Articles by Robert Mitchell

Sports

Gran hails Lanarkshire butchers who touched family’s hearts with poignant tribute

When a local five-year-old boy died of cancer, the compassion and consideration shown by a Lanarkshire butchers touched the family’s hearts. Now J & H Cairns Butchers in Law, Carluke, has been crowned Scotland’s ‘best loved butchers’ in a nationwide competition, as customers queued up to nominate the Station Road family business for the award. Receiving the Scottish Craft Butchers ‘Love Your Local Butcher’ Award 2025, Jamie Cairns – who runs the business with dad Jim – said it was “overwhelming” to learn how highly regarded they were in the community. Hundreds of nominations were received from all over Scotland as customers detailed why their local craft butcher should win this year’s accolade. But it was the heartfelt nomination of Ishbel Stevenson that singled J & H Cairns out as a butchers with a heart, in the heart of their community. Detailing top-quality service, mouth-watering products, spotless premises and friendly, kind and knowledgeable staff, Ishbel went on to tell how her nomination was especially personal. “The shop decorated the outside of the premises with balloons for the funeral cortège, passing by, of my five-year-old grandson who lost his fierce battle with cancer,” she wrote. “My grandson Jack loved balloons, so this was a very special tribute and so much appreciated. “This fabulous family butchers contribute to the community in many different ways. They are the real deal.” Cairns first opened in Law in 1984, when Jamie’s dad and grandfather set up a butchers business in Lawhill Road. In 1987, they moved to their current shop, employing four full-time and two part-time butchers. “We are truly honoured and humbled to receive the Love Your Local Butcher Award 2025,” said Jamie. “It’s a huge thing to be voted the best loved butchers in Scotland and we’re bursting with pride. “As a family business that has proudly served the Law community for many years, this recognition means so much to us. Everything we do — from the quality of our meat to the service we offer — is rooted in family values, tradition and care for our customers. “We’re just a small shop in a small village but we like to support the community through sponsorship of local sports teams, youth groups and organisations. “Gestures like decorating our shop for young Jack’s funeral were simply our way of showing love and respect for a family who means so much to our community. “A local butcher is not just about selling meat – it’s about playing a part in the community and knowing your customers are also your friends. We can’t thank them enough for voting for us and this award is for everyone who shops with us, our community, our dedicated team at the shop and everyone who helps keep local butchery thriving in Scotland.” The Scottish Craft Butchers (SCB) award, supported by the Scotch Butchers Club, set out to determine how much customers loved their local butcher. SCB executive manager Gordon King said the hundreds of nominations that poured in for butchers the length and breadth of the country was testament to the key role the industry plays in communities throughout Scotland. “I am absolutely delighted to see the award go to Jim and Jamie Cairns and their team,” said Gordon. “They are the epitome of a great local family butcher and embrace the community in which they trade. “Ishbel’s heartfelt nomination reminds us how beloved a local butcher can be and how valued they are by those who have grown from customers into friends. “The hundreds of customers who took the time to nominate their favourite and tell us why they deserve to win what has become a highly-coveted industry award, shows just how highly regarded and appreciated our local craft butchers are. “A butcher is more than just a supplier of food – they create a legacy of relationships with their customers that will last a lifetime.” *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here .

Technology

First of its kind panel sees South Lanarkshire communities oversee wind farm benefits

A groundbreaking agreement, said to be the first of its kind in Scotland, will empower South Lanarkshire and East Ayrshire communities to have joint oversight of vital funds from a nearby wind farm. Set to deliver £167,000 worth of community benefits annually, Mill Rig Wind Farm, developed by OnPath Energy is set to be up and running in 2026, with communities recently coming together to put pen to paper on the new agreement. The newly-formed panel, comprising the Sandford & Upper Avondale, Sorn, Muirkirk, Darvel & District, and Newmilns & Greenholm community councils, will now take the lead in deciding which local projects receive funding. Robin Winstanley, sustainability and community director at OnPath Energy said: “Most community benefit funds in Scotland are managed within a single local authority, but the Mill Rig fund takes a different approach. “By creating a joint panel model, we’re ensuring that every community in the catchment area of this wind farm has a real voice in how the benefits are shared. “Funding decisions will rest entirely with the community panel, with South Lanarkshire Council offering support through application administration, compliance checks, and ongoing guidance. “It sets a new standard for how wind farm benefit funds can be inclusive, empowering, and support locally led collaboration between East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire communities to deliver real value to local people.” The panel’s formation was facilitated by South Lanarkshire Council and has been warmly endorsed by East Ayrshire Council, with the two authorities working collaboratively to ensure the fund supports communities most impacted by the development. Richard Hanmer, chair of Darvel & District Community Council and chair of the newly-formed Mill Rig panel, said: “This panel is a true example of what communities can achieve when they work together. “It’s not just about how the money is spent, but rather about building relationships across boundaries, sharing ideas and delivering long-term improvements for everyone involved.” David McLatchie, chairman of Muirkirk Community Council said: “The funding will make a real difference, particularly for small rural areas like Muirkirk where even modest support can go a long way in helping local projects and groups. “We’ve already started letting people know about the opportunity through our community newsletter and other groups, and I’m confident there will be plenty of interest once the fund goes live next April.” Once the fund goes live next spring, individuals and organisations based in the represented communities will be able to apply for funding via a new online portal. South Lanarkshire Council will act as verifier and compliance agent throughout the process, ensuring good governance, while East Ayrshire Council will maintain an advisory role in support of their participating communities. The wind farm’s 33.4MW capacity is expected to generate enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of over 31,000 homes annually, significantly contributing to Scotland’s net-zero ambitions. Chair of the South Lanarkshire council’s Community and Enterprise Resources Committee, Councillor Robert Brown, said: “This is a great example of communities across council areas coming together to deliver tangible benefits from windfarms and renewable energy funding. “We believe the fund will have many years of benefiting those communities closest to the windfarms.” More information about Mill Rig Wind Farm can be found at: www.onpathenergy.com/mill-rig *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here .