Full name: Sheila Elizabeth Downie
Length of Society Membership: 5 years
Length of Service on the North Regional Committee: 3 years
I have served on the North Regional Committee for three years and would welcome the extra challenge of being a Board member. As a lifetime believer in the Co-operative Values and Principles and having lived in Coupar Angus for 31 years, I am convinced of the benefit of a friendly local Scotmid store, which is involved in the Community.
I am involved in the local community as a member of the Pride of Place group, now attempting to win a second Britain in Bloom award. This is a true community effort involving many local residents, including school children, older folk and Scotmid staff, and the Community grants from Scotmid have been invaluable.
I retired as a Community Paediatrician in 2011 and have found my role with Scotmid to be an interesting and rewarding contrast. The training has broadened my understanding of the commercial sector and has been very interesting and stimulating. My medical career led me to understand how diet affects our health and behaviour, especially that of children, and I am keen that Scotmid promotes Healthy Eating and that is sources more local produce.
Brought up in North Yorkshire, I moved to Scotland at the age of 18 to study medicine at Edinburgh University, where I met my husband David. We have been married for 42 years and have three adult children and four grandchildren.
I have enjoyed serving the Scotmid members in the North Region and hope to be able to contribute further as a Board member.