Q & A with Archie Macpherson

JOANNA THOMSON was born in 1954 and brought up at the Kingston Nature Cure Clinic in Edinburgh. She is the third generation of the family to live the Nature Cure way of life. Rather than immediately training as a practitioner, Joanna was encouraged to tread her own path, and she has mostly made her living for the last 40 years designing and making beautiful precious jewellery. It wasn’t until after her father died in 1992 that she undertook the necessary studies to become a practitioner, she was taught by the graduates of the Edinburgh School of Natural Therapeutics and since then has built up a part-time practice.
Joanna is currently the Registrar of the Incorporated Society of Registered Naturopaths and Secretary and Treasurer of the Tait Vision Fund. A trustee of the Thomson Kingston Trust and the custodian of the Thomson Kingston Publications with a large library of books on Nature Cure and Natural Therapeutic spanning some 150 years.
Joanna is a mother and a grandmother, her garden is organic, her hobbies, not surprisingly, are outdoor pursuits. When not working she is out with her two beloved highland ponies, her dogs, bird watching or getting her grandchildren out into the fresh air.
Countdown to Scotland's first game against Haiti in the 2026 FIFA World Cup (UK time).
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Here’s to the players who wear the shirt, thank you for giving us something worth rallying behind, and here’s to the supporters who kept believing even when we were out in the wilderness.
28 years of heartbreak are over, Scotland are back in the World Cup. With a pen dipped in passion, McNeill explores the emotional landscape of football, bringing to life the highs and lows, triumphs and tribulations that define the beautiful game in Scotland.
Praise for We Are Scottish Football:
In this unique and vivid collection of poems and photographs Julie McNeill makes sure we don’t forget the impact our footballing history has had on the world. STUART COSGROVE, author & presenter
A must read for any fan of football, history, poetry and Scotland. IAN MAXWELL, CEO SFA
In this wonderful book of poems and photographs Julie McNeill ties together the past and present of the game and highlights some of its outstanding moments, personalities and controversies. ROSE REILLY MBE, World Cup Winning Footballer
A poetic tribute, capturing the soul-stirring drama and devotion that make Scottish football an enduring and enchanting spectacle. PAUL ENGLISH, The Herald
Timely and well-written by a fine poet [who] acknowledges the popular roots of the male game while inflecting these through a modern female gaze. ALISTAIR FINDLAY, Morning Star
JULIE McNEILL, poet, author and workshop facilitator, specialises in creative writing workshops and talks, focusing on mental
health and supporting individuals with additional needs. Author of Mission Dyslexia and two poetry collections, she’s the Poet in Residence for St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation and the Makar for The Scottish Women’s National Football Team Poets Society. Her performances include notable events like Wigtown Book Festival and StAnza International Poetry Festival.