Born in the Kingdom of Fife, Scotland, in 1960, I just managed to sneak into the decade to call myself a '60s child!

My father, James, was a van driver for the Kelty Co-operative Society, and my mother, Lillian, was a young homemaker—both barely out of their teens when I arrived. As the eldest of three, with a younger sister and brother, I was lucky enough to enjoy an idyllic childhood filled with warmth and adventure.

After trying my hand at various jobs and eventually moving to England, I found my calling in social housing. Along the way, I became deeply involved in the campaign to save the Ambassador Cinema in Salford, serving as Press Officer for the Ambassador Project.

Although our efforts to preserve the cinema were ultimately unsuccessful, my passion for its history never faded. Now retired, I’ve dedicated my time to piecing together the story of the Ambassador Super Cinema—documenting not just its architectural and cultural significance, but also the lives of the people who made it special throughout its existence.

I remember the first time I saw this glorious little film about a young couple inheriting a rundown old 'flea pit' cinema—it was a rainy Scottish Saturday afternoon, the perfect setting for a story like that.

Every weekend, we’d gather in front of the TV, usually sitting cross-legged on the floor, to watch the BBC1 Saturday Matinee, a wonderful selection of old films that transported us to different worlds.

Mum would have her quarter of sugared almonds, while my sister Wendy and I happily tucked into our favourite sweets, completely absorbed in the magic of the movies.

And that afternoon, my love of old cinemas was born!