PEDAL POWER . . . Cochran Boilers at Newbie, Annan have backed a charity cycle challenge in which one of their employees was participating. Gareth Worgan, right, a Cochran service engineer, was joined by friends William Jones, left, and Hugh Gallagher, centre, on the challenging ride from Gretna Green to Talbot Green, Wales. The inspiration for Gareth’s effort was his four-year-old son Jack, who has been diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. He was raising money through sponsorship for Celebrate the Children, an organisation dedicated to helping youngsters with autistic spectrum disorders to learn social skills via a pioneering therapy called DIR – Developmental, Individual and Relationship - based interventions. Many of Gareth’s Newbie-based colleagues gathered to give the cyclists a good send-off. Anyone wishing to offer their support to the fundraising effort can do so online www .justgiving .com / Gareth-Worgan
FOOD, glorious food is a passion for retired professor Ian Grierson who has returned to live in Annandale. After over 20 years as the head of eye research at Liverpool University, he has now switched his focus to cooking, for which he has had a fascination since the Millennium. Indeed, Ian has even published a few books on the topic, including “Vegetables for Vision”, “Dishy Stories” and “Dishes with Strange Names. Traditional British and Irish Food”, and he used to write a food column when he lived in Merseyside. Now settled back in his native Dumfriesshire, Ian believes many of his stories, and recipes, will be of interest to readers. We are delighted to be sharing this piece about stovies.