Introducing the Bute Highland Games 2010 Honorary Chieftan, David Hayman

David Hayman – Actor and Funder of Spirit Aid, a Short Biography.

David Hayman grew up as one of three children in a working class family in Drumchapel, Glasgow.   Leaving school without any academic qualifications he started work as a would-be engineer at 16.  One day, wearing his grease stained  boiler suit, he marched into the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and announced his intention to become an actor.  He still has no idea where this came from, he is basically a shy person and there was no family history of acting.  He took advice and joined an amateur dramatics group and a year later was accepted to study drama and has never been out of work since.  His film and television credits are frankly much too numerous to list but include his superb portrayal of hard man Jimmy Boyle in “Sense of Freedom” and, of course, he is recognisable everywhere as Detective Chief Superintendent Michael Walker in Linda La Plante’s long running Trial and Retribution series.

Away from acting, David established his Glasgow-based charity Spirit Aid in 2001.  It has gone on to become one of Scotland’s most successful small scale humanitarian organisations.  He spends several months every year visiting his charity’s relief projects where he employs indigenous workers wherever possible.  His fundraising operations include Operation Loo Roll, a project selling toilet paper that raised  £100,000 in 2007.

David Hayman is justifiably proud when he talks about how his charity spends its money, a school in South Africa, an orphanage in Sri Lanka, an Aids crèche in Malawi and many more.
Here on Bute his involvement and commitment have inspired and motivated an entire school, teachers, pupils and parents alike.  Rothesay Academy has formed a partnership with a school in the village of Muloza in Malawi. This will culminate this summer with staff and pupils from Rothesay visiting Muloza and Malawian teachers and children visiting Rothesay at the time of the Highland Games.  The Scottish pupils will visit sites where their fundraising has helped Spirit Aid set up two creches and a soup kitchen.

When not earning a living, inspiring others to help those who are in most need,  David Hayman remains based in Glasgow with his wife, Alice and their sons, David, Sammy and Sean.