Recent Chiels news......

11th April 2006 A sad day in the Chiels History

Tuesday 11th April will be a sad day in the Chiels history. One of our members died suddenly at the age of 67, Mike Sheridan was one of the original members of the group when we were founded back in 2001. Mike will be remembered especially for his culinary skills on our many treks throughout Scotland none more so than on our Mallaig to Ballater walk,  Mike single handily designed his "meals on wheels" horse box which he towed behind his freelander and would would meet up with the walking group at designated points through out the day for lunch and then again for evening meals at our various campsites. The meals that Mike prepared from his glorified kitchen would have been more akin to a five star hotel and certainly helped to take your mind of the 27 mile hike we had just completed. Although I must say that the most annoying sound on this trek and sure many fellow members of the Chiels would agree would be the creaking noise of the Butchers horse box come kitchen door swinging open at 05:30am thus indicating breakfast getting ready and the dawning of a new day - another 27 miles to go!!!!

Mike Sheridan was born in Ballater and, apart from a brief stint as a national serviceman in the Royal Signals, lived there all his life.
He went to school in the village and on leaving started as an apprentice in a local butcher's shop. Even in the Army he continued to take an interest in culinary matters as a regimental cook.
Demobbed in 1962, he returned to Ballater and started up a mobile butcher's, selling meat from a van.

Thanks to his hard work the business blossomed and in 1976 he was able to open his own shop on Victoria Road, moving later to the present premises, on Bridge Street, in 1979. The firm became famous for its high-quality meat, poultry and game - not to mention its 20 flavours of sausage - and was voted Scotland's top shop in 2000.
In 1979 Mr Sheridan was awarded the Royal warrant to supply the Queen Mother when at the Balmoral Estate, and warrants for the Queen herself and Prince Charles followed in 1984 as his reputation spread.
The shop was a matter of pride for Mr Sheridan, but as his family and friends said, being from Ballater was even more so.

Mike was laid to rest on Tuesday 18th April, He was known for being the Queen's butcher when she stayed at Balmoral, but the send-off given to Mike Sheridan by the people of Deeside yesterday might have befitted royalty itself.
An estimated 1,000 people gathered at Mr Sheridan's home village of Ballater to pay their last respects to one of the community's best-loved figures.The village was brought to a standstill by his funeral. Most shops closed and police had to cordon off the route of the procession, from the church to the former Monaltrie Hotel. Six Members of the Chiels were given the honour of carrying Mikes Coffin out of the church where a guard of honour was made up of fellow members of the Chiels

At the Monaltrie Hotel, many mourners boarded buses hired specially for the occasion to transport them to his final resting place at Tullich Cemetery.A sad day for all,but It was a tremendous tribute to his life in Ballater."

Rest in peace "Butch"

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