Staff Spotlight - Blanche Haddow

For this week’s staff spotlight, we get to know one of our multi-talented support staff.

Tell us about yourself?

I’m Blanche Haddow and I’m completely and utterly Scottish - although my Grampa was Welsh, and my Blanche ancestors came from Shetland. I live in a lovely wee town not far from Perth, and have done since the last two weeks of my Primary 5 - which was quite a while ago now!

What is your role at Perth College UHI?

I am a Materials Production Assistant in DTP (Desk Top Publishing). I work using the computer - taking and making documents, handouts, PowerPoints etc – and making sure that they are all lovely and neat, and are styled professionally in line with accessibility.

What’s the best part of your job?

I absolutely love just working away and getting lost in the world of my computer. I love getting jobs, working out what is wanted and sorting them all out to look nice and neat and tidy.

I also enjoy when someone needs something done that we are not quite sure how to do. I really enjoy the challenge of finding and working out how to sort that.

I also really love showing people how to do things on their computers, such as sorting out things using Word.

What might people be surprised to know about you?

I have 2 HNC's, 1 HND and 1 BA - all for different subjects, and from different areas. Basically, I love studying and finding out about things.

I've written 2 books:

Do you have any interesting hobbies?

I love going walks and taking photos. I love art, reading, computers, nature, writing, spiritual things and synchronicities etc.

I have a blog and also a Facebook page called BsPhotos show casing my photos.

Favourite type of food?

Pasta, I practically live on pasta. I love pizza, pasta, crisps, lasagne, spaghetti bolognaise, noodles, cauliflower cheese and much more. I always have vegetables, and have a mix of fruit in yoghurt every day. I love blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries etc. I am a very fussy eater, but I enjoy cooking. I cook simple things and use fresh ingredients mostly, making things from scratch.

I am most definitely a "savoury potato", not a "sweet potato". Although, when out at a restaurant, I do love a pudding like a hot apple crumble with ice cream. I also love when the pastry trolley comes around at college. I miss that now, in our new office. NO gunky sweet things though, thank you, just a nice plain pastry - or good old, fashioned fairy cake with a wee bit of water icing! 😊

Have you been cooking or baking anything nice during lockdown?

I have to make my meals every day, and I really miss the good old college canteen and all the staff there. It is my treat for the day, at work, to get my meal made for me. However, I do love cooking - I just keep it simple and tasty.

I can and have baked in my life, but it never looks good! I would say, just leave baking to the experts such as my colleagues, Arlene and Aida! 😊 You can't beat Arlene's strawberry cake, and I think most college staff will be very aware of Aida's wonderful and incredible baking skills.

Favourite holiday destination, and why?

I hardly ever go on holiday. I am not very brave!

For my 50th, I went to Shetland - where my ancestors came from. That was a wonderful and amazing holiday, and I am so glad I did it. I love the sea and boats, they are most definitely in my blood.

Where would you like to go when lockdown is over and it is safe to travel again?

I just want to go back out for my picnic walks. I go out for whole days in the summer with my camera and get lost in the magical world of nature.

I also look forward to being allowed to go back to the nature reserves such as Flanders Moss and Morton's Lochs. I love days out to places like that.

I look forward to being able to go up and visit my Dad and Stepmum too.

Favourite book?

Being There by Jerzy Kosińsk. I think it has a very important message about society and how daft it can be.

Of course, my own book: Answers Inside Out. It means a lot to me, as it explains about a massive "journey" in my life - in my own words - that people would never usually hear from me.

Have you been reading any good books during lockdown?

I always read every day. I love reading and read a "factual" book for a while - then, for a longer time - read a fiction book. I am a slow reader, so don't get through so many but I am always reading.

Currently I am reading: The Real Rain Man by Fran Peek and The Blood Curse by Emily Gee.

For fun, I have been reading my old Tin Tin and Asterix books that I found in my Dad's attic. I love to go out in the garden and sit and read them as a relaxing treat. I now want to collect them all.

Favourite TV show?

I don't watch much TV but I always watch The Chase. I even went for an audition for it one time. I didn't get on, but it was a great experience.

I also love the Water Colour Challenge-type programmes, Tipping Point, The Hairy Bikers, Merlin, and probably other things that I can't think of right now!

What TV shows have you been watching during lockdown?

I bought a DVD of musicals. I love going to see a musical in the theatre, but only really know my two favourites - Oliver and Joseph. So, I got a DVD with four musicals, which I am enjoying watching. They are not so good at home, but I soon get into them.

I also got a box set of the Carry On Films for Christmas. I thought I better, before they ban them for being politically incorrect! They are terrible, but great fun. So - one Carry On Film a week is my wee treat just now. It is really interesting to see the social history of them, such as them all smoking in the hospital ward.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I have never known what I wanted to be, and I still don't! Although, now I know that I want to be and I am - an APA (Author, Photographer and Artist)!

If you were a super-hero, what type of powers would you have?

Flying, or being able to zap to wherever I want - without having to travel there.

First thing you would do if you won £1 million?

Well I often do the game of planning what to spend my million pounds on when I win it! So, it would just be fun to enjoy and no particular first thing! 😉 I would just get a nice wee cottage or bungalow near the sea and live a creative and happy life.

Who, or what, inspires you?

Friends and family. Many people - the people I meet and know every day, the ones who I can respect and admire for doing and being who they are.

I realised a long time ago that a person can be very intelligent, but that doesn't mean that they are wise!

It doesn't matter what age or "level" a person is, what matters is how they are. I respect people who like, care and think about others and themselves.

What is the best advice you have ever received, and who did it come from?

“Love and look after yourself, you are the only person that you will be with from the moment you are born to the moment you die.” It came from myself!

Happiest memory?

Many. Like going with my family to visit my brother in Australia, for his wedding. Going to Shetland.

Holidays with my Granny to North Berwick, as a child.

Some of my happiest times are when my Dad takes me to nature reserves and I am left to spend the day getting lost in the world of nature along with my camera!

And most embarrassing?

When I was a teenager, my pal and I were looking at the records in Woolworths and I shouted, "oh brilliant look, Rainbow". We had just got into the rock group Rainbow. I went rushing over to the record and it turned out to be Rainbow of Zippy and Bungo! What a "beamer" as we used to say! (A few wee clues to my age in there 😉!)

Also, as a teenager, when my Dad went through a phase of wearing clogs. I could hear him arriving home about 2 streets away and found it very embarrassing!