Androulla Richford, Lincoln Richford and Mac Blewer in Wanlockhead, Dumfries and Galloway
NB: This Podcast was recorded in April, 2022 in the lead up to a proposed community buyout in Wanlockhead
Androulla Richford
Born in Cyprus Androulla came to London at the age of 11 with her family following the 1964 inter-communal troubles between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. She went to school and worked in the City in London for ten years. She also lived in Kent and Sussex before settling in Scotland.
Family and Community have played a great part in her life and she was delighted to discover and move to the small village of Wanlockhead which had similarities in scale and numbers of the community she grew up in Cyprus. The land of her community was invaded by Turkey in 1974.
Although having retired early before moving to Scotland, within two years she accepted a job offer from the local Lead Mining Museum as a guide and with a keen interest in Social History. Androulla quickly became involved in the community, learning more about its history. At this time, together with others, she is learning about and interested in exploring the possibility and benefits of a Community Land Buyout under the Scottish government’s Land Reform legislation.
Lincoln Richford
Born in London, Lincoln has wide-ranging interests including History and Music, with Jazz being a particular favourite, plus a long interest in Photography. His career moved through a number of fields, primarily in sales and marketing, from the Ball and Roller Bearing industry to Pharmaceuticals, Clothing and Food & Drink. For thirty years he ran his own businesses.
In 2006 he moved to Scotland (Wanlockhead) from the South Coast of England, where he became involved with the local Mining Museum and a local History group. With the move to Scotland came the realisation that his education had barely covered Scottish History. Trying to address this knowledge gap led to an interest in Land Reform. He is currently on the boards of Community Land Scotland and South of Scotland Community Housing; he is the Chair of Wanlockhead Community Trust.
Mac Blewer
Mac earned a BSc. Hons Degree in Environmental Biology from the University of St. Andrews and an MA in Geography from the University of Wyoming. Before moving to Scotland from the U.S.A. in 2013 to raise a family he enjoyed a near twenty-year career in conservation and heritage. He is currently a Funding Officer for Wiston Lodge, a South Lanarkshire-based charity that works with vulnerable people. Mac’s passion for the land, wildlife and cultural resources, inspired him to become a volunteer for the Wanlockhead Community Trust (WCT) and the Institute for Heritage and Sustainable Human Development (INHERIT). He is a founding board member of the WCT and ardently believes in community land ownership. He enjoys bird-watching, reading, writing and visiting historic sites and wild landscapes. Mac is the author of the pictorial history book, Wyoming’s Outlaw Trail.
