Alan's Story

It sounds dramatic but that first night changed my life.

It sounds dramatic but is the simple truth. A youth club changed my life.

The club is run by Johnny Hendry, a legend in Govan, and it is impossible to overestimate what he has achieved with young people growing up there.

His club had a huge impact on so many of us. It was never just four walls and a roof, it was a safety net, a place where young people could find help and encouragement when they might not have found it elsewhere.

It changed my life and, over the years, there have been hundreds, thousands, like me.

I was 16 when I first went in 2008 and mad about karate. I had won a world title in my age group and was hoping to get to Tokyo to defend it but the cost looked prohibitive.

I just remember Johnny being totally engaged as soon as he heard about it, getting sponsorship, publicity, just doing everything he possibly could to help.

In the end, I got to Tokyo and retained my title but my respect and gratitude to Johnny and Aberlour goes far beyond that.

He helped me in all sorts of ways. I wrote my first CV with the help of the club, for example, and was coached for my first interview there.

Johnny was doing it for me but he would do it for every young person that came through the door. He is a force of nature and, when it comes to young people needing help, never stops.

Sometimes life can change in an instant and walking into that club changed everything for me and loads of young people like me.

Alan Pollock
Youth club alumni

This article was written as part of the 'We are family' special edition supplement with the Sunday Post.