Former Caithness couple honoured for contribution to Golspie community
A FORMER Caithness couple have been honoured for their contribution to the Golspie community.
Ghulam and Naseem Sarwar have run the village’s West End Stores for nearly 36 years but are now retiring.
Every year the Golspie Gala Week committee likes to give recognition to a person or persons for the part they have played in community life.
Paying tribute to the Sarwars at a ceremony after the crowning of Golspie's gala queen was friend Allan Barclay, a former deputy headmaster of Golspie High School.
He said: “In four weeks’ time, we will lose the West End Stores, which has a long history dating back to the 1920s.”
In October 1983 Ghulam and Naseem bought the premises and moved to Golspie from Wick. They had been running Naseem’s father’s shop in Castletown but wanted a shop of their own.
Customers will him and his cheery nature. They will also miss the banter.
Mr Barclay went on: “Over the years Ghulam especially looked forward to seeing his regular customers and often worried if they didn’t show up in the shop.
"He loves being part of the community and no doubt will miss seeing his regular customers, as they will him and his cheery nature. They will also miss the banter.
“My own enduring memory is of a family who made themselves part of the community and, of Ghulam Sarwar himself, his faultless weather forecasting every morning.
“A point to note is that he has never had a sick day in all the 36 years of running the shop. As a community we wish them both a long and happy retirement and some well deserved ‘long lies'.”
He presented Mr Sarwar with a clock made locally from Ben Bhraggie sandstone and Mrs Sarwar with a bouquet of flowers.