illness, before the end of the session. His family donated the Ian Elliott Hutchison Memorial Trophy in his memory, and it is awarded each year to the Boy Captain.

This tribute to Ian appeared in the 1947 School Magazine:

From his earliest years at Bell-Baxter School he had shown himself to be an all round athlete, playing in both rugby and cricket teams. He captained the First Eleven during his fifth year, and would have captained the First Fifteen during the past session. He was a true sportsman of the type we could ill afford to miss during a season in which our sporting activities left much to be desired. He was a prefect during his fifth year, and was appointed Captain of the School shortly before he was taken ill; he was also chosen to be President of our Debating Society. But besides holding these exalted positions, he was first and foremost a schoolboy and our friend; and it is as a friend that he will be remembered among us.

To a certain extent the Captain leaves his mark on the school. It is a great misfortune that Ian Hutchison never took up his office as Captain for, knowing him as we have done, we do not doubt that the school would have greatly benefited.

For his greatest gifts were those of character. His uprightness and Christian spirit commanded the respect and won the affection of us all. At an age when most of us are hesitant and uncertain of ourselves, Ian had achieved the poise of one who knows what life is about and what he must make of it. Only the finest materials can be so tempered and refined in so brief a life.

We of the senior school are not usually given to serious thought in the cloakroom or the quadrangle, but this sad event prompted many to express their feelings at the passing of one on the threshold of his manhood. Boys of sixteen and seventeen are usually given to optimism, and it is difficult for us to reconcile such happenings with our beliefs; it is difficult for us to appreciate that these things do happen in this inexplicable mystery of life. We are young, and we do not understand. With extreme sorrow we realise that the last enemy has closed another book to us, and we are left alone with our memories.

To his family we can but express our humble sympathy on the loss of a son and a brother, and give them our assurance that he is not forgotten among us who were his friends.

I write these few simple lines on behalf of all of us, his classmates and others, who might wish to acknowledge his services to us. It has been a great loss to the school and to us; and it is only fitting that we should record here our appreciation and our deep inexpressible sorrow.

Contributed by Arthur M G Kinnear.

J M Hutchison

George Huxtable

Graeme Imrie

(1974-

Caroline Innes of Cupar completed her 6th year in June 1992. That was an event totally overshadowed by her selection to represent Great Britain in the Paralympics in Barcelona, where she won the Gold Medal in the 100m. Caroline has cerebral palsy and is a holder of the MBE. Caroline contributed an article about her experiences in Barcelona for Issue 4 of the FPA Newsletter, which is reproduced in Section V.

This footnote appeared in Issue 4 of the FPA Newsletter:

Recently, she was awarded £700 in the Tampax/Women's Sports Foundation Sports Award Scheme. Caroline has recently begun her studies at the Northern College of Education in Dundee, and she plans to use the money to help to finance her training, travel to competitions and the purchase of equipment. She has even more recently been named the 1993 Young Disabled Sportswoman of the Year, an award which brings with it a cheque for £5,700.

From FPA Newsletter Issue 7: Caroline was invited to a reception at Downing Street this summer.

From FPA Newsletter 10:

The 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta brought further success for Caroline. She again won the Gold Medal in the 100 metres and was the first British Track athlete to win a Gold Medal in the games. This success was particularly noteworthy, as Caroline had to race against less disabled athletes and also against athletes from the USA and Australia who had not taken part in the Barcelona Olympics.

To accustom her to the heat and humidity, part of her training was done in the greenhouses at Elmwood College. Caroline had a second goal in her sights in the 200 metres, but her race was cancelled because of insufficient numbers in her disability class. However, she was then entered for the race for athletes with only slight disabilities, finishing 6th in the final and twice breaking the record for her own class.

When she completes her BA in Community Education, she hopes to work with "special needs' children in the Community.

From the Daily Telegraph 16 December 2001:

by Robert Philip

"CAN you do me a favour?" asks Caroline Innes. "Could you cut up my salmon and potatoes into bite-sized chunks. Don't worry about the carrots and sprouts, I can manage them as they are."

I am in the presence of an athlete so remarkable it is frequently difficult to remember that so many of the little things we take for granted are beyond even her redoubtable capabilities. "My children will have to be very independent very quickly; they'll be tying their own shoelaces by the time they're six months because I certainly can't do it for them. . . "

When last seen trimming the Christmas tree in her flat in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, 12 months ago, the queen of the 2000 Sydney Paralympics had announced her farewell from international athletics and her engagement to long-time boyfriend John Baird. The wedding has now been arranged for June 1 next year and as for her promised retirement? "I hope to have a baby by the time Athens comes round but competing in Beijing holds a certain fascination; after all, I'll only be 34 in 2008."

