Paisley family butcher wins special award

Jan 23 2009 by Andrew Newport, Paisley Daily Express

POPULAR butcher Andrew Tulloch has proved he is a cut above the rest by winning a prestigious award.

And, yesterday, he revealed he didn’t have a clue he was even in the running for the special honour.

The well-known Buddie has been named Glenburn Citizen of the Year after local people were impressed by his attempts to ‘beef up’ a succession of fundraising missions.

However, modest Andrew told the Paisley Daily Express he wouldn’t have went along to collect the award if he had known the trophy was being presented to him.

He insisted: “This is a lovely gesture by the people of Glenburn and I’m delighted to have won but I was under the impression that I was presenting the trophy to an old lady who lived locally.

“Had I known it was for me, I wouldn’t have gone along. It’s just not my thing!”

The Tulloch family butcher business was inaugurated in 1928 in Love Street, Paisley, before making the short move to Causeyside Street.

That building was later hauled down to make way for more town centre traffic and Tulloch’s had to find new premises.

Andrew, 57, said: “We opened our shop in Skye Crescent, Glenburn, when I was just five years old and I started working there the moment I left school.

“I’ve made a living out of the residents of Glenburn, so it’s nice to put something back into the community. That’s why we help out all sorts of groups.”

The beautiful glassware award presented to Andrew is known as the Pat McCarthy Memorial Trophy.

It was named after charity champion Pat McCarthy, who dedicated her life to working tirelessly to help families in poverty-stricken countries.

Glenburn woman Pat – a survivor of Paisley’s Glen Cinema disaster in 1929 – raised more than £30,000 for the SCIAF charity in the space of 20 years.

The popular pensioner, who was affectionately known as Granny Pat, was even twice nominated for a Provost’s Award in recognition of her dedication.

She passed away in 2004 at the age of 84 after a long battle with illness but her kind-hearted family have continued the charity work in her honour.

Andrew said: “To win the Pat McCarthy Memorial Trophy means a great deal to me.

“I knew Pat very well and she was a lovely lady.

“I’m adapting a wee corner of my shop in which to display the trophy so that all our customers can see it.”

Former Glenburn councillor Bill Martin is among those who are keen to praise Andrew for the role he plays in his community.

He said: “Since the trophy was introduced, local groups have nominated Andy every year for all the help and support he has given them in their fundraising ventures.

“Now he has won and is completely taken aback. He thought he was at the ceremony to present the award to someone else and was stunned when he learned he was actually receiving the trophy.

“Andy has been in Glenburn since the housing scheme was built and he truly feels part of the community. He is always only too happy to support Glenburn in any way he can.”

Andrew is the fourth annual winner of the Pat McCarthy Memorial Trophy.

Bill and another former Glenburn councillor, Richard Vassie, believed that the work done by Pat and other activists in the community was not being properly recognised, so they decided to set up an award for unsung heroes.

A committee was formed from groups, churches, businesses and activists and chaired by Ann Henry, who is Pat’s daughter.

The award is open to individuals or groups who have contributed to making Glenburn a better place.

Nominations are collected throughout the year and, if you would like to put someone forward for next year’s award, call Bill Martin on 0141 876 1314.