2016 Training Mentor of the Year

In association with SQA
This category nominations were made by the trainees and was for the individual who has encouraged the trainee in their development within their workplace

Winner: Mark Ramsay, Falleninch Farm Butchers, Dumbarton Road, Stirling FK8 3AB

Mark was nominated by three of his trainees. Mark helped me complete my Level 2 and Level 3 MA and with his encouragement and assistance I also completed the Federation Diploma. Mark has been very supportive. Nominated by Robert Reid

I would like to take this opportunity to nominate Mark. When I started at Falleninch I was a bag of nerves. I had very low self-esteem in my ability. Previously only having worked on venison so my knowledge of other meat products and how to instruct others to do the tasks such as manufacturing to company standards was very daunting and lacking.

Mark used to much of his personal time reassuring me and answering my emails at all hours of the day and night to help me reach my Level 3. Without Mark’s continued passions and support I would have really struggled with level 3 (done in his personal time). Mark is a positive, highly motivated individual who has a great ability to read individuals and get the best out of each and every team member. We can take any challenge with Mark’s guidance and support. Thank you Mark. Nominated by Nicola Gaffney

I would like to nominate Mark for various reasons. He is a role model for myself and many others at the farm. When I joined the farm I was close to finishing my Level 2 MA and Mark was more than happy to pick up where I had left off and encouraged me to progress onto Level 3. Including myself, Mark has mentored five butchers to achieve their Level 3 and I have progressed onto to gain the Federation Diploma. Mark is always willing to share his knowledge, skills and expertise and is always encouraging people to better themselves, not just in a work aspect but all aspects of life.

After I completed my level 3 Mark encouraged me to seek higher education. I enrolled in college for an access to university. Mark fully supported me and catered hours of work for my needs. After completing college I got accepted into university to do a degree in Environmental Health specialising in Food Safety.

Mark encouraged us often to enter competitions with our own creations and recipes. Recently we won 5 awards for our sausages. Mark was chuffed at our efforts and supported us all the way.
Thanks to Mark I have increased my work skills to a high level and pursued higher education. I feel I have learned a lot from Mark and have now become a lot more confident in myself. Being at university, Mark fully supports me 100% within work and outwith work. His passion to teach and support other people is an inspiration that has greatly benefited myself and many other people. Nominated by Erin Conroy

Finalist: John Johnstone, Dunnabie Farm Shop, Waterbeck, Lockerbie DG11 3HQ

John is a very good butcher, not just in his butchering capacity but his customer focus and care is second to none. He has excellent ideas, with new lines and revamping old ones. Since I started Dunnabie Farm Shop it is John who has taken it further and further, with his ideas that I have through and then implemented. Facebook being one of them. Skinny packs another and single people and family packs and our soon to be protein packs.

In 2012 we took on an apprentice and John got him through his apprenticeship easily and was commended by Gordon Newlands who said it was the quickest one had worked with. He is no starting the process again with our new apprentice, Craig, who is showing great work.
John is very caring about his work, very precise, loves what he does and this shows in everything he does.

I could not have got where we are today if I had not had John working for and with me. He truly is a credit to Scottish Craft Butchers and all our customers love him.
Nominated by Jo Birtwistle.

Finalist: Steven Strachan, Henderson of Hamilton Ltd. Newcross Centre Hamilton ML3 6AH

Since joining Henderson’s having Steven as my mentor has massively increased my confidence in the trade and my skills sets.

He has also taught me how to do things in butchering that I never knew before, in terms of butchering the product, garnishing it, presenting it to the customer and then selling the product.
He is always encouraging me to learn new things and understands that learning new skills takes time.

I now feel fully confident in butchering products correctly and in an effective amount of time to a high standard. Confident to complete a full section of a counter and garnish it appropriately to a high standard thanks to the confidence and knowledge that was given to me by Steven, which is why I think he deserves Mentor of the Year.
Nominated by Ryan Miller