Winner of sprint golds at Barcelona and Atlanta and the 400m and 200m gold medallist at Sydney, Caroline's typically idiosyncratic idea of retirement included an unscheduled appearance at the World Championships in Nottingham in August where she won the 400m and took silver in the 100m despite little formal training.

Surprise, surprise, flushed by success she has now returned to the regime of fully-fledged athlete (". . . running is like a drug, once you're hooked it's impossible to give it up") while working part-time at a day centre in Cupar for adults with learning problems. Note Caroline's use of the word `problem' in preference to `disability' for although she, herself, has cerebral palsy, she does not consider herself disabled in any shape or form. "Do you know why I like your articles? (Suffused with brilliance, I suggest to a very unladylike guffaw. . . ) No, you've never called me `brave' or said that I `suffer' from CP. I hate those words. I'm not brave, and I certainly don't suffer; John suffers - me. . . !"

If I may be permitted to recall one excerpt of my jottings from Sydney it is the following. . . : "Mind, body, spirit runs the motto of the Paralympics; Caroline Innes has the mind of an Oxbridge Don, the body of a supermodel and the spirit of a true champion. . . " Blessed with an incandescent smile which could ignite the Olympic flame, she describes her physical twitches and speech impairment as an `occasional inconvenience'.

"I have never, ever wished to be anything other than I am although I confess to a moment of terror when they invited me to relaunch the Broughty Ferry lifeboat in the summer. I told them, `If you want me to hit a boat with a bottle of champagne we could be there all day. . . ' Luckily, I'd only to press a button." (Seeing the lass consume copious amounts of Sauvignon Blanc through a straw over lunch, I reckon it was very wise of the RNLI not to entrust her with a magnum of bubbly. . . )

There have been a succession of champagne celebrations since Sydney highlighted by a visit to Buckingham Palace to receive her MBE from the Queen. "She seemed very nice. We chatted about the Paralympics for a few moments then she extended her hand. The handshake is the Royal way of saying `now you can bugger off. . . ' Seriously, it's been a fabulous year because I thought I'd be coming home to be plain, old Caroline Innes again." (Plain? Hardly - she was voted `Sexiest British Athlete' by her British team-mates in the Paralympic Village. Old and ordinary? At 27 she dominates any room with her humour and radiance). "My parents, John and myself went to an Italian restaurant round the corner from the palace which attracts a lot of sports people for some reason. My photograph is now up on the wall between John McEnroe and Nigel Mansell."

From Buckingham Palace to Edinburgh's Hilton Hotel for Scotland's Greatest Ever Sportsmen and Women Awards ceremony where the roll of honour comprised Denis Law (football), Ken Buchanan (boxing), Allan Wells and Liz McColgan (athletics), Willie Carson (horse racing), Andy Irvine (rugby union), Sandy Lyle (golf) and ". . . little old me - Scotland's Greatest Paralympian. That was a night to remember because everyone made me feel like a real superstar. Denis was lovely, just as nice as you hope a hero will turn out to be, and I never realised how tiny Willie Carson is. I could jump over him. . . " There was, alas, to be no return appearance at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year festivities. "They phoned up on the Thursday night and the programme was going out on the Sunday so I thought to myself `. . . wait a minute, this is a bit of an after-thought. So thanks but no thanks. . '. "

One short year after sharing the Team Award with their Olympic brothers and sisters, our Paralympians have clearly been forgotten by those at the Beeb; others, however, have been less neglectful as a trawl through Caroline's latest scrapbook so refreshingly proves. . . :

The Variety Club of Great Britain Disabled Sportsman Award `. . . made to persons in sport who by word or deed have done so much to assist the course of helping disadvantaged children. Made to Caroline Innes in London in the presence of HRH The Duke of York'.

