In 1990, my dad, who was a very proud man, was made redundant. He found work a year later in a temporary role and my mum picked up more hours as a nurse. In 1991 he had no employment again.
I had been at DSMC since 1980 and was the youngest of 4 boys. All of whom my parents funded though school. At the time we had no concept of how challenging this was for them and how much they had to sacrifice. Â I was given a bursary for my last year or two at DSMC. Â These years were particularly important to help shape the person I was to become in my journey into adulthood.
They allowed me to gain a solid education to allow passage to university, but more importantly to build memories with a friend group that I have had with me for my entire life.
For my dad especially, I think this made a significant difference to his mental health. It was a different time and a different generation and he, in particular, believed that asking for help financially to be a horrific personal failure, even though he would always be the first to help others or the school. However, he swallowed his pride and did exactly that. I don’t have the knowledge of the process, but I do remember the relief for him and my mum when the school kindly gave me an assisted place.  The thought of having to leave the school was a scary one and I am not sure I would have had the personal fortitude to thrive as I did at DSMC.
I was diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, and at that time my self-belief in my own academic ability was not good. However, in those important final three years, the school and teachers like Mr Elder, Mr McKerrow, Mr Wayne and Mr McDermott all gave me the personal building blocks to find compassion, confidence, resilience and helped me thrive.
I often think that that time shaped my life choice of a lifetime of public service, as I head towards retirement in Police Scotland after 30 years.  Alongside my main job, I serve on the Club Rugby Board at Scottish rugby, I am the longest serving (former) Chairman of a Disability Association within Police Scotland of which I helped create 15 years ago.  I genuinely feel that my assisted place helped me understand the value of helping others. In my career, I have solved murders and brought justice to families, I have helped women and children through the worst experiences and tragedies. Away from my day job I bring my values to the rugby community and help shape the future Scotland players in my management of one of Scotland’s age grade teams.
It is difficult to imagine what my life would have been like without those final two years at DSMC. Â The path not taken will forever be unknown, however I know I will continue to help others as best I can, as the school and benefactors once helped me.
