I was left feeling most sad by this news:
I met George Reid many times. The first time was when he visited the ward of older people that I looked after in Clackmannan Community Hospital. George Reid visited these elderly patients on a regular basis. He always brightened their day.
Long ago, as an NHS doctor, I visited an elderly lady in Clackmannan. She still lived in the house that she was born in and it had been unchanged in all that time. She showed me her ‘box-bed’ that she still slept in [a bed of bye-gone times]. An old photograph was proudly displayed on her box-bed. It was of a wee boy. I asked her, ‘who is that?’ She replied, along these lines: ‘that is George Reid, I used to look after him when he was wee’.
In Bridge of Allan, I regularly met George Reid in the Co-op. We would nod and say hello to one another. Outside the shop his two dogs would be patiently waiting for him. Sometimes, if we were beside each other in the queue for the Co-op till, I would say to George, “we need more like you in this world”. He would smile politely back to me and kindly reply in a few words which conveyed his natural humility.
The last time I saw George, just a few weeks ago, was in Bridge of Allan’s Memorial Park. He was seated on one of the park benches and had his two dogs with him. He looked in the moment, happy just being.
The Scotsman, 14th August 2025:
BBC Reporting Scotland:
The Press and Journal, 8th May 2003:
Bridge of Allan, 14th August 2025: A journey in memory of George.
Peter sets off to the village shop to get the day’s newspapers:
Coming home by the Mine Woods, where George Reid regularly walked his dogs:
In upper Bridge of Allan there are many fine houses with grand gateways:
The gateway to Coneyhill House with recycling bins ready for collection;
Peter chalks a Red Cross opposite George Reid’s gateway:
Before coming to Bridge of Allan, George Reid worked as director for public affairs for the International Red Cross:
The motto of the Federation of the International Red Cross: “Per Humanitatem ad Pacem” (Through Humanity to Peace)
Transitional art has a place in all our lives. It can be important!
I set off home: downhill all the way to Mossgrove!
But on Coneyhill Road, today’s newspaper breaks free:
It fell by a traffic cone [Coneyhill Road is currently closed to motor vehicles]:
Having rescued my paper I head on down the brae to the main road. I find that the ‘recycle’ lorries have arrived in the village:
Dogs are being walked in Memorial Park:
Graham’s Milk lorries pass by:
Friends of Bridge of Allan are busy, as always, making our village beautiful:
Back home at Mossgrove. Oh, the blossom:
Thank you George for being such a fine man:
