AMANDA BROCK

Amanda Brock, like generations of her family, grew up in Crieff, attending Crieff Primary School and Morrison’s Academy before studying law at Glasgow University. With the help of a full scholarship from Rotary International sponsored by Crieff Rotary Club she undertook a Masters Degree at New York University. She studied for a further Masters in IP and IT law at Queen Mary, University of London and has a 25 year career as a lawyer specializing in IT, ebusiness and open source software. Since 2019, Amanda has been CEO of the UK organization for the business of Open Technology, OpenUK.

Amanda is a frequent international speaker, author for the tech press and author of books including two editions of Ebusiness, The Practical Guide to the Laws and Open Source Law, Policy and Practice to be published in autumn 2021 by Oxford University Press. She is short listed for Contribution of the year, in the UK Women In Technology Awards 2021.

Amanda has also run the art business Caledoniart, representing 100 Scottish Artists and was the Creative Director of the Scottish Festival in London, the London Gathering.

She is a member of a number of Advisory boards including, KDE, OASIS Open Standards, BEIS / Ofgem / Innovate UK Energy Digitalization Advisory Board and of the commercial Advisory Boards for Everseen and Mimoto, and a Trustee of Creative Crieff.

CAROL MCGREGOR MBE

Carol McGregor is a member of BAFTA under the company name McDongall Films. She produced 3 films. Previous to this she set up the International Audio Describer Agency (IADA) and described films for Pathe, Momentum and Film Four. This followed on from describing plays in theatres, starting in Perth and also in Edinburgh, Bristol, London and Holland. She has attended the Cannes Film Festival for many years. She taught in the Learning Support Department at Crieff High School for 13 years and then became the Depute Head at King spark School in Dundee, She does charity work for CHAS and Sight Savers International, having travelled to Bangladesh, Pakistan and Malawi. She is married and has 2 sons.

GRAHAM SCOUGALL (SCOOGZ)

Scoogz is a qualified primary and secondary teacher currently working at Viewlands Primary School in Perth. Born in Madderty, Scoogz has spent most of his professional life working both in Scotland and Australia supporting and teaching children with Additional Support Needs, focused primarily on young people with social, emotional and behavioral difficulties. In his current role he is a primary class teacher as well as a Microsoft Innovative Educator and digital leader, overseeing digital learning for all staff and pupils. As a keen musician himself, he not only runs Viewlands’ Glee Club alongside another colleague, but also is a professional musician, singer and songwriter. He has toured widely throughout the UK, Australia, the US and across Europe. In May 2019, he released his first album which is available on all major online platforms. As well as playing and tutoring children on drums, guitar, keyboard and musical theory, Scoogz has also used his musical talents to raise money for a range of charitable causes, including the Friends of MacRosty Park where he helped create, organize and run the ‘Highland Fling in the Park.’ He now lives in Crieff, and while his travels have taken him across the world, he is exceptionally proud of the local community and is keen to help provide new and life changing opportunities for children and young people in the area.

GARETH WARREN (CHAIR)

Gareth is currently the Rector and Principal of Morrison’s Academy, Crieff. He has been in the post for the past four years and under his guidance and direction, the already thriving school has gone from strength to strength. Educated at Liverpool, Bristol and Edinburgh Universities, Gareth has had a broad set of teaching experiences in a career spanning 24 years. He has worked in both inner city state comprehensives and more recently in the independent sector, as well as having international experience in Bermuda. Gareth brings a depth and breadth of knowledge to the Creative Crieff Board of Trustees with particular insight and expertise into the education of young people. In particular, he has worked with numerous groups and charities with the purpose of engaging and connecting school children with their local communities. He is married with three children and lives in Crieff.  

JIM MCLAREN MBE

Jim McLaren is a mixed beef and arable farmer from Crieff in Perthshire.  He is currently Chairman of NFU Mutual, the UK’s leading Rural Insurer, having previously held positions as Chairman of Quality Meat Scotland and President of the farmers’ union NFU Scotland. He has held numerous other prominent positions in the Scottish agriculture sector including serving on the board of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). In November 2015 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by that organization for his “outstanding contributions to Scottish agriculture and the rural economy”. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies. In 2012 he led a project to create a memorial, which is now situated in Moray, to pay tribute to the work of the Land Girls who helped feed the nation by working on farms during World War II. Jim was awarded an MBE for his services to Scottish agriculture in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honors List. He is married to Shona and has two sons, two daughters and two stepdaughters.

JOHN MAUCHLINE

John Mauchline FCMA is a Chartered Management Accountant who has experience working in the hotel and hospitality industry in both General Management and Financial Management roles. In 2011 he was awarded Fellowship status with CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) in recognition of the breadth and depth of his financial, accounting and strategic management experience. John is now a consultant within the hospitality industry.  John also owns and operates his own accounting practice COUNT (Scotland) Limited with Offices in Perthshire and Fife. With a proven track record for providing management and financial accounting information John has shown diversification through business planning, setting and achieving targets but, also adapting and changing as external economic factors affect performance. Out with his professional life John is a keen salmon and trout fisherman, leisure skier and passionate about the beautiful countryside around his home in Crieff. John is Honorary Treasurer for Friends of Innerpeffray Library (Scotland’s oldest public lending Library) and still raises funds for charity by running the occasional 10K ‘fun’ run.

JAMES DENHOLM

James Denholm is a talented and acclaimed architect based in Comrie. He was appointed a fellow of RIAS in 2013. He formed the Denholm Partnership in 1988, after graduating from the University of Dundee where he completed a project about pioneering design in local cinemas. As Architect and Principal for the Denholm Partnership, he has led the firm in pioneering energy efficient timber framed design throughout Scotland. Over the last 30 years, Jimmy has been involved in over 5500 projects in various sizes and locations both rural and urban placing great emphasis on trying to find ideal solutions to meet the needs of clients whilst being aware of financial considerations and opportunities. Jimmy is an important member of the community, volunteering his time and expertise to further the success of community projects.