From the Rt Hon Earl of Airlie KT GCVO PC LLD, Cortachy Castle, Kirriemuir, Angus: ". . . Dear Miss Innes, I would like to send you my warmest good wishes and congratulations on your award of the MBE. This is richly deserved for all that you have done for services to disabled sport which is undoubtedly indebted to your hard work and devotion. . . "

From David Moorcroft of UK Athletics: ". . . your MBE is a wonderful recognition of everything you have achieved in athletics. Obviously Sydney was the most recent highlight but the award recognises all your great successes of recent years. . . "

From Waid Academy School, Anstruther: ". . . our thanks to you Caroline for being the first Olympic champion to visit the Waid. Once you had left, the overwhelming feeling was that you are an inspirational woman who was a little overawed by all the attention you have received. We found you to be genuine and up for a laugh. . . "

From Richard Callicott UK Sport: ". . . Sir Rodney Walker and I would like to send our best wishes to you. It is the actions of figures such as yourself both past and present that have defined standards to which our top sportsmen and women must aspire. Sydney's Olympians and Paralympians provided some memories which will remain with the British public for some time to come, embodying all that is good in sport while at the same time putting the UK firmly back on the sporting map. Congratulations once again for the lasting legacy your achievements have created. . . "

Although leading politicians such as William Hague, Kate Hoey and Dr John Reid also took the trouble to pen hand-written letters, it is the messages from families who live with cerebral palsy in which Caroline most delights. ". . .Dear Caroline, I find myself writing to you to tell you what an inspiration you have been to us. I have a two-year-old daughter called, Dana, who one year ago was diagnosed with CP. Things have been difficult all round as we were faced with Dana's condition with no real explanation of what it entailed or of what we could expect. Unfortunately, we were left with quite a negative perspective of what lifestyle Dana would have. Your achievements at the Paralympics, however, have provided us with a great uplift. I'd be most grateful if you have a photo you could send us that we could all look at in times of difficulty to remind us of what Dana could ultimately aspire to. . . "

And from Liz Moulam, mother of seven-year-old Beth, who has been in regular correspondence with Caroline since the events of Sydney: ". . . Beth was very proud of your MBE. Inspired by you, Beth is now walking everywhere - shopping centre, hospital, school, she is very tired but very, very determined and we're delighted with her progress." In the same envelope came a personal message which Beth had painstakingly scrawled in pencil. ". . . To Caroline MBE, so much love. I love your talking. You are my heroine. Love from Beth XXXXXX. . . "

The two heroines came together in the summer when Liz Moulam accompanied Beth to a lecture Caroline was giving. "I wish you'd seen her wee face when we finally met. She's just so lovely. Her mum and dad can understand what Beth's saying but it's quite difficult to a strange ear so she talks to me via her computer. Imagine me being a heroine or someone loving the way I talk? Beth calls me her role-model which is funny, because I always think of Sally Gunnell or Linford Christie as role-models."

I mean it as no disrespect to either athlete when I say little Beth Moulam displays exquisite taste in role-models. . .

The following interview, conducted by Carrie Blake (Former Marketing and Communications Manager), was given as part of a campaign by Girlguiding Scotland to inspire young women and girls with examples of talented and inspirational women from Scotland.

Which Scottish woman do you find inspirational?

My Mum because I wouldn't be where I am today without her - she taught me to be strong and believe in myself.

Where is your favourite place in Scotland?

Loch Lomond - because it is so peaceful and beautiful.

Career…

Winning the 400m in Sydney in a world record and getting my MBE.

What was the most memorable or best piece of advice you have been given by a coach?

My coach (John Oulton) told me if I wanted it enough I could do it but it was an awful lot of work. I suppose there was about 85%. Hard work and 15% talent, although family and coach will probably tell you different.

How many medals have you won? Which one was the greatest struggle for you to achieve?

4 Golds and 1 Silver internationally. The 400m was the hardest because although it is still a sprint, you still have to pace it and leave enough for the finish.

Which paralympian do you have the most respect for?

Bob Mathews who is a blind runner whose last games was Athens, but he has medalled in every major games since 1980ish, which is remarkable.

Can you see a time when the Paralympics is treated with the same interest and respect as the Olympics by everyone?

I don't think Paralympics and Olympics will ever be treated with the same interest. I feel there are journalists who can't see past the disability and turn the story in to one of sympathy in order to get you to read it - when I had stories written, most would write 'Caroline Innes who suffers...' etc

However some journalists were really good and concentrated on the sport which is what it was all about. I think there is a lot of ignorance which needs to be tackled in schools so that their understanding of disability is greater and until that happens people are going to think that Paralympians only train once a week etc. If only they knew!!

Who has had the most positive impact on your career?

My family, friends and, of course, my coach.

Being a woman…

Which female sportsperson do you most admire ?

Marion Jones because she is an elegant runner and not too muscley - I think women should look like women!

As a mother - what is the most important value you want to instil in your daughter?

I would like to teach her to be strong, independent and respectful to everybody which is what my Mum and Dad taught me.

What is your advice to any young women who has a disability on how to deal with the challenges she will face?

Learn to live with it and try everything and anything you want to - be stubborn, like me!

What's important to her...

What has been a life changing moment for you ?

Having my daughter Christy, who is two because life completely changes and you have a different outlook on life.

If you could win a million pounds for a charity of your choice - which one would it be?

I would give it to SCOPE who work with people with Cerebral Palsy.

If you could be any animal for a week - which one would it be?

Tiger or Cheetah in Australia as it's nice and hot and is an amazing country.

How would you describe yourself in five adjectives?

Funny, confident, stubborn, determined and of course, fantastically attractive!!!

From Issue 13 of the FPA Newsletter:

Caroline Innes has now completed a BA Degree in Community Education at Northern College, Dundee. She has now started work for Community Living Concept, a centre for people with learning difficulties in Kirkcaldy. She is also training for the Sydney Paralympics in the year 2000.

From Issue 18:

Caroline has won the 400 metre sprint at the Paralympics in Paris with a world record of 77.95 seconds. She already holds the 200 metre Gold with a world record of 33.07 seconds.

From Issue 19:

David Ince

Helen M Inglis

Susan Ireland

Thomas Ireland

Ewan Jack

Andrew Buchanan Jackson

Some other milestones in Andrew’s poetic career to date:

Aug 2007: 'Acts' awarded 3rd prize in the TLS/Foyles poetry competition 2007. A second poem, 'The Modified Mercalli Scale of Earthquake Intensity', was also shortlisted.

Nov 2007: new and recent poems featured on the Poetry International web site.

Sept 2009: five new poems published in The Manhattan Review, Fall/Winter 2009-10.

March 2010: poems included in Identity Parade: New British and Irish Poets.

April 2010: author page and future publication news at Donut Press.

July 2010: new Apocrypha poem in Pen Pusher 16.

Aug 18 2010: reading at the Edwin Morgan Poetry Competition 2010 prizegiving event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Mhairi Jackson

Susan Jackson

Scott Jardine

Rae Jarvis

George Jobson

I now live in Jelling Denmark, where I have my own Art Gallery www.gallerigorm.com.

I was in the Scots Guards for 3 years 1964-1967, and was stationed in Malacca Malaysia, and received the General Service medal. I have done duties at Buckingham Palace, the tower of London and St James Palace. I slow marched to Winston Churchill’s funeral in January 1965.

I was in Tasmania for a working holiday last year and stayed for 3 months with my sister Doreen, who also attended Bell Baxter. I speak Danish and a wee bit English.

George James Mac Jobson was born in the wee town of Cupar-Fife in Scotland. Educated at Bell Baxter School in Fife, where the finest of Teachers in Art started him on his way to Australia, New Zealand, England, Orkney Isles, Ireland, Prague, Tasmania, Poland, Spain, France, Malaysia, India, Jersey, Turkey, Tahiti, Norway. Sweden, and on to Jelling in Denmark, where he has his own Art Gallery. He writes: ‘My paintings are often related to my childhood, or everyday life, by the sea or in the country, connecting spiritually, feeling my way forward, where the symbols in my paintings are of hope for everlasting love and peace. A magical mystery journey, a Fantasy, Fairytale of dreams and happenings, a search or reminder that love and peace are here, and war is not the answer. In a way my paintings are a part of a much higher life's work, a microcosm of colours and form, a universal macrocosm.’ George is a romantic ‘Poet painter and musician’. Apart from his colourful landscapes and paintings, where you will always find poetic undertones and overtones of the Great Highland Pipes, which George still plays, he is also an accomplished Guitar player and song writer and with his Scottish voice, his interpretations of Robert Burns are second to none, along with his own songs. ‘A man you don't meet everyday’ (citat). For George, all these are there in his Paintings. He not only paints his canvas but composes music as he paints, with compositions of music and colours creating a crescendo of art.

Graeme Johncock

Megan Johnson

Allan Johnston

Ella Johnston

Mary Williamina Johnston

Nicole Johnston

Nicole was appointed School Captain for the Session 2002-3.

Jane Harper Geddes Johnstone

William B Johnstone

Anne Jones

David Jordan

Florence Jordan

Anne K Keddie

Margaret Mary Keenan

Nicholas Keiller

Ailsa Kelman