Who Cares Wins
Alastair Chisholm was Chairman of Hansel Foundation for many years. In a gesture typical of his commitment and generosity, he has gifted to Hansel the proceeds of a book about his life; ‘Who Cares Wins’ . Alastair has been engagingly open about the personal ‘snakes and ladders’ which shaped his life.
Alastair was born in 1939, spending the war years in London – through the London Blitz to the Victory in Europe Celebrations. He travelled to Scotland when the bombing was particularly bad, watching the war traffic in and out of Prestwick Airbase, watching battleships, convoys, Sunderland Flying Boats on the Gareloch and enjoying the ‘Wonder Books’ about the Army, Navy and Air Force.
From early days he has been a keen sportsman – from cycling, cricket, rugby, tennis and cross-country running (while at Hurst Grange Preparatory School, Stirling and Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh),to hockey with Ayr Mens Hockey Club. Today Alastair still cycles, skis and hillwalks from his home in France.
His career in the army, from National Service with the Royal Highland Fusiliers at Churchill Barracks in Ayr, to his ultimate posting as Military Commander, County Fermanagh – took him to many places, including Steamer Point, Aden; St Patrick’s Barracks, Malta; Tarhuna Barracks, Libya, the Berlin Corridor and the battalion ski school in Sonthofen. On leaving the army he worked in personnel management and industrial relations for many years – with the Automobile Association, Ross Foods, Low and Bonar Group, Scotsman Publications, C J Lang and others . Dealing with unions, the ‘three-day week’, and picket lines all kept him busy but he still found time to develop the concept of outward bound competitions and challenges as a facility for management development.
During his ‘Hansel years’ , Alastair initiated, and personally led, fundraising challenges – walking the GR5 (High Route) along the Pyrenees, from Atlantic to Mediterranean; walking the West Highland Way from Milngavie to Fort William; cycling across France from Bordeaux to Narbonne, along the Canal du Midi .......... To raise funds for Erskine Hospital, he arranged and participated in a fundraising cycle run from the site of the 1943 Allied Landings in Sicily, up Italy into Austria, initially following the route of the 51 st Highland Division and thereafter other Scottish Battalions on mainland Italy. These fundraising challenges were very successful due to Alastair’s personal commitment and his skill in leading, motivating and resourcing participants. At Hansel, funds raised from these events helped to improve service accommodation for those we support – people with learning disabilities.
In the years between work and retirement Alastair gave his strategic support not only to Hansel and Erskine but to other charities and voluntary organisations also –Includem, Birchwood Highland, the Mary Slessor Foundation - and as a board member of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care.
Alastair has suffered from depression and although he notes that “depression is an amazingly selfish illness” he has been unselfish and frank in sharing his own experience of it, in the hope that it may help others.
This brief summary does not convey the humour or the breadth of life experience the reader will encounter in 'Who Cares Wins'; it hasn’t touched on Alastair’s deep love of family, respect for his personal heroes, heritage and history, love of his many dogs or indeed on many of the other interests in his life. So if you’d like your own copy of the book, costing £12.00 (including post and packing) just ‘phone Jennifer McGhee at Hansel Foundation (Tel : 10563 830340).
