MARGARET Davidson is living proof that it is
never too late to start a new career.

For the 46-year-old has swapped life as a
housewife and mother to become a butcher baker, making an average of 700 pies
every week.

She admits changing direction at her age was
scary, but a move she doesn't regret.

“At times it has been a bit
daunting,” she said. “But it just proves you are never to old to
learn new skills. I have done that and I have really enjoyed it.”

Mrs Davidson, of Dornie Place, Inverness,
moved north from Paisley near Glasgow three years ago when her husband, Brian,
who retrained as a teacher after being made redundant as an engineer, took up
a job at Inverness Royal Academy, where he teaches mathematics.

“When I moved up here it was pretty hard
and I wanted a wee job to get me out of the house,” explained Mrs
Davidson, who is a mother to Roslynn (18) and Andrew (16). “I didn't
want to feel cut off.”

She started working as a counter assistant at
Ashers bakery but decided to look for employment with fewer hours when her
daughter had a baby.

The Rainbow Brownie leader admits her new
career was one she stumbled across.

Margaret shows off her perfect
pies

.

MacDougall and Hastie Butchers, in the
Queensgate Arcade, were looking for someone part-time to cover the counter and
help make the pies from scratch and the mother-of-two got the job.

“They quickly asked me to up my
hours,” she explained. “Before I knew it I was working full-time and
making the pies three days a week.

“Doing the pies was a bit daunting, with
all the different recipes and everything, but I soon got the hang of it. One
of my hobbies at home is cooking and I have got hundreds and hundreds of
recipe books. I am really interested in cooking and always have done, but this
is a totally different scale. On a weekly basis I probably make anything up to
700 pies and if the football is on, it is even more.”

She enjoyed her new work so much she decided
to start a modern apprenticeship to train as a butcher baker with the Scottish
Meat Training, signing up last December.

“It takes up to two years to complete,
but I did it in six months,” she said, explaining she always packed lots
in to show her assessor when he visited. “I just made sure I was
organised and could show him what I could do so he wasn't having to see me
over and over again.”

She completed level two of the apprenticeship
in June and now hopes to start further training, which will include butcher
skills, although she said she was satisfied with staying on the butcher baker
side of the business.

“I would have never expected this, no
way, but I really, really enjoy it,” she continued. “I just want to
take it further and further. I think my husband was quite surprised, but he is
very pleased and is full of encouragement for me.”

And with her arrival in the kitchen, the
firm, which supplies pies to Ross County and Inverness Caledonian Thistle
football clubs, has continued to have success, winning top prizes at the
British Pie Awards at Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire this year, taking gold
for its mince round and bronze for its football pie.

Mrs Davidson admits these recipes were
already perfected before she arrived, but she now has her own recipe ideas she
wants to explore.

“I recently created a new scotch pie
mix,” she said. “I am really happy with it. We started selling the
pie “” probably at the beginning of May “” and we sell hundreds and hundreds
a week now. Sales are really up. I am delighted as a lot of customers come by
and give us really good feedback.”

James Dyce, a partner with MacDougall and
Hastie Butchers, described Mrs Davidson as “fantastic”, adding.
“Her pie has the potential to be a winner